A round-up of today's other stories in brief
SF denies approach to Cork hurling captain
Sinn Féin is not in the business of recruiting high-profile personalities, such as Cork hurling star, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, to represent the party as election candidates, according to Kerry South TD, Martin Ferris. He discounted a newspaper report yesterday that the party had approached the All-Ireland winning Cork captain to run in Cork North Central as part of "a dream team" of personality candidates.
"We're not in the business of recruiting personalities to carry the mantle of Sinn Féin. The people who represent this party are activists within the party and who have a commitment to what we're trying to achieve," said Mr Ferris, who was guest speaker at a Sinn Féin commemoration of Thomas Ashe in Kinard, near Dingle, Co Kerry. A five-man colour party stood to attention beside the memorial.
Cllr Jonathan O'Brien, the only declared candidate for Sinn Féin's upcoming Cork North Central selection convention, also rejected the story.
Explanation demanded about ward
Fine Gael's health spokesman Dr Liam Twomey has questioned who was behind the decision to put patients into a refurbished ward in the Coombe Women's Hospital, Dublin, last week when it was being officially opened by Minister for Health Mary Harney. It was closed again immediately after the ceremony.
"The use of patients as props in a publicity exercise for Minister Harney in the Coombe is degrading, despicable and a full explanation must be provided as to who was behind this cynical action," he said yesterday.
"This abuse of patients is reprehensible and the Minister's office must explain who decided to employ this spin-laden scheme. Was it someone in the Minister's office who had the idea or a member of the Coombe?
The least patients deserve is an answer as to who decided to treat them in such a manner," he added.
He said the incident was reminiscent of disgraced former Fianna Fáil minister Ray Burke's "tree-planting" exercise in the 1982 Dublin West by-election. "After the residents of a housing estate had chosen not to elect a Fianna Fáiler, Burke removed all the trees that had been planted there prior to polling day," he said.
A spokesman for Ms Harney said what happened was solely a matter for the hospital, which organised the opening. The hospital said the movement of patients between wards within the hospital was solely to ensure the efficient use of facilities and staff resources at any given time.
Racist attack on home in Armagh
Migrant European workers were targeted in another racist attack in Northern Ireland on Saturday.
The two Portuguese men and a Polish man escaped injury when a petrol bomb was hurled at the front of the house in Portadown, Co Armagh, as they slept.
The bomb bounced off an upstairs bedroom window and exploded on the front porch of the house in Armagh Road. The front of the building suffered scorch damage, but the flames did not spread.
It was the latest in a growing campaign of attacks against migrant workers - many in Co Armagh.
The three men targeted on Saturday work in a local factory and had lived without trouble in the house for the past two years.
Local SDLP assembly member Delores Kelly said she condemned the attack. "There seems to be an ongoing campaign against migrant workers here, who are contributing to the local economy and indeed many would say keeping our factories open," she said.
Ms Kelly appealed to anyone with influence in the area to stop the attacks before someone was killed.
Anti-war activist held at Shannon
A special sitting of Ennis District Court was told yesterday that an offensive weapon was recovered from an anti-war activist involved in a protest at Shannon airport on Saturday.
Insp Tom Kennedy told the court the weapon was recovered from 39-year-old Liscannor man, Niall Harnett, and the matter was still under investigation. He said Mr Harnett along with Conor Cregan (33), Cronan Lawn, Shannon, unfurled an anti-war banner from a balcony in the terminal building.
The court was told that when Mr Harnett was arrested he said he was part of a peaceful protest to highlight the use of Shannon by the CIA in transporting prisoners who have been subject to torture.
Mr Cregan and Mr Harnett are charged with failing to comply with the lawful requirement of an authorised person under the Air Navigation and Transport Act.
Two other anti-war activists who were not on the balcony, Margaret Liddy (34), North Circular Road, Limerick, and St John Ó Donnobhain (21), Ath Stain, Kilkenny, also appeared in connection with failing to identify themselves properly to airport police.
Judge Mangan remanded all four on bail to appear on October 13th.
Drug seizures in Cavan, Monaghan
Gardaí confirmed yesterday that files are being prepared for the DPP in the wake of three separate seizures of quantities of cocaine and cannabis in searches in counties Cavan and Monaghan over the weekend.
Three men and a woman were questioned after seizures during searches in both counties. Two of those questioned at Monaghan were from the Navan area of Co Meath.
Limerick feud escalates
Tensions in a violent Limerick feud have escalated again following an arson attack at the home of murdered crime boss Kieran Keane.
The front door of the two- storey house in Garryowen was doused in petrol and set alight at 6.30am yesterday.
No one was injured in the blaze.
Kieran Keane's widow, Sophie Keane, was not home at the time.