A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Car dealer shot at home in Meath
Gardaí believe the shooting of a 29-year-old businessman at his home in Co Meath yesterday morning was a murder attempt, writes Elaine Keogh.
A lone gunman opened fire on Richard Keogh as he put out the bin for collection at about 10.30am. His two-year-old son was with him at the time. Mr Keogh was taken to hospital where his condition was described as serious but not life-threatening. The boy was uninjured.
Gardaí appealed to the public for help in tracing a car they believed was used to drive away from the house in the Belfry estate in Duleek.
Gardaí believe the gunman was waiting for Mr Keogh to emerge from the house. As soon as he saw him, the gunman jumped over the wall beside the neighbouring house and opened fire. Up to five shots were discharged at close range from a handgun.
The gunman kept firing as Mr Keogh made his way back into his house and one bullet shattered a pane of glass in the front door.
Mr Keogh's partner and their four children, aged between six months and eight years, were in the house.
Mr Keogh is involved in car dealing and is understood to be based in Dublin city centre.
Ex-colonel wins allowance claim
A former army colonel has been told by a judge he was entitled to a Department of Defence daily subsistence payment of €127 on top of a €104 daily allowance paid to him by the European Union.
Judge Terence O'Sullivan heard that Col Thomas Hodson (retired), of Beech Park, Lucan, Co Dublin, had claimed and been paid both allowances, amounting to €231 daily, during most of a three-year secondment to the European Military Staff in Brussels.
Judge O'Sullivan, in the Circuit Civil Court, dismissed a counter claim by the Minister for Defence seeking to recover €52,280 on the grounds of unjust enrichment.
The court was told that Col Hodson had been posted to Brussels on June 19th, 2000 and prior to his departure a daily allowance of €127 had been agreed with the department.
On June 25th, 2001 the European Council had decided to pay a daily allowance of €104 to members of the European Military Staff if member states so agreed.
Judge O'Sullivan said Col Hodson was a very honest man and he was entitled to the benefit of both allowances up to June 30th, 2003.
The trial was also a test case for two other Army officers Paul Packenham and Denis Murphy. Following Judge O'Sullivan's decision, the proceedings were adjourned to allow legal teams to discuss the exact payment to be made to Col Hodson and its implication for the Packenham and Murphy cases.
Five years' jail for cocaine dealer
A man who turned to drug dealing to feed his cocaine addiction has been given a five-year sentence for possession of more than €12,000 of cocaine last year by Judge Patricia Ryan.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Darren Foster (28), who had been earning up to €3,000 a week in his plastering business, was caught in possession of cocaine twice in five days in searches of his home at North Circular Road, Dublin. The final year of the sentence was suspended.