A roundup of today's other Ireland news in brief
Seven arrested over €100,000 Dublin robbery
Gardaí investigating a robbery involving hostage-taking during which about €100,000 was stolen have carried out 18 searches in Dublin, Wexford and Meath and have arrested seven people, writes Conor Lally.
The five men and two women are being detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act. The arrests were carried out in Dublin’s north inner city and in Ratoath and Clonee, both in Co Meath.
The suspects are being questioned over a robbery in which a Brinks Allied employee and his niece and mother were held hostage.
An armed gang broke into their home at O’Connell Gardens, Irishtown, south Dublin, on the morning of Monday, January 4th last.
The two women were held hostage at another location.
The Brinks Allied worker was told they would only be freed when he went to the Bank of Ireland on O’Connell Street and took cash from a Brinks Allied van making a cash delivery.
He did this, and gave about €100,000 to the gang in a hotel car park.
His mother and niece were later released unharmed.
Department to act over ‘siege’ report
The Department of Health says it is drawing up an action plan in response to a report on its performance drawn up by the Department of the Taoiseach, writes Paul Cullen.
The report, the contents of which were revealed yesterday by The Irish Times, says the department is “under siege” and spends much time fighting controversies. Staff morale is described as low and some staff are said to have “little or nothing to do”.
Yesterday, the department said the report would be published at the end of March or early April, after the submission of an action plan on its recommendations. A spokesman said the department had volunteered to take part in the Organisational Review Programme under which the report had been drawn up as this was a good time to “take stock”.
“The department welcomes this report and is satisfied that it provides a timely and helpful review. The department will now consult with staff members to finalise an action plan for submission within the timeframe given.”
Kenny to address forum on Border
Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny is to address the inaugural meeting of his party’s new Border Forum in Monaghan tomorrow morning, along with SDLP deputy leader Patsy McGlone and Ulster Unionist member of the Stormont Assembly Tom Elliot.
The forum is being convened by Fine Gael’s spokesman on North-South co-operation, Donegal TD Joe McHugh, to promote the development of cross-Border relationships and structures, as envisaged in the 1998 Belfast Agreement. “Fine Gael is determined to deliver practical collaboration when in office after the next general election,” Mr McHugh said in a statement.
“This Border Forum will facilitate the development of North-South policy initiatives on an ongoing basis.”
Man changes plea to guilty in rape trial
On the second day of his trial a man has pleaded guilty to raping and threatening to kill a complete stranger on church grounds.
At the Central Criminal Court, Gary Kinsella (27), Allenton Avenue, Dublin, changed his plea to guilty of rape, oral rape and threatening to kill the woman on presbytery grounds after abducting her from a nearby road on August 8th, 2008.
Pauline Walley SC, prosecuting, submitted to Judge George Birmingham that the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted these pleas.
Padraig O’Dwyer SC, defending, read out a letter addressed to “the court” and written by his client. In it Kinsella apologised to his victim and said his actions had “turned this lady’s life upside down”.