A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Fog blamed for multiple crashes on motorway near Portlaoise
Fog was blamed as a major factor in a series of collisions on the main Dublin-Limerick motorway near Portlaoise yesterday morning. The pile-ups caused major disruptions for commuters who had to be diverted into Portlaoise as tailbacks of three miles accumulated on the motorway.
Shortly after 8am a truck collided with another lorry between junction 16 and 17 on the M7 outside Portlaoise. A further six crashes occurred in the tailback caused by the initial collision.
Two people were taken to Portlaoise Hospital with minor injuries as a result of the crashes and one of the truck drivers had to be cut from the cab of his vehicle.
Man paid 1,000 to deliver pipe bomb
A 22-year-old man was paid €1,000 to transport a pipe bomb hidden up a trouser leg from Waterford to Cork for use in an attack on a house.
Ciarán Brogan from Wellview Ave, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to possessing explosives at Oatencake, Midleton, Co Cork, on October 24th, 2008, with intent to endanger life.
His brother Damian Brogan (19) pleaded guilty to possessing explosives for an unlawful purpose.
Sgt Paul Kennedy told Cork Circuit Criminal Court gardaí stopped a car driven by Ciarán Brogan and arrested him and Damian, who was the passenger, and brought them to Midleton Garda station. There Damian Brogan removed a pipe bomb from his trousers, Sgt Kennedy told the court.
Ciarán Brogan was given a three-year sentence but the judge suspended it on condition he be of good behaviour. Sentencing on Damian Brogan was adjourned until May 20th.
Funds raised for Pakistani floods
The Pakistani ambassador to Ireland Naghmana Hashmi has thanked Lions Clubs around Ireland for their fundraising efforts following last year’s devastating floods.
Lions Clubs throughout Ireland raised funds which resulted in five consignments of water purification tablets, cash donations and medical supplies being transported to Pakistan to help in aid efforts to assist the 2.5 million people estimated to have been affected by the floods.
Shots fired at police in Derry
Six police officers and a similar number of civilians escaped injury in a gun attack in Derry in the city’s Glen Road area on Wednesday night.
Three shots were fired at police officers as they responded to a report that a stolen car had been abandoned.
The car had been stolen earlier and police believe dissident republicans abandoned it on open ground to lure officers into the area.