Two men jailed over Mulready-Woods murder
A man who lured Keane Mulready-Woods to his death has been jailed for ten years, while another man who helped the gang behind his murder was jailed for seven.
Keane Mulready-Woods was 17 years old when he was murdered in a house in Drogheda, Co. Louth just over three years ago.
Some of his dismembered remains were found later that day. More were found the next day, and over one year later, a search of waste ground near the house where he was murdered resulted in the discovery of more of his remains in a sports bag.
At the time of the murder, Paul Crosby and Gerard Cruise both lived in the same estate where he was killed – Rathmullen Park in Drogheda.
Crosby essentially lured Keane to the so-called “murder house,” while Cruise assisted in a number of ways, including the purchase of licence plates for a car used to transport his dismembered remains.
Lidl announce 700 new jobs
Lidl has announced plans to create 700 new jobs this year, increasing its total workforce in the State to over 6,000.
The new jobs will be in a variety of operational and office-based roles across its network of 176 stores, three regional distribution centres and head office in Dublin.
Along with the jobs announcement, the supermarket also confirmed it will invest €14 million to facilitate a pay rise for all existing employees.
From March 1st, all employees will receive a wage increase, averaging an addition 7.5 per cent or approximately €2,000-2,500 per annum.
This will be in addition to Lidl's commitment to adopt the €13.85 Living Wage rate recommended by the Living Wage Technical Group which the supermarket announced last October.
Sligo man killed in Australia named
An Irishman who was killed in Australia has been named locally as Damian Conlon from Co Sligo.
As reported by the Irish Examiner, Mr Conlon, who was aged in his 30s, was found by police on Wednesday evening (Irish time) having suffered a gunshot wound.
He was found in the town of Oberon, about 200km northwest of Sydney, and was treated by paramedics but was later pronounced dead at the scene.
A man (57) was arrested at the scene and a firearm was seized. Police said initial inquiries suggest the two men were known to one another.
The arrested man was denied bail and is due to appear before Bathurst Local Court on Friday.
GOAL aid workers among casualties of earthquake in Syria and Turkey
International aid agency GOAL is working to establish the fate of staff who were working in Turkey and Syria when the region was hit by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday, the charity's deputy chief executive Mary Van Lieshout has said.
The agency previously announced 26 of its staff members had died in following the quake, with Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin expressing his condolences.
Ms Van Lieshout told Newstalk Breakfast that GOAL appreciated the support they have received from Irish people and political leaders.
She added GOAL has been working in the region for over 10 years, with staff spread throughout the area devastated by the earthquake.
Much like everyone else in northwest Syria and southeastern Turkey, they were woken in the middle of the night on Monday when the earthquake hit, she explained.
Fianna Fáil MEP: EU rhetoric on asylum-seekers 'is solely the narrative of the far right'
The rhetoric emerging from a European Union summit on migration is "solely the narrative of the far right", a Fianna Fáil MEP has claimed.
MEP Barry Andrews made the comments as EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss rising immigration to the bloc.
"What I'm hearing from the European Council is solely the narrative of the far right," Mr Andrews said.
"Strengthen the borders, no more search and rescue, nothing about pushbacks — and that has to be balanced with a humanitarian view.
"That's why I find it disappointing, what I'm hearing at the moment," he said.
