In Short

Today's other stories in brief

Today's other stories in brief

Talks aimed at averting airline strike continue

Negotiations to avert industrial action at Aer Lingus are set to continue at the Labour Relations Commission today, writes Steven Carroll.

Siptu, the main union at the airline, and Aer Lingus management met yesterday to discuss a means to avert the strike notice, which would come into effect on November 24th.

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Gerry McCormack, Siptu national industrial secretary, said today's meeting was being held to allow the commission to determine if there was a basis for further engagement with the union tomorrow.

Call for end to killing of young

Ireland has seen far too many senseless killings of young people in recent years causing intense pain to parents who never expect to outlive their children, the funeral Mass of a murdered Cork man heard yesterday.

The body of John McManus (25), from Fermoy, Co Cork, was recovered in Ballyduff, north Kerry, on November 6th.

Gardaí investigating his murder believe he was most likely killed some time on October 30th in his flat at Verdon Place on Wellington Road on Cork's north side.

At his funeral at a packed St Patrick's Church in Fermoy, chief celebrant Fr Patrick Winkle said the young man's death should not have occurred.

"This should not be happening . . . No human being has the right to take that life that God has given."

Woman's family lose Spain appeal

The family of an Irish woman killed in Spain have failed in their challenge against the sentence handed down in the case, writes Karl McLaughlin in Madrid.

The family of Kelly Corcoran sought to rule out the possibility that a Spanish judge might suspend the sentence imposed on her former husband, Dundalk man Michael Dermot McArdle, for her manslaughter.

He was convicted last month by a jury of causing the death of his wife, who fell from a Marbella hotel balcony while on a family holiday in 2000, and given a two-year jail term by judge Fernando González Zubieta in Málaga's Criminal Court.

The family called for a further six months to be imposed in order to rule out a possible suspension.

However, court sources in Málaga said the motion was denied this week and the parties were notified of his decision yesterday morning. The decision raises the likelihood of a formal appeal against the sentence by the Corcoran family.

Teenager to face underage sex trial

A teenager accused of having sex with two girls under the age of 15 has been sent for trial to the Circuit Criminal Court in Dublin.

The 19-year-old male was before Judge Patrick Clyne in the District Court yesterday for service of his book of evidence.

The teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, with an address in north Dublin, is charged with 16 counts of defilement of a child under the age of 15, contrary to Section 2 (1) of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act, 2006, at a location in Dublin on dates between August 2006 and July 2007. The injured parties in the case are two girls under 15. He is also charged with engaging in a sexual act with one of the above girls in Dublin between March 1st and March 30th, 2006, contrary to Section 2(1) of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act, 2006.