A round-up of today's regional news stories in brief
Eight arrested in extortion inquiry before non-jury court
Eight Limerick men arrested as part of an investigation into extortion appeared briefly at the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday amid tight security.
The eight were returned for trial from the Limerick District Court last Friday. They are: Ger Dundon (24), Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston; brothers Christopher (27), McNamara Terrace, Wolfe Tone Street, and David McCormack (25), Crecora Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston; Gareth Collins Keogh, (27), Hyde Avenue, and his father Jimmy Collins (47), Crecora Avenue; Christopher McCarthy (27), Crecora Avenue; Michael Bridgeman (51), Glenview, Ballyneety, Co Limerick, and Patrick Pickford (19), Talbot Avenue, Prospect. The court remanded all eight men in custody until October 7th.
Lifeboat plea over hoax call-outs
RNLI's Clifden lifeboat has appealed for vigilance, following a spate of hoax call- outs due to irresponsible use of distress flares, writes Lorna Siggins
A flare sighting at Gurteen Bay, Roundstone, Co Galway, last weekend prompted an extensive rescue service call- out, involving the RNLI’s Clifden and Aran islands lifeboats and the Irish Coast Guard’s Costello Bay unit.
RNLI Clifden’s deputy launching authority John Roberts said the sighting may have been genuine, but it may have been an expired flare fired from land. “In no way would we want to discourage the public from reporting what they think is a flare, but it seems probable that a flare was launched as a firework,” Mr Roberts said. The incident was one of a series which has prompted tasking of services.
Unesco to discuss Skellig's safety
The safety of the Unesco world heritage site Skellig Michael is likely to be raised at the organisation's conference in Brazil this week, writes Anne Lucey.
Christine Spooner (57) of Rochester, New York, a mother of two, died after a fall on Skellig last September. In May, Joseph Gaughan (77), from Pennsylvania, died after slipping on the same steps.
The families of both victims are to sue the State.
Ms Spooner’s widower Richard Spooner disagreed with an independent safety review, saying it did not go far enough in its safety measures. He submitted a 15-page analysis to Unesco on the matter. Unesco World Heritage Centre director Francesco Bandarin replied to Mr Spooner saying his report will be discussed.