Other stories in brief.
Call for shops to close early on Good Friday
The steady increase in the number of businesses and factories remaining open for all of Good Friday has been criticised by the parish administrator of Tuam, Co Galway, Fr Stephen Farragher.
"There was a time when Good Friday was sacrosanct and any businesses that opened in the morning closed at 3pm," said Fr Farragher.
"But all this seems to be changing . . . it is time this holy space was reclaimed for the church. In many mainland European countries, Good Friday is still observed with street processions in the afternoon, especially in Italy, parts of Germany and Spain."
Fr Farragher spoke at Masses in Tuam cathedral this week of a greater need for businesses and industries in Ireland to observe the solemnity of Good Friday and to close during the afternoons.
He also said that there should also be greater observance of the other sacred times of Holy Week.
Robbery charge after stand-off
A man has been charged in connection with a robbery of a jeweller's shop which ended in a five-hour stand-off with gardaí.
Liam Foley (23), Woodlands Estate, Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny, was charged with armed robbery at Kilkenny District Court yesterday.
Mr Foley was arrested after gardaí seized a number of firearms and up to €500,000 worth of jewellery at a house in Graiguenamanagh where a five-hour siege had taken place last Friday night.
Judge Malone refused bail and remanded Mr Foley to reappear at Kilkenny District Court on Tuesday.
Teenager critical after crash
A teenage girl (15) remained critical in hospital last night after the car in which she was a passenger careered off the road in Waterford on Wednesday afternoon.
The single-vehicle crash resulted in five young people - three men and two women - being taken to hospital.
The incident occurred on the Old Kilmeadan Road.
Repair works for bridge on Shannon
An 18th-century bridge over the River Shannon at Killaloe, which is the main link between counties Tipperary and Clare, is to undergo emergency repair work due to risks of falling masonry to people boating on the waterway.
North Tipperary and Clare county councils have announced a package of €60 million to tackle "emergency" repair work on the protected structure, linking the scenic towns of Ballina and Killaloe.