A round up of today's other stories in brief...
Panda claims council waste regime unfair
The private waste company Panda has claimed before the High Court that a new household waste collection regime proposed by Dublin City Council is an attempt to remove private operators from the market.
Nurendale Ltd, trading as Panda Waste Services, Rathdrinagh, Beauparc Business Park, Navan, Co Meath, has taken judicial review proceedings alleging anti-competitive behaviour and abuse of the council's dominant market position in its recently revised waste management plan.
The council has separately sought a High Court injunction preventing Panda from extending its kerbside waste-collection service into the city administrative area.
Both sets of proceedings came for hearing before Mr Justice Liam McKechnie and continue today.
In its action, Panda claims a recent change to the Dublin Waste Management Plan - covering all four authorities in the capital - discriminates against private operators.
The council says the change is provided for under law through the waste plan approved this year by the four authorities. It argues the new system would deal with the problem of "cherry-picking" by private operators.
Panda also claims the council has an ulterior motive and is seeking to ensure it has enough "raw material" when the proposed incinerator at Poolbeg is built.
Guilty plea on 7m drug haul
A man who failed to show up for his trial last year for having cannabis valued €7 million pleaded guilty as the charges just before a jury was due to be sworn in for a new trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stephen Pender (43), who had been on €50,000 bail, was arrested several days after he failed to appear for the original trial and remanded in custody until yesterday.
Pender, Glasanaon Road, Finglas, pleaded guilty to having cannabis valued at over €7 million, for sale or supply at Parkgate Street on November 15th, 2005.
Judge Patricia Ryan remanded Pender further in custody and put the case in for mention later this month when a sentence date will be set. Judge Ryan last November ordered the forfeiture of the €50,000 bail, which had been put up by his mother-in-law, when Pender failed to appear for his trial.
A co-accused, David Doyle (21), Ballygall Parade, Finglas, was sentenced to seven years with three suspended by Judge Patrick McCartan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last February.
Man convicted of indecent assault
A man has been given a three-year suspended sentence for various counts of indecent assault on a young girl in the 1970s.
Martin Redmond (52), formerly of Coislinne, Gorey, but now living in Letterkenny Road, Stranorlar, Co Donegal, appeared before Wexford Circuit Criminal Court yesterday in relation to counts of indecent assault between 1973 and 1977.
Noel Whelan, prosecuting, told the court at a previous sitting that the victim, who wished her abuser to be named, contacted the Garda in June 2006 to make a complaint. She complained of being abused when she was aged between seven and 11.
Judge Michael White said Redmond was genuinely remorseful for his actions and was so before charges were brought.
"While the court takes a very serious view of sexual assault, the court is of the view that the appropriate sentence is a substantial suspended sentence."