A round-up of some other news reports.
Health centre to open after three-year row
A health centre in north Dublin which cost €48 million to build and which has been lying idle for almost three years because it was built without Department of Health approval is to open in March.
The Health Service Executive said yesterday the primary care centre, which will serve a population of 30,000, will accommodate up to 10 GPs who currently work out of a run-down premises across the road.
It will also house a minor injuries unit, X-ray facilities, physiotherapy and occupational therapy services, a public health nursing section, dental services, a social work department, speech and language therapy unit, and mental health and addiction services.
A year ago Minister for Health Mary Harney said the opening of the centre had been delayed because the development had gone ahead "in the absence of my department's involvement or approval. Consequently, my department must conduct an evaluation of this project."
The former eastern health board and its successors, the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the Northern Area Health Board, in conjunction with Ballymun Regeneration Limited, a subsidiary of Dublin City Council, had proceeded with the development.
Hotel evacuated in fire scare
Guests at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin were evacuated for 15 minutes yesterday evening after a fire broke out in one of the building's kitchens, writes Ruadhan Mac Cormaic.
Three units of Dublin Fire Brigade were called to the scene at 5.35pm, when staff noticed smoke coming from a kitchen at the back of the hotel.
General manager John Clifton said the decision to evacuate the hotel's 460 guests at 6.20pm was taken as a precautionary measure.
"There was absolutely no danger to our guests and no serious damage was done to the building," he said.
Mr Clifton said the fire started when the motor of a refrigerator in the kitchen overheated.
Cavan bank raiders steal €20,000
Three armed and masked men made off with over €20,000 yesterday after robbing a Co Cavan bank.
The raid took place at Ulster Bank in Ballyjamesduff. Three men with Northern accents, dressed in blue boiler suits and balaclavas, rammed the bank's front door with scaffolding bars, according to local gardaí.
The raid took place at 9.30am and although the bank was closed, some employees were present. Investigating gardaí at Bailieborough and Ballyjamesduff said no one was hurt. At least one of the men was armed with a sawn- off shotgun, gardaí believe.
One fled the scene on a motorbike while the other two drove away in a silver Volkswagen Passat.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Ballyjamesduff gardaí on 042-966 5102.
Two held after Galway shop raid
Two people were arrested after an armed raid on a shop in Galway yesterday. The incident occurred at about 2.40pm at a grocery store on Mill Street.
A man wearing a balaclava and carrying a handgun entered the shop and made away with a sum of cash. No shots were fired.
Two people were arrested and questioned at Galway Garda station.
Power supply disruption in north Dublin
Some 2,000 ESB customers in north Dublin were without electricity for over an hour last night after a power line was damaged.
Homes and businesses in Sutton Cross and parts of Howth were left without power at about 7.30pm. A spokesman for the ESB said the cut was due to "third party damage", possibly by a high vehicle.
ESB units were working immediately to repair the damage in the area. The power supply was restored by 8.45pm.
Guilty plea in air rage case
A 29-year-old Co Galway woman flying home from the US on Christmas night to visit her terminally-ill father in Co Galway yesterday pleaded guilty to so-called air rage offences at Ennis District Court.
Erin Curran of Cloniffe, Moycullen, Co Galway, pleaded guilty to two offences arising from an incident on an American Airlines Boston-Shannon flight early on St Stephen's morning.
Her solicitor, William Cahir, said she was returning to Ireland to visit her terminally-ill father. "This case represents a double tragedy for Ms Curran as she buried her father yesterday," he said.
The mother of two pleaded guilty to engaging in behaviour likely to cause serious offence to any person on board the aircraft, and being intoxicated to such an extent as would give rise to an apprehension that she might endanger herself or other persons on board the aircraft.
According to a statement from flight attendant Gina McClamrock, Ms Curran's behaviour on the flight made other passengers nervous.
Ms McClamrock said: "She was irrational, threatening and verbally abusive to the crew and other passengers."
Mr Cahir said Ms Curran had one bottle of lager at Logan airport and two drinks on the plane.
Judge Mangan said Ms Curran must have €1,000 for Shannon District Court next Thursday and he remanded her on bail.