A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
The Dubliners settle dispute with EMI
The Dubliners have settled their legal dispute with record company EMI over the promotion and selling of their CD box set, The Dubliners Platinum Collection.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly said the case had established "a record" for the commercial court in that it was admitted to the court's list on Monday, went to mediation on Tuesday and a settlement was announced yesterday.
After the Dubliners initiated the action, EMI Records (Ireland) had made a proposal that the matter go to mediation and, following a mediation process, the settlement was announced yesterday. No details of the settlement were disclosed.
Burglar, arsonist gets four years
A burglar who set fire to a house in which a woman slept, causing damage of more than €100,000, has received a four-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mark Homes (28), Swan Grove, Ranelagh, was "out of his head" on drink and drugs when he broke into the house. Forensic analysis was unable to ascertain the cause of the fire, but it was thought Homes dropped a lit cigarette.
Judge Desmond Hogan suspended the final 18 months. He said a striking feature of Homes's crime was the "arrogantly casual way in which he went about his business".
He ordered him to enter into a good behaviour bond for five years following his release and to undergo drug and alcohol treatment.
Homes pleaded guilty to arson and burglary in Mount Pleasant Place, Ranelagh, and to another burglary on the same street, on February 21st, 2004.
Sgt John Kelly told Garnet Orange, prosecuting, that a woman was asleep alone in her house when she woke to find Homes in her bedroom. He left the room to rummage through the rest of the house for about 30 minutes before returning to her bedroom and going through her wardrobe.
Sgt Kelly said the woman was unable to find her mobile phone to call for assistance, was petrified and pretended to be asleep until she heard a fire alarm go off and heard Homes leave the house.
She found the living room ablaze and escaped to call gardaí and the fire brigade.
Homes has 29 previous convictions for criminal damage, burglary, assault and public order offences.
Sgt Kelly said that a technical examination of the scene found no accelerant and a definitive cause of the fire could not be established. He said Homes's memory of events was poor due to his intoxicated state and he may have dropped a lit cigarette.
Bail revoked in beheading case
A man charged in relation to a murder in Kilkenny two years ago had his bail revoked at yesterday's sitting of Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal.
Sgt Daniel O'Riordan of Clonmel Garda station told the court that he was applying for a warrant under the Bail Act as Chijioke Ezekwem was in breach of his bail conditions.
Ezekwem (26), Whitethorn Grove, Letterkenny, a Nigerian national, was charged before the same court in September with failing to disclose information believed to be of assistance to the investigation of the murder of Paiche Onyemaechi (25).
Her beheaded and badly decomposed body was found on a riverbank in Piltown, Co Kilkenny, on July 23rd, 2004.
She was the daughter of the Malawian chief justice, Leonard Unyolo.Man dies in three-car collision
Gardaí from Mountmellick, Co Laois, are investigating a three vehicle collision at Clonagown, Ballyfin, at 8am yesterday where a 25-year-old male driver was fatally injured.
The deceased was removed to Portlaoise General Hospital for a postmortem examination. The drivers of two other vehicles involved are being treated for minor injuries.
Cross-Border conference begins
The first North-South Conference for Chairpersons of Public Bodies and State Agencies opened in Newry yesterday. The two-day conference brings together the chairs of major public bodies, North and South, to discuss matters of common concern. The opening speakers yesterday evening were the secretary general to the Government, Dermot McCarthy, and the head of the Northern Ireland civil service, Nigel Hamilton.
Fingal to review sewage strategy
Fingal County Council has appointed consultants to review the strategy for the future sewerage needs of the entire Dublin region, one year after it was instructed to by councillors.
In November 2005 Fingal councillors voted to reject the Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study (GDSDS), which included plans for a €140 million regional sewage plant at Portrane in north Dublin, and ordered that the study be subjected to a strategic environmental assessment (SEA).
This will involve public consultation and is unlikely to be finished before mid-2007.
Sentence for sheep rustler suspended
A Co Derry sheep farmer who stole 71 lambs from three neighbouring farms was yesterday given an eight month jail sentence, suspended for three years. Sean Joseph McCormick (37), Mountfield Road, Claudy, was ordered to pay £300 to each of the farmers whose sheep he stole .
New swamp fever case confirmed
Another case of Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA), commonly known as swamp fever, has been confirmed here, the Department of Agriculture said last night.
The latest case was found in a high risk group of animals which had contact with the original case.