More news in brief.
Woman held in fire deaths investigation
A woman was being questioned last night about an arson attack in Co Armagh in which a couple died.
The 28-year-old was detained in Co Armagh, where Thomas O'Hare (33), and his girlfriend Lisa McClatchey (21), were set on fire by a gang who broke into their home.
The house on Foley Road, Tassagh, was destroyed in the November 6th attack.
Detectives believe six intruders forced their way into the home and attacked Mr O'Hare before setting the pair alight.
Ms McClatchey raised the alarm by running to a neighbour's house while on fire. Her partner was carried from the burning building on a sheet.
Four men presented themselves at a hospital in Co Louth an hour after the attack with critical burns.
They were later treated in St James's Hospital, Dublin, and gardaí are monitoring them.
Detectives investigating the attack have also searched a house in Clady.
David Harold Graham (43), Shergrim Glen, Omagh, has already appeared in court charged with perverting the course of justice and withholding information.
Nuclear motion for young PDs
A call for nuclear power plants to be built in Ireland will be made at the Young Progressive Democrats' national conference in Dublin this weekend, writes Miriam Donohoe.
Young Progressive Democrats chairman Colm Fahey said yesterday the issue of energy is hugely important and confirmed that the Dublin branch of the YPDs has put forward a motion that nuclear is a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly method of producing electricity.
Other energy-related motions to be debated at the conference include a call for road tax to be linked to the level of carbon emissions and a ban on the standby function on all electrical equipment sold in future.
The conference will be addressed by the PD leader and Tánaiste, Michael McDowell, deputy leader Liz O'Donnell and PD founder Des O'Malley.
Irish composer commemorated
The Irish composer and pianist John Field (1782-1837) is the subject of a day-long commemorative event today at NUI Maynooth University and Carton House, entitled John Field: Reception and Performance.
There will be two lectures and a concert at Riverstown Hall today, starting at 9.45am.
The afternoon programme takes place at Carton House and includes two further lectures as well as Nocturne, a play by Miriam Gallagher.
Farmers remanded for sentencing
Two Tipperary farmers were last night convicted of conspiring to defraud the Minister for Agriculture of £75,000 in a BSE-related compensation scam following a seven-week trial.
Thomas Hickey and his son, Jeremiah, of Wellington, Grange, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, were both found guilty of conspiring to defraud the Minister of the money between August 1st and October 31st, 1996, within the State.
A jury at Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court took over six hours to find them guilty of the single charge and Judge Miriam Reynolds remanded them on bail for sentencing at a later date.