A roundup of the rest of the day's news in brief:
Drug and weapons arrests
FOUR PEOPLE have been questioned about the discovery of drugs and weapons in separate Garda and customs operations over the weekend in Dublin and Meath, writes Conor Lally.
A 50-year-old man was taken into Garda custody on Friday night after a search of a house on Cleggan Ave, Ballyfermot, yielded a pistol, ammunition and quantities of cocaine and cannabis. The cocaine is valued at around €3,500 while the cannabis has an estimated value of €28,000. The man appeared in court on Saturday.
In an unrelated operation a 21-year-old British woman was arrested at Dublin Airport on Saturday. She was found to have internally concealed six pellets containing heroin valued at around €50,000. She had disembarked a flight from Amsterdam. She has already appeared before the courts,
A man and woman in their 20s were arrested in Slane, Co Meath, on Saturday after cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines valued at around €20,000 was found, along with an imitation firearm and a stun gun. The woman was released last night while the man remained in Garda custody.
Deadline looms for tax claims
The Irish Taxation Institute (ITI) has advised taxpayers they have just one month left to claim tax reliefs on expenses incurred in 2004. Taxpayers must claim reliefs within four years, so medical and dental bills incurred in 2004 must be claimed this year.
Warning over pregnancy 'help'
The director of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, Caroline Spillane, has said "rogue organisations" are attempting to manipulate women experiencing crisis pregnancy.
"The agency is aware that some rogue organisations provide services which can often involve a hidden agenda and attempt to manipulate the decision a woman may make," she told 30 Crisis Pregnancy Agency staff who graduated from a year-long counselling course at NUI Maynooth.
Gangs targeting outboard engines
Gardaí have issued a warning about criminal gangs targeting outboard engines used by anglers. It is suspected that many of the engines are being smuggled abroad. The raiders have hit lakes including Lough Derg on the Shannon, Lough Corrib in Co Galway, and Lough Mask in Co Mayo. The thieves are using bolt cutters to snap the locks on engines. In one case recently they sawed the entire stern off a boat. Sgt Tony Cosgrove, Garda crime prevention officer in Mayo, says owners should remove their engines if they leave their vessel at moorings.
Fire destroys Astoria ballroom
Gardaí are investigating the cause of a €1.5 million fire that destroyed the old Astoria ballroom in Bundoran, Co Donegal - one of the best-known dancehalls during the showband era. Two firemen were treated for minor burns received while fighting the fire.
Cannabis factory found in Mayo
A major cannabis factory was uncovered at the weekend by gardaí at a house in north Mayo. Some 420 cannabis plants was found in a rented house near Crossmolina. No arrests were made but gardaí are following a "definite line of inquiry".