A round-up of today's other home news in brief
Two Dublin men due in court on gun charges
Two men are due before the courts today to face charges in relation to the Garda's seizure of a handgun in Clonshaugh, north Dublin on Wednesday night.
The two men, aged 18 and 22, are from Dublin’s north inner city. They are due before the Bridewell District Court.
The men were arrested after they tried to ram a Garda car that approached their vehicle at Riverside Park at 10.20pm. A local resident rang gardaí to report the men acting suspiciously.
Gardaí found a loaded revolver in the men’s vehicle and later learned the Audi had been stolen. They believe the men were waiting to attack a Riverside resident.
Brothers die within hours of each other
Two Kildare brothers have died within hours of each other in circumstances which gardaí say are not suspicious.
One of the men was found dead at his home in Co Kildare on Wednesday. It is understood that his body was discovered by his brother who subsequently collapsed. He was taken to Naas General Hospital where he later died.
Thomas and Declan Howe of Newbridge and Johnstown in Naas were in their 50s and 60s. Their funerals will take place on Monday in Kill, Co Kildare.
Call for shorter work for pilots
A study into new EU rules on the duty periods airline pilots work has strongly urged they be revised to have pilots fly fewer hours and get longer rest periods.
The study, commissioned by the EU’s European Air Safety Agency, also recommends that where pilots fly multiple trips in one day, that their flying hours be reduced by up to 30 minutes a flight.
If implemented, there could be major changes to air safety rules in Ireland and those other countries that have adopted a new EU standard that only came into operation last summer.
Airlines like Ryanair, Aer Lingus, CityJet and Aer Arann may also face increased costs to keep operating their present schedules.
‘Independent’ pay cut accepted
Irish Independent staff have accepted management proposals for a pay cut in a ballot by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). Management at Independent News and Media initially sought individual letters of consent for a pay cut. However, following negotiations with the union that proposal was withdrawn, Séamus Dooley of the NUJ said. A ballot on the pay cut, which was an amendment to the national agreement, closed last night.
Falvey and O’Leary honoured
Explorers Pat Falvey and Dr Clare O’Leary have been chosen as the Cork people of the year to mark their historic expedition on foot to the South Pole. In January last year, Mr Falvey and Dr O’Leary walked more than 680 miles to the South Pole over 58 days as they each hauled a sledge weighing in excess of 150 kg.
Film investor loses tax appeal
An investor in a film production company has lost a High Court challenge to the Revenue’s withdrawal of tax relief to him on grounds of a failure to demonstrate the investment was spent in Ireland. Brian Fortune had invested £25,000 (€31,750) in five film companies established by the Merlin Film Group in 1995 for the purpose of producing movies in Ireland.
The Merlin companies applied in November 1995 to the minister for arts, heritage, Gaeltacht and the islands, for a “Film 3” certificate declaring the films qualified under the relevant tax legislation and had Revenue approval. The five Merlin companies made seven films but only one – Angela Mooney Dies Again – was included in the Film 3 certificate application. The companies were liquidated in 2004 following applications by their own members.