A round-up of today's other regional stories in brief...
Sligo County Council rejects estimates
Sligo County Council faces abolition after members voted by a narrow margin to reject this year's estimates after a marathon nine-hour debate.
The local authority has less than a week to adopt its budget for 2008 or be abolished by the Minister for the Environment. The crisis has been sparked by anger over an increase in water rates for farmers in the county, an issue which has already provoked considerable controversy.
A local authority which fails to adopt a budget has 21 days under the Local Government Act 2001 to complete this process. The council said that this will expire next Sunday.
The majority of Fianna Fáil councillors voted to reject the estimates.
Water bottling plant gets go-ahead
Clare County Council has granted planning permission for a bottling plant for spring water near the village of Lissycasey.
With no objections to the proposal, the decision is to result in Clare Spring Water Ltd spending €4 million on constructing the plant, while the facility will generate between €1.2 million and €1.5 million per annum in the local economy.
The source of the spring water was discovered by Fianna Fáil councillor PJ Kelly by water divining. Mr Kelly detected the source in the High Street area 6km from Lissycasey, discovering "three major top-quality water springs" with the aid of a twisted metal coat hanger.
Woman asks for mast to be moved
A Donegal woman has pleaded for a mobile phone mast to be moved farther from her home as she claims it is having a detrimental effect on her health and quality of life.
Margaret McGinley, a retired nurse from An Coimín in the Glenfin Gaeltacht, is appealing to An Bord Pleanála a decision by Donegal County Council to grant retention permission to Vodafone Ireland for a 20-metre mobile phone mast near her house.
Ms McGinley says she suffers from a rare medical condition, electromagnetic sensitivity, which has been exacerbated since the mast was erected four years ago. EMS is described as a chronic illness triggered by exposure to electromagnetic fields.
Accompanying her appeal are letters of support from up to 100 neighbours and her doctor.
A Vodafone spokeswoman said there was no expert evidence to connect mobile base stations to EMS.
Moyross monks plan Easter Passion
Franciscan monks living in Moyross in Limerick are planning a special re-enactment of the Passion this Easter. This follows the success of their Christmas Nativity play in the estate.
Known for their work in tough urban areas of New York, London, Honduras and Albuquerque, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal moved into the Limerick estate last July.
Last month they organised a Nativity play, which attracted more than 500 people to Moyross to see a live crib and local children dressed as angels and shepherds and Roman legionaries on horseback.