A round-up of other news in brief...
Irishman (21) drowns in Lake Garda
Irishman John Peter Duane (21) drowned yesterday morning in a swimming incident in Lake Garda, northern Italy.
Mr Duane, who was attending a wedding near Lake Garda, got into difficulties when he and five other young people went for an early-morning swim at about 5.30am.
According to police, the young people had intended to swim out to a platform 50m (164ft) from the shore.
Four of the five others with Mr Duane soon gave up, but he kept going in the company of a girl.
Shortly afterwards, the girl sounded the alarm when she realised Mr Duane was in difficulties and when she saw him disappear under water.
Police divers found Mr Duane’s body two hours later.
The precise cause of the drowning remains unclear.
The incident comes 10 days after another Irish tourist, Dubliner Cornelius Kennerk (74), drowned in Lake Garda. It is believed he had a heart attack and fell into the water.
Teen (16) remanded on stabbing charge
A teenager charged with stabbing a garda in Westport, Co Mayo, on August 9th last was further remanded in custody at a sitting of Westport District Court yesterday.
Supt Michael Murray asked Judge Mary Devins to remand the 16-year-old in custody at St Patrick’s Institution pending DPP directions.
Acceding to the request, Judge Devins directed that the youth appear before the next sitting of the court on September 17th.
Element Six dispute for Labour Court
Opposing sides in a bitter row between unions and management at Shannon based industrial diamond manufacturer Element Six (formerly DeBeers) have agreed to allow the redundancy deal issue go before the Labour Court.
At the centre of the dispute is a redundancy package being offered to 207 workers who are being laid off. Although it is only a component of a controversial plan proposed by the company, it is the only issue which has been sent forward for talks at the Labour Court.
Last month, the unions (Unite, Siptu and TEEU) agreed to enter “exploratory talks” at the Labour Relations Commission.
Those talks, held on August 27th, were adjourned until yesterday when the Labour Court hearing was confirmed.
File for DPP over death after arrest
A file will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions shortly on the death of a man aged 22 who took ill while being arrested by gardaí during a drugs raid in Cork nearly two years ago, an inquest heard.
Solicitor for the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, Brian Doherty, told Cork City Coroner’s Court that the file on the death of David O’Mahony, who became ill at McSwiney Villas near Gurranebraher in Cork city on November 11th, 2007, is now nearing completion.
Cork city coroner Dr Myra Cullinane adjourned the inquest until February 11th, 2010, to allow for a decision from the DPP.
She also extended her sympathies to Mr O’Mahony’s family on their loss.
Gardaí detain two after Offaly raids
Gardaí in Co Offaly arrested two people during early morning raids in Clara and Tullamore yesterday. The raids were aimed at combating organised crime in the area.
“Two people have been arrested and they are being detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act,” commented Insp Joe Prendergast. The man and woman, both in their 20s, are being questioned at Tullamore Garda station.
Insp Prendergast said the pair could be held and questioned for up to seven days. They were arrested during planned searches on three premises at 5.30am yesterday.