News from around the 32 counties of Ireland

Clare

With  the appointment of Colm McCarthy to chair a new review group on State assets, concerns have been raised that Shannon Airport could be sold, to plug the gaping holes in Ireland’s finances.

Any move to dispose of Shannon would be sure to face opposition in the Mid-West, with fears that the airport being run for the benefit of private interests, rather than the region, could have serious knock-on consequences.

Last Thursday, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan announced Mr McCarthy’s appointment and an interim list was published of 28 commercial State bodies to be reviewed.

As well as the Dublin Airport Authority (which also has control of Cork and Shannon), some of the other bodies included are Irish Rail, Bord na Móna, An Post, RTÉ and Coillte.

The group is due to report at the end of the year and Mr McCarthy said that at that stage, it would explain its recommendations.
(Source:Clare Champion)

Cork

The injuries suffered by a 26-year-old truck driver when he was assaulted while trying to break up a fight were likely to have contributed to his death from a brain injury just over two weeks later, an inquest at Cork City Coroner’s Court heard.

Denis Nolan Jnr from Richard Rice Place in Glanworth, Co Cork, complained of headaches and pains in his neck after he was knocked unconscious in an assault in Glanworth village in the early hours of October 27th 2008.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said Mr Nolan suffered dissections of arteries in his neck which led to bleeding into the base of his brain.
(Source:Irish Examiner)

Derry

A Derry man who received a death threat from RAAD has claimed to the 'Journal' that the PSNI asked him to provide the time and location of a meeting they advised him to have with the vigilante group.
The man said he told police he may as well "paint a target" on his head if he went through with it.

"I haven't slept since all of this happened," the man said.' "I haven't stopped drinking. "When the police told me about the threat they talked to me about setting up a meeting with a community leader so I could speak to RAAD. They asked me for the time and location of the meeting.

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Nster.com