Monaghan deaths
Gardaí have launched investigations into two deaths, which are possibly linked, in Co Monaghan.
The body of one of the dead men was discovered in a house close to Castleblayney. A second man was killed in a road traffic crash close by.
Garda sources told The Irish Times separate inquiries had been opened into the two deaths. They added while the cases may be linked in time, that was not yet confirmed.
The man found dead in the property on Thursday morning had sustained what appear to be significant injuries.
Von der Leyen visit
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has thanked the Irish people for their “outstanding” support welcoming Ukrainian refugees.
Ms von der Leyen is on a two-day trip to Dublin, where she is meeting Irish premier Micheál Martin.
The two leaders will discuss the war on Ukraine, the energy crisis, green transition and the Northern Ireland Protocol during her visit.
Dukes comments
Former Fine Gael leader Alan Dukes has faced severe criticism over the suggestion that people from the Border region have violence “in their blood”.
The remarks on the RTÉ documentary series Quinn Country sparked a furious reaction from TDs from the area, with the comments branded as “insulting and offensive” and “extraordinarily ignorant and stupid”.
As the Irish Times reports, Mr Dukes responded to the TDs’ criticism on Thursday saying there was a lot of “political posturing”.
He continued to argued that the region has “a particular history of violence” while conceding that his remarks were “not well-phrased” and saying he was not suggesting all people in the area were violent.
Graham Dwyer appeal
Lawyers for Graham Dwyer, who murdered vulnerable care worker Elaine O'Hara for his sexual gratification, have argued that the retention of mobile phone data is an "opportunistic form of mass surveillance" that transforms phones into tracking devices that can reveal a detailed picture of every aspect of a person's life.
Remy Farrell SC, for Dwyer, told the three-judge Court of Appeal that mobile phone data should not have been admitted as evidence in his client's trial as the retention of that data was a breach of his rights under the European Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Mr Farrell said that the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has said "again and again" that the retention of mobile phone data cannot be done and the Irish courts must now "internalise" what the European court has said.
Former journalist loses appeal
A former RTÉ journalist who was jailed for 15 months for sexually assaulting a woman while she slept has lost his appeal against his conviction and sentence.
Mícheál Ó Leidhin (38) was a political reporter for Raidió na Gaeltachta and was found guilty by a jury in July for the sexual assault of the woman that happened at his former home.
At the Court of Appeal on Thursday, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly said that consent could not be implied when a person is asleep and that everyone has the right to feel safe while they sleep.
