A round-up of today's other stories in brief
3,279 new cars sold last month
A total of 3,279 new cars were sold last month, an increase of 115 per cent on the previous year, according to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, writes Luke Cassidy.
To date this year, more than 86,000 new vehicles have been sold, a rise of 53 per cent on 2009 figures, with most of these being put down to the Government’s scrappage scheme.
The scheme, due to end this year, entails a €1,500 reduction of vehicle registration tax on the purchase of a new low- emissions car when an applicable used car is traded in. Some 91 per cent of new cars sold last month were in the low-emissions A or B CO2 band, with diesel engines twice as popular as petrol.
Renault was the most successful manufacturer, accounting for three in every 10 cars sold, followed by Toyota, Volkswagen and Ford.
Dublin pub to show Irish films weekly
The films of emerging and acclaimed Irish directors are to be shown in a Dublin city centre pub as part of a series of nights to promote Irish cinema, writes Luke Cassidy.
Shebeen Flick, run at Shebeen Chic, George’s Street, Dublin, in association with the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland, is hosting screenings every Tuesday from 7.30pm.
Tonight's event opens with Thomas Hefferon introducing his short film The Pool, followed by Conor McPherson's Ifta winner The Eclipse. Films shown later in the month include Alex Fegan's Man Made Men, Margaret Corkery's Eamonand Conor Horgan's documentaries Happinessand Fear.
The final screening takes place on December 1st to coincide with World Aids Day. Film night at Shebeen Chic is free and open to all.
Justice scheme for female attacker
A teenage girl has been ordered to take part in a restorative justice programme for attacking a woman who was beaten up at a park playground in Dublin.
The girl (17) who had no prior convictions, had pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children’s Court to assault causing harm to a woman (27) at Fairview Park, on March 21st.
The court heard she attacked the woman following a drinking binge the night before and could not remember what she had done. She will be spared a criminal record if she completes an “action plan” of tasks organised and supervised by the Probation and Welfare Service over the next six months.
Killer wins appeal over sentences
The man who received three life sentences for the murder of a young Kilkenny woman and her two children at Christmas two years ago has succeeded in a Court of Criminal Appeal application to have all three sentences run concurrently.
The appeal court acceded to an uncontested application by lawyers for Brian Hennessy (24), to have the two life sentences imposed on him for the murders of seven-year-old Zara Whelan and two-year-old Nadia Whelan run concurrently to the life sentence he is serving for the murder of their mother, Sharon Whelan (30).
At his Central Criminal Court trial last year, Hennessy, formerly of Windgap, Co Kilkenny, pleaded guilty to strangling Ms Whelan before setting fire to her home at Roscon in the early hours of Christmas morning, 2008.
Ms Whelan’s daughters died in the fire.
Cannabis plants seized in Kildare
Gardaí have seized 500 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of €200,000 in Co Kildare.
The plants were discovered during a planned search of a house yesterday at Mylerstown, Carbury. No arrests were made during the search.
The scene has been preserved for a technical examination.