A round-up of today's other news stories in brief
Father of men wanted in fire inquiry charged
The father of four men wanted for questioning about the murder of a couple whose home was set alight was yesterday charged with impeding the course of justice. Colum Smith (57) was accused of impeding the apprehension of offenders following the attack last November.
Lisa McClatchey (21) and her partner, Thomas O'Hare (33) were beaten with hammers and doused in flammable liquid by vigilantes at their home in Tassagh, Co Armagh.
Smith's four sons were treated in hospital in Dundalk after the attack, which destroyed the couple's bungalow. The first offence allegedly took place on November 6th, when, knowing that people were guilty of attempted murder, Smith conveyed them by car out of Northern Ireland.
Scene of cyclist's death examined
Gardaí at Buncrana, Co Donegal, are investigating a fatal road traffic collision at Quigleys Point, at 6.05pm yesterday.
A 62-year-old male cyclist was fatally injured when his bicycle was struck by a van on the Muff to Moville Road. The man died at the scene.
The road remained closed until this morning to allow for technical examination.
Shell site security costs State €3m
Over the past four months more than €3 million has been spent placing gardaí in north Mayo to protect workers entering Shell's gas terminal site at Bellanaboy.
In response to a parliamentary question from Mayo Independent TD Jerry Cowley, Mr McDowell said €3.14 million has been spent placing gardaí at the proposed gas terminal site from October 3rd, 2006, to the January 25th, 2007.
Some 20 people protested outside Shell Ireland's head office in Dublin yesterday to coincide with the announcement by Royal Dutch Shell of record profits for last year, of $25.36 billion (€19.5 billion).
Professor to oversee Criminal Law code
Prof Finbarr McAuley of UCD and Jean Monnet, Prof of European Criminal Justice Law, are to chair the new committee announced by the Tánaiste Michael McDowell to oversee the preparation of a Criminal Law Code.
The project aims to codify all our substantive criminal law into a single Crimes Act. The other members of the committee appointed by the Tánaiste yesterday include Mr Pat McCarthy SC, Mr Richard Humphries BL, Ms Mags O'Driscoll SC, Ms Lia O'Hegarty, consultant and member of the Human Rights Commission.