News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

What's going on around Ireland

Mayo
The Grid West Project will create 300 construction jobs and a connection to the renewable energy providers in the west of the country with the National Grid.
Details were given in Co Mayo this morning of proposals by EirGrid to build new transmission lines linking Bellacorick in Co Mayo to both Casla in Co Galway and Flagfort in Co Roscommon.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny launched details of the plan.
Consultation on the project is now starting with landowners.
(Source: RTE News)

Meath
A former army officer who sexually abused his teenage sister-in-law a number of times and once while in the presence of his toddler son has been sentenced to three years.
The 49-year-old Meath resident, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his now 15-year-old victim, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four charges of sexual assault between March 1, 2010 and November 25, 2010 in both his and the teenager's home.
(Source: The Meath Chronicle)

Monaghan
Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has announced the appointment of a new director general to her office. Bernadette McNally has worked as a senior investigator with the Ombudsman’s Office for three years before her appointment.
She will work for the Office of the Ombudsman and Information Commissioner and the Secretariat to the Standards in Public Office Commission.
From Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, Ms McNally has bachelor and masters of science degrees from Trinity College Dublin.
(Source: Irish Times)

Offaly
A group of up to 100 members of the Irish Traveler community are seeking High Court orders restraining Offaly Co Council from moving them from an unofficial halting site.
The action is brought on behalf of the group by Patrick McInerney his wife Bridget McInerney whom the court heard have been living at the halting site at Kilmucklin, Ashfield, Clara in Co Offaly since 2003 and Mary McInerney, a primary healthcare worker with the Tullamore Travellers Movement, who also resides at the site with her family.
The High court heard today that Offaly Co Council decided to take action, due before Tullamore Circuit Court, under section 160 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 aimed at moving the group from the site, after receiving complaints from the public.

The site itself is an abandoned piece of land, away from the nearest main road and about half a mile from the nearest residence
(Source: Irish Examiner)

Roscommon
Two residents at a nursing home in Co Roscommon have died as a result of an influenza outbreak.
The residents, at Drumderrig Nursing Home in Boyle, had contracted the A H3 strain of the flu virus, along with 40 others at the home.
It was the same strain that was responsible for the deaths of seven residents at Nazareth House nursing home near Buncrana, Co Donegal, earlier this year.
(Source: Irish Times)

Sligo
Westlife star Shane Filan might be the man with the golden voice but when it comes to property development he does not have the Midas touch.
Last week, the property development career of the Flying Without Wings singer hit a low with the appointment of receivers from KPMG to the building company he set up alongside his brother Finbarr in 2004.
The company, Shafin Developments, has been taken into receivership with bank debts of €5.5m. Ulster Bank appointed Galway-based accountant Patrick Horkan to take control of the company in recent days.
He has taken over assets including four residential properties and a partly developed site at Dromahair, in Co Leitrim, as well as a share of a site in Carraroe, Co Sligo.
(Source: Irish Independent)

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