A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Off-duty garda on motorcycle dies in collision
An off-duty garda was killed near Roscrea, Co Tipperary, yesterday when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a car.
The incident occurred at about 3.50pm on the N7, one mile on the Limerick side of the town.
The dead man, aged 36, man, was attached to Donnybrook Garda station. He was removed to Nenagh hospital where a postmortem is due to be carried out today.
The sole occupant of the car, a woman, was injured but her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The incident was referred to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission.
Earlier yesterday, a man was killed on the main Galway-Headford road at Carrowbrowne.
He was riding a motorcycle which collided with a car shortly after 3pm.
The driver of the car was taken to University Hospital Galway where she was treated for minor injuries.
Farm mishap leads to fatality
A 64-year-old man died in a farm yard accident in Co Cork yesterday.
The man died when he was unloading metal at a farm in Cloghroe, Blarney, Co Cork at about 5pm.
His body was taken to Cork University Hospital where a postmortem is due to take place later today.
The Health and Safety Authority is investigating the incident.
Murder and rape trial for autumn
A Nigerian national is due to stand trial this autumn for the rape and murder of a Belfast woman.
Last month Emmanuel Alauya was charged with murdering shop assistant Grace Moore, whose body was found in the kitchen of the Erris Grove home she shared with her daughter on November 18th, 2006.
Mr Alauya, from Churchfield, Carlow, denied the charge. He also denied stealing personal effects and household items belonging to the 38-year old west Belfast woman.
Mr Justice Hart said he would review the case on June 13th. He remanded the accused in custody.
Sniffer dog drug initiative praised
Hoteliers and nightclub owners in Co Down are hailing a new anti-drugs initiative as a "great success".
Several premises have begun to use sniffer dogs at the entrance to their premises to detect attempts to smuggle illegal drugs into the venues.
A number of clubs in Banbridge began the experiment last weekend and intend to continue it on a permanent basis.
Poultry plant shuts - 27 jobs go
A third Co Monaghan poultry processing plant is to shut down with the loss of 27 full-time jobs.
The announcement yesterday that Carton Brothers Hatchery in Carrickmacross is to cease operations in July follows news last week that Clones Poultry Processors is also to close with the loss of 20 jobs.
Another company, Grove Turkeys at Smithboro village in Co Monaghan, is also ceasing business with the loss of 130 jobs.
Cluster bomb protests today
Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu has joined with Irish and international religious leaders to call for a worldwide ban on the use of cluster bombs.
Preparing for a "Global Day of Action" on the issue today, the group of 100 clerics signed a letter "calling on all governments to end the production, transfer, stockpiling and use of cluster bombs".
To mark the occasion, a temporary "Treaty Wall" is being erected at Dublin's Central Bank Plaza on Dame Street on which members of the public will be encouraged to add their mark to the campaign.