More news in brief.
FF candidates for Donegal South-West
Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan and Minister of State for Transport Pat "the Cope" Gallagher were confirmed as the two Fianna Fáil candidates for the Donegal South-West constituency at the next election, at a selection convention last night, writes Stephen Collins.
Four other candidates, David Alcorn, Cllr Enda Bonner, Cllr Patrick MacGowan and Cllr Brian Dómhnaill withdrew from the contest when it was announced at the beginning of the convention in the Highlands Hotel, Glenties, that only two candidates would be selected.
Branson not planning centres
Reports that the billionaire businessman Richard Branson is planning to launch a chain of primary care centres in the Republic have been discounted by his company, writes Eithne Donnellan.
Company spokeswoman Jackie McQuillan said yesterday that Virgin was constantly looking at new business proposals and had several months ago looked at investing in a primary care centre in the UK but decided subsequently it would not be something it would pursue."We never looked at the idea in Ireland," she said.
Meanwhile the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) yesterday condemned health service employers for their continued failure to plan for a reduction in the hours worked by junior doctors. Under the European Working Time Directive the doctors' hours were to have been cut to 58 a week by August 2004 and to 48 hours a week by 2009.
Elephants rescued from trailer fire
Two elephants were rescued last night from a burning circus trailer on the M50 by Dublin Fire Brigade.
A number of Circus Vegas trucks carrying animals were in transit last night when the fire broke out. A fire brigade crew successfully put out the small fire and rescued the elephants.
"The elephants are out now and they are okay. They were uninjured and they have been put onto the nearby green for a while," said a spokesman from the Garda press office last night. The spokesman added that it was "always a risk" to have large animals out in the open but he understood that the elephants were "fairly well trained".
Appeal to walkers after rescue
Mountain Rescue Ireland has renewed an appeal to hillwalkers to never go walking alone following the rescue of a man yesterday near Glendalough, Co Wicklow, for the second time in two years.
The man, in his 40s and from Co Kildare, got lost in driving rain while out walking on Lugduff mountain. A member of the Glen of Imaal mountain rescue team said the man was uninjured but a little embarrassed.
Gardaí investigate sex assault on girl
Gardaí have confirmed that an investigation is under way into to a serious incident involving a child in the Co Galway area earlier this month and a man has been remanded in custody in connection with the incident.
A Sunday newspaper reported yesterday that a six-year-old girl had undergone surgery in hospital as a result of injuries sustained in a serious sexual assault. However, HSE West said it could not comment on individual cases.
Deaf pilgrimage to Knock shrine
More than 200 pilgrims attended the first ever international pilgrimage of deaf people to Knock which concluded on Saturday with concelebrated Mass at the shrine's Apparition Gable conducted by Bishop John Buckley, chairman of the Irish Episcopal Pastoral Commission.