A round-up of other home news in brief
Postmortem carried out on teen who died during GAA match
A postmortem has been carried out on the remains of a teenage Gaelic football player who died at a weekend game.
Patrick Dinsmore, who would have celebrated his 17th birthday today and played for St Peter’s, Warrenpoint, Co Down, collapsed during the match at Greenpark Road in Rostrevor on Sunday. He was treated by a doctor and two nurses who were at the ground, and although a defibrillator was used he could not be revived.
Feargal McCormack, a spokesman for St Peter’s club, said: “Everything that could be done was done for Patrick – a very highly respected player at our club and from a very well-known Warrenpoint family. Everyone was just shocked, and any help they can be to the family, they will, and our thoughts and prayers are with Patrick’s family.”
SDLP Newry and Mourne councillor Michael Carr said: “This really is a devastating, utterly devastating, death of a fine young man.” Education Minister and South Down MLA Caitríona Ruane expressed her shock at Patrick’s death and extended her sympathy to his family and friends.
€1bn upgrade on M50 finalised
Work has been finalised on the €1 billion upgrade of Dublin’s M50 and a ceremony to mark the completion is being planned for next Tuesday, writes Tim O’Brien.
The conclusion of the final phase, the rebuilding of the interchanges to freeflow status, was completed in recent weeks with the opening of the M50/N3 junction at Blanchardstown.
The project completes three lanes of motorway around the capital from the airport M1/M50 junction to Naas in Co Kildare, and to Sandyford in south Dublin.
Just one set of traffic lights now remains on continuous motorway between the Border and the Dunkettle interchange in Cork – that at Newlands Cross. Plans to redesign Newlands Cross to free-flow status are to go to tender this year.
The ceremony will mark the end of six years of road works in the area.
Private-import vehicles for test
Vehicles imported by private individuals will have to face a pre-registration examination at National Car Test centres from September 1st, the Revenue Commissioners announced.
The examination will not involve a traditional NCT test for cars less than four years old.
All cars will have to have documentation presented to prove their origin, and that paperwork will have to be in order, before re-registration.
Currently Revenue staff do not examine all vehicles presented for registration, applying a risk-based approach. This is considered satisfactory to protect the State’s yield from Vehicle Registration Tax, but the State has a responsibility under an EU directive to ensure minimum European vehicle standards as a pre-condition for registration.
The inspections will be carried out by NCT staff.
Manics and David Gray for Arthur's Day
Manic Street Preachers, singer-songwriter David Gray and actor turned musician Tim Robbins have been added to the bill for Arthur's Day next month, writes Ronan McCreevy.
The event, which follows the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Guinness brewery last year, has already confirmed Brandon Flowers from The Killers, who will play a sold-out concert in The Academy; Biffy Clyro and Snow Patrol, who will play at the Guinness brewery, and Paolo Nutini and KT Tunstall, who will perform in Cork.