A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Council seeks to allay fears over mussels
An assurance was given yesterday that a pipeline carrying water from a leachate treatment plant at Derrinumera landfill site in Co Mayo to the sea would not traverse the Newport river because of concerns about risks to the population of freshwater pearl mussels in the waterway, writes Tom Shiel.
Patrick Butler, counsel for Mayo County Council, told a Bord Pleanála oral hearing in Westport, the pipeline would instead cross the river by bridge following concerns expressed by the Department of Heritage and Local Government about the mussels.
However, environmentalist Peter Sweetman, representing An Taisce, warned that using the bridge as a pipeline route could cause another problem by endangering a population of lesser horsehoe bats which might be resident in the structure.
After a hearing lasting 2½ days, evidence was concluded yesterday and the planning board is expected to make its decisions in a few months.
Setback for Knock flights to US
It is unlikely that a new carrier will be found to provide transatlantic services between Ireland West Airport Knock and the US in 2008, according to the chief executive of the Mayo airport, Robert Grealish, writes Teresa O'Malley.
Flyglobespan, a Scottish-based airline, provided the service last year but it has confirmed that it will not be doing so in 2008.
The airline experienced extensive difficulties in getting flights out of JFK airport last summer, with one group of Knock bound passengers left stranded for seven days in New York, in July.
Gardaí confiscate drugs in Thurles
Gardaí in Co Tipperary confiscated drugs with an estimated street value of €80,000 yesterday morning when they raided a house in Thurles.
Gardaí said that tests carried out on the drugs would establish what substances were found. The seizure was part of an ongoing surveillance operation.
A man was arrested in connection with the seizure and taken to Nenagh Garda station for questioning. He can be held for up to seven days under section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act.
March in memory of Fiona Sinnott
A march will take place in Wexford town tomorrow to mark the 10th anniversary
of Fiona Sinnott's disappearance. She was 19 years old when she disappeared.
The first Fiona Sinnott Benefit Night was held in Kilmore Quay recently and raised over €1,000, which will be used to erect a plaque in her memory at Butler's Pub, Broadway, where she was last seen some time between Sunday night, February 8th, and Monday, February 9th, 1998.
The family, as well as local gardaí, have been interviewed for a television drama documentary on Ms Sinnott.
The first episode of Cracking Crime, a three-part series, will be broadcast on RTÉ 1 television on St Valentine's night.