A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Donohoe to contest Dublin Central for FG
Dublin city councillor Paschal Donohoe has been selected by Fine Gael as its candidate in Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's constituency of Dublin Central in the next general election. Fine Gael lost its only seat in the constituency in 2002 when the late Jim Mitchell failed to get elected.
Mr Donohoe, was elected last night in the first selection convention to be held by Fine Gael and was selected unopposed.
Barrington new director of forum
Anne Barrington has been appointed director of the National Forum on Europe. She has worked extensively on EU issues both in the Department of the Taoiseach in the lead up to and during the 2004 presidency and in the Department of Foreign Affairs, from where she is on secondment.
Ms Barrington worked also as Ireland's delegate to the UN in New York on development issues from 1997 to 2001. She replaces Ms Geraldine Byrne Nason who has been appointed to the permanent representation of Ireland to the EU in Brussels.
Two in court on burglary charges
Two men appeared in court in Limerick yesterday following an alleged incident at the home of a 31-year-old man who was charged at the weekend with injecting heroin into a friend who was later found dead in a laneway.
Kevin Barry (24), St Munchin's Street and Damien Mallard (18), Oliver Plunkett Street, were charged with burglary and with being drunk and disorderly at Meat Market Lane at 6am on Sunday last.
The court heard further serious charges were likely to follow. Both were remanded in custody.
The alleged offences took place at the home of Mark Naughton who was charged before a special court sitting at the weekend with injecting heroin into father of four, Patrick O'Donoghue (41). He was also charged with placing Mr O'Donoghue outside his home in an unconscious state on the night of September 8th/9th last.
Gardaí investigate Limerick rape
Gardaí in Limerick are investigating the vicious rape of a middle-aged woman in the city at the weekend. The incident happened in Raheen as the woman in her late 40's was walking home alone.
Gardaí said the young male lured his victim onto open ground between Churchill Meadows and Aisling Heights where she was physically and sexually assaulted.
Gardaí at Roxboro Road have appealed for anyone who saw a lone male in his late teens or early 20's running through Aisling Heights at around 2am on Sunday morning to contact them.
He was described as between five feet nine and six feet in height and spoke with a local accent.
Injunction over missing excavator
A Co Tipperary man falsely gave the address of a Kilkenny B&B as his home when he leased a €80,000 excavator, the High Court was told yesterday.
Mr Justice Michael Hanna heard that Mr Noel Ryan, of Tyone, Nenagh, had paid only two repayments "before disappearing" with the excavator.
Mr Justice Hanna granted an interim injunction until Friday prohibiting Mr Ryan from disposing of the excavator.
Marine Institute wins award
The Marine Institute has won an international award for a new information system which will help scientists to predict marine pollution, plankton blooms and global warming, writes Lorna Siggins.
The "marine data warehouse" integrates a wide range of different information types, measured in altitude, longitude, depth and time.