Bits and Pieces

• Gardaí investigating the murder of Latvian mother-of-two Baiba Saulite (28) have arrested two men under the Offences Against the State Act. The arrests were made in Dublin on Tuesday morning and the suspects were released some time on Thursday. A file is being prepared for the DPP. One report suggested that those arrested were Lebanese nationals in their 20s. Ms Sualite was shot dead at her home in Swords, Co. Dublin, on November 19, in what garda believe was a contract killing.
• New research from the UCD Institute of Criminology reveals that 27% of prisoners will be back in jail within one year of their release and that 50% will be back inside within four years. It has long been acknowledged that, although the Irish prison system is one of the most expensive in the world, little is done to rehabilitate offenders. On RTÉ radio on Wednesday Dr Paul O'Mahony of TCD reminded us that we have far too many prison officers and an understaffed probationary welfare service.
• Millie (6) and Gavin Murray (4), the two children who were badly burnt in an arson attack on their mother's car in Limerick earlier in the year, will be allowed home for Christmas if suitable accommodation can be found for the family. Limerick County Council has identified a suitable house for Sheila Murray and her family close to St Munchin's School in Ballynanty, which the children attend. However it has been reported that there is local opposition to the housing of the family in this particular area.
• It appears likely that a seventh deadline extension will be requested by the Commission of Investigation into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings, whose only member is Patrick MacEntee SC. Previous requests for extensions have cited the need to acquire more material from outside the State, giving rise to speculation that the British were co-operating with this inquiry. Mr MacEntee's report was due to be presented to An Taoiseach today but the Cabinet is expected to agree to extend the deadline when it meets tomorrow.
• At the Morris Tribunal Justice Morris said that he would not approve an application for legal costs from Frank McBrearty jnr, in relation to the cross-examination of four gardaí, while he refuses to co-operate with the court. A few weeks ago Mr McBrearty walked out of the Tribunal before counsel for the four gardaí could question him.
• A gang of four to six men, armed with pickaxe handles and slash hooks, forced their way into a house near Graigeucullen on the Carlow-Laois border at about 4:00am on Wednesday and abducted one of the occupants, Nelly Doran (50). During the day Ms Doran managed to phone a member of her family to say she was safe and that night gardaí located the missing woman in a rented house in Tramore, Co. Waterford. Two men, one in his 50s and one in his 20s, were arrested. According to reports Ms Doran, a settled traveller, knew some of her captors. The mother of seven had spent much of her life in England and recently returned to Ireland after separating from her husband. On Thursday at Carlow District Court, Tom Doran (54) and his son Jim Doran (21) were charged with aggravated burglary and were remanded in custody.
• Following differences of opinion between the aid agency Self Help and the Irish Farmers' Association, the agency's chairman, Liam Reynolds, has been replaced by former Glanbia chief Tom Corcoran; Mr Reynolds is now vice-chairman. In response to the ongoing dispute Minister of State Conor Lenihan had earlier decided to end the five-year funding plan for the aid agency and to continue on a year-to-year basis.
• The Vintners Federation of Ireland issued a statement clarifying its call for compensation for rural publicans whose takings have fallen due to the introduction of random breath-testing. It seems that the majority of publicans were embarrassed at the suggestion made by their president Paul Stevenson, during a gala dinner at the upmarket Dunraven Arms in Adare, Co. Limerick. Rather than monetary compensation, the Federation is calling for tax relief for publicans who provide transport for their clientele, or for a greatly improved rural transport service.
• Friday was the sixth anniversary of the disappearance in Dublin of Kildare-born Trevor Deeley. The 22-year-old bank clerk was last seen on CCTV, as he made his way home to his apartment after attending the staff Christmas party.
• We are also being reminded that, come December 23, it will be ten years since the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier near her home in Schull in west Cork. Her parents have written an open letter to her killer who has yet to be charged with the crime. They finish by asking how Ireland can "accept that such a heinous crime go unpunished".
• The Irish Blood Transfusion Service on Monday reported that blood stocks are less than half usual levels and issued a call for donors to come forward. Some 13,000 donations are required over the Christmas period to bring stocks back to normal.
• The Eurobarometer survey of 30 European states has found that 82% of Irish people say they are both happy and healthy, just behind the Dutch who topped the table. The average for the EU is 65%. However when depression does hit, Irish people go to their general practitioner for help rather than turning to their families.
• National Lottery Winning Numbers:
  Wed: 3, 6, 14, 18, 28, 32 (24) – one winner of the jackpot of €6.55m.
  Sat: 1, 8, 9, 29, 39, 43 (23) - the jackpot of €2m was not won.