A Co Mayo student, who claimed in the Circuit Civil Court that her Dublin landlords had used electronic devices to spy on her, has settled her €38,000 damages claim against them.
Ms Patricia Hegarty, of Farragh, Killala, Co Mayo, had sued mother and daughter Ms Rita and Ms Edel McKenna, of Mobhi Road, Glasnevin, Dublin, for breach of quiet enjoyment of her flat.
The McKennas had denied Ms Hegarty's claims and, in entering their defence to the proceedings, had lodged more than €8,000 in court as a figure they considered adequate, without any admission of liability, to meet any claim Ms Hegarty might have.
Mr Conor Bowman, counsel for Ms Hegarty, told the court yesterday that the lodgment could be paid out to Ms Hegarty, with an order for her costs, in full settlement of her claim. He asked that the proceedings be struck out.
Judge Alison Lindsay had been told earlier that Ms Hegarty was one of 13 tenants who rented rooms in an annex to the McKenna residence at Mobhi Road.
Ms Hegarty claimed that holes had been drilled in walls, and she believed she had been kept under surveillance.
Inquest into death of Croatian man
An inquest into the death of a 38-year-old Croatian man, who was found stabbed to death at his Dublin home during the Christmas period, has been adjourned until May 18th.
The body of Mr Eldin Palangic was discovered by a relative at his home at Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge, on December 28th.
Mr Palangic had lived in Ireland for 12 years and had been working as a chef in Ballsbridge.
His sister, Ms Elsa Palangic, yesterday gave evidence of identification to Dublin Coroner's Court.
Missing patient had severe burns
A patient who went missing in a Co Offaly hospital for more than four hours was discovered with severe burns in a service room of an operating theatre, Dublin Coroner's Court has heard.
Mr Thomas Maher died three days later in the burns unit of St James's Hospital, Dublin, from coronary artery disease, complicated by his burn injuries.
Mr Maher (61) was admitted to the Midland Regional Hospital at Tullamore on February 17th 2003 after collapsing at his home in Birr.
Nursing staff at the hospital on the day after his admission said that Mr Maher seemed "agitated" and had frequently wandered around the ward with the aid of a walking stick.
At about 9.15 p.m. he went missing from his bed. He was eventually found by nursing staff at 1.35 a.m. lying on hot pipes in a sterilising unit attached to an operating theatre. He had sustained full-thickness burns to 15 per cent of his body and was conscious.
The following day he was transferred to the burns unit of St James's Hospital, but he died there on February 21st 2003.
A verdict of "death by misadventure" was returned.
Redundancy deal agreed in Cavan
Mr Gerry McCormack, a SIPTU representative in Co Cavan, said yesterday that the 45 workers who are to lose their jobs when the Ezy Koters paint-roller factory in Virginia closes at the end of next month had agreed a redundancy package with the company.
Mr McCormack said: "The package is four weeks per year of service, inclusive of their statutory entitlement, and an additional €1,000 per person in return for an orderly wind-up of the company".
The union official added: "It will depend on the length of service of the employees. Some of them have less than two years, and the maximum is 18 years, so it will probably vary from €2,500 to around €25,000."