The Shannon Airport Authority yesterday announced that work is to start immediately on a sewage treatment plant for the airport.
The cost of the plant has increased by more than €500,000 following a An Bord Pleanála ruling that the plant use advanced technology to deal with raw sewage.
When the plant was announced by airport authority director Martin Moroney in March 2003 the cost was €2.25 million and it was to be completed by the end of 2004.
However, the cost of the scheme was yesterday put at €2.8 million and is being paid for by the Dublin Airport Authority.
Jobless man told to pay legal fees
An unemployed father-of-three, who gets €280 a week on the dole but drives a €17,000 car, was yesterday told to pay his own legal fees by a judge who drove to court in a car worth just €1,500.
The court heard that Ciaran Joyce (29), Grange Meadows, Mullingar, hasn't worked in 12 years. He pleaded guilty to attacking his first cousin's car with a spade on Monday last, and had applied for free legal aid at Mullingar District Court yesterday.
After hearing that Joyce is driving a €17,000 04 car, Judge Neilan ruled the application out of order.
Joyce attacked the car belonging to his first cousin Hughie Joyce. Gardaí said the incident related to efforts by Ciaran Joyce to prevent Hughie Joyce's wife from giving evidence against him in a court case.
Judge Neilan handed Ciaran Joyce a ten-month prison sentence.
Lotto winner alleges extortion
A Lotto winner who bought a stun gun to protect himself from criminals who he alleged were trying to extort money from him, was convicted and fined €500 at Kildare District Court.
Liam Rowley, Maddenstown, the Curragh, pleaded guilty to the possession of the weapon, which was produced during a dispute at Maddenstown on May 9th last year.
His solicitor told the court his client had come into contact with some well-known criminals while serving a three-month jail sentence. He said after Rowley won the Lotto he was the subject of significant extortion, handing out over €30,000 to these criminals.
The court heard that on one occasion he was frogmarched to a bank by these individuals and since his win he has been plagued, threatened and blackmailed. On one occasion he had suffered three broken ribs.
The court was told he had bought the stun gun to protect himself and he now accepted he was wrong.
Garda supports anti-social orders
Controversial new plans by the Government to introduce orders aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour in urban areas received the support of a senior garda in Clare yesterday.
Supt John Kerin, of Ennis, said there are people living in large urban estates who are fed up and terrified of the behaviour of young people.
He said he thought antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) would have a major impact on that.
"For people living in large urban estates that are fed up with this kind of behaviour I think they will be very, very positive and will have a major impact on reducing disorder and antisocial behaviour."