The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has been called on to toughen Public Order offences legislation following an increase in late-night assaults on young people after bars close in Castleblayney and Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.
In Carrickmacross gardaí have been called on several occasions recently to a children's play park to deal with late night public order incidents.
In neighbouring Castleblayney, town councillors have held talks with gardaí after several incidents in which locals were assaulted and property damaged.
Independent councillor Mr Joe Brennan said yesterday the number of Public Order offences had risen so much in the region there was an urgent need for the Minister to review the existing legislation and toughen penalties for those who are convicted.
He claimed people were attacked and injured by public order offenders in the area over the recent bank holiday weekend.
Smoking ban challenge claim
A drop in pub drink sales this winter will lead to publicans deciding by January to mount a legal challenge to the new smoking legislation, it has been predicted.
Mr Chris Lavelle of Mayo Vintners' Federation claimed yesterday that publicans were not united enough yet to contest the issue.
But by the end of the year, as weather conditions emptied "smoking gardens", that would change, he predicted.
Mr Lavelle, a Westport publican, said that by November, all publicans would be feeling the pinch.
Garda appeal for mother of foetus
Gardaí have been unable to trace the mother of a 20-week-old foetus found in the village of Borris, Co Carlow, on Tuesday morning.
Supt Aidan Roche said yesterday inquiries were continuing and he asked the mother to come forward to receive medical help.
"Our main concern is for her well-being and I would ask her to make contact with a health professional," he said.
Yeats Summer School continues
Students at the International Yeats Summer School in Sligo heard poet Bernard O'Donoghue, a Whitbread prize winner, discuss "The Visionary Politician: Michael Robartes and the Dancer" yesterday.
Prof Maureen Murphy of Hofstra University, who tomorrow leads a workshop on the Famine, delivered a lecture called "The Wind among the Reeds".
A fusion of poetry and music was presented last evening at the Hawk's Well theatre by guitarist and composer Ben Dwyer with poet Macdara Woods.
The highlight of the two-week programme for many students takes place tonight when Nobel prizewinner Seamus Heaney reads his work at the Hawk's Well.
Wexford brothel raided by gardaí
Detectives had to forcibly break into a brothel operating in an apartment block in Wexford town yesterday.
A 23-year-old Nigerian woman was later arrested in the apartment and brought to Wexford Garda Station for questioning.
Detectives who targeted the brothel confirmed they had the apartment under observation for the past two weeks.
Following the operation, gardaí in Wexford also confirmed they would be calling on a number of men over the next two weeks having located names and telephone numbers in the apartment.
A detective said: "There will be a number of red faces throughout Co Wexford over the next two weeks."
Gardaí confirmed that a file is been prepared for the DPP.