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Actor Niall Toibin having his hand prints taken outside the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, yesterday. The prints will now be cast in bronze and placed alongside the prints of Maureen Potter, John B. Keane, Anna Manahan and other luminaries outside the theatre.

Photograph: PA

Design error raises cost of €48m Kilkenny floodworks
Part of a €48 million floodworks scheme in Kilkenny city, which has already cost four times its original estimate, is to be redesigned after it was discovered that errors were made in calculating water levels on the project, writes Liam Reid , Political Reporter

Safeguards on nursing home refunds for elderly
Safeguards will be put in place by the State to ensure elderly people who receive refunds of nursing home charges illegally deducted from their pensions cannot be exploited by "unscrupulous" persons. Eithne Donnellan , Health Correspondent, reports
Gresham team believed to be behind move to buy Jurys
The Bryan Cullen-led consortium that took the Gresham Hotel Group private last year is understood to be behind the takeover approach to the Jurys Doyle Hotel group, write Dominic Coyle, Jack Fagan and Jane O'Sullivan

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Ireland

Roche paves way for Tara motorway
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche yesterday sanctioned 38 archaeological digs in the Tara-Skryne valley in Co Meath, effectively approving the proposed M3 motorway. p
Paisley claims election 'burial' of agreement
Democratic Unionist Party leader the Rev Ian Paisley has said that general election results in Northern Ireland represented the "burial" of the Belfast Agreement. p
Pub owners agree not to recommend drink prices
The day of pub owners coming together to agree a uniform rise in the price of the pint has come to an end after the Vintners' Federation of Ireland promised the High Court not to make recommendations on price and profit margins to the 6,000 rural pubs in its membership. p
Radical changes planned for Cork university
University College Cork president Prof Gerry Wrixon has outlined a series of radical restructuring moves which will see the university's seven faculties reduced to four colleges. p
Dorgan denies FF is in decline
Fianna Fáil's general secretary Seán Dorgan has acknowledged that the party is facing major challenges in relation to a declining and ageing membership base, but said it was a problem that was common to all major parties across Europe. p
Former mayor jailed for rape, assault
An 85-year-old former mayor of Oughterard, Co Galway, who raped and sexually assaulted five girls when they were aged between seven and 16 has been jailed for nine years by the Central Criminal Court. p
Family in talks with Harney on childcare
The parents of the five children who were returned to them by court order in March, after being taken into care, have asked for political silence on their case until talks on their children's future care have been completed. p
Famous Stag's Head pub sells for €5.8m
The Stag's Head pub, off Dame Street, Dublin, was sold at auction yesterday for €5.8 million - €800,000 over the guide price quoted by agent CBRE Gunne. p
Siptu nurses told people are dying unnecessarily
People are dying as a result of lack of "fair access" to health services in the Republic, it was claimed yesterday. p

Finance

Aer Lingus scraps Orlando service
Aer Lingus is scrapping its Dublin-Orlando route, citing industrial relations problems, in a fresh setback to its long-haul strategy. The airline announced last night that it was ending its service to Florida from early next year. It follows the termination of its Washington service in December. p
Irish Times wins award
The Irish Times Magazine on Saturday has won the 2005 Coldset colour supplement of the year award at the British newspaper awards which were presented in London last night p
Trade unions call on State to cap tax relief on pensions
Trade unions have urged the Government to cap the tax relief on pensions for very high earners and redirect the money to low earners p

World

Jackson abuse claim rejected by Culkin
US: Actor Macaulay Culkin took the stand at Michael Jackson's child molestation trial yesterday and denied he was molested, saying the accusations against the pop star were "absolutely ridiculous". p
Blair says a fourth term for Labour is feasible
BRITAIN: British prime minister Tony Blair today told Labour MPs yesterday a fourth term in power was within their grasp if they remained united around his centre-left agenda. p
More than 70 killed in wave of attacks in Iraq
IRAQ: A string of bombings in Iraqi cities, including one by a man with explosives strapped to his body, killed at least 71 people and wounded more than 100 yesterday. The killings occurred as US troops pushed on in an offensive aimed at followers of Iraq's most-wanted terrorist. p

Sport

Corbett is passed fit for Limerick opener
GAELIC GAMES: Lar Corbett has been passed fit for Tipperary's opening Munster Hurling Championship game against Limerick at Semple Stadium on Sunday. p
Brilliant Bergkamp delivers
SOCCER/Arsenal - 7 Everton - 0: Dennis Bergkamp spoke before this game about how frustrated he feels at being made to wait to discover whether he will get a further year at Arsenal. p

Science

Nearly half Middle East suicide bombers had third-level education
Under the Microscope: Prof William Reville One of the most disturbing aspects of war and terrorism is the suicide bomber. Suicide bombings are now regular occurrences in Iraq and in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. p