A SON of Maurice Ahern, the former Fianna Fail councillor, died suddenly yesterday. Dylan Ahern, who canvassed for his father and for his uncle, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, in election campaigns, was a keen athlete and shared a love of running with his father. They both ran with Clonliffe Harriers athletic club in Dublin.

O'Dea spent just €8,000 on 10 trips

DEFENCE Minister Willie O'Dea has this weekend shown himself to be the golden boy of the Cabinet as he racked up less than €8,000 in foreign travel expenses across 10 foreign visits. Mr O'Dea told the Sunday Independent that he has always tried to keep spending down to a minimum and has instructed his officials to do the same.

His thrifty spend covers the period from the start of the 30th Dail to last month, according to documents released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Lifeline call to curtail shopper exodus

MORE than a quarter of a million people are travelling to the North to do their shopping and latest figures show that the VAT intake for the Government from four border counties is down a massive e72m.

The huge drop in income has led to a call on Finance Minister Brian Lenihan to use the forthcoming Budget to address the problem of high taxes on goods and services and problems compounded by the currency differential. "The Government needs to throw border businesses a lifeline in the Budget," said Fine Gael TD for Donegal North East, Joe McHugh.

Lotto jackpot winner scoops e3.3m

THERE was one winner of last night's €3,303,611 Lotto jackpot. The numbers were 3, 5, 7, 21, 30, 42 (bonus 45), and the winning ticket was sold in Dublin.

There was one Match 5+bonus winner who gets €25,000; 71 Match 5s (€1,198); 118 Match 4+bonus (€180); 3,712 Match 4s (€35); 2,880 Match 3+bonus (€30); and 54,855 Match 3s (€5 scratchcard). The Lotto Plus 1 numbers were 6, 12, 13, 21, 33, 44 (bonus 40) and the Lotto Plus 2 numbers were 3, 7, 27, 28, 33, 35 (bonus 14).

In the UK draw for stg£4.5m, the numbers were 9, 24, 30, 32, 36, 40 (bonus 35).

Robinson questions Assembly's future

PETER Robinson raised a further question mark about the future of the Northern Assembly in a speech to his party's annual conference yesterday. The North's First Minister gave a pledge that the DUP would not walk away from the power-sharing administration at Stormont but warned that he could not guarantee its future.

He told party delegates gathered at La Mon Hotel in Castlereagh on the outskirts of Belfast: "I cannot guarantee the future of the Assembly but I can guarantee that it will not be the DUP that will walk away."

Clamper 'stable' after savage beating

THE Dublin City Council employee who was struck over the head with a lump hammer while clamping illegally parked cars in the city last weekend is still critically ill in hospital but showing signs of improvement.

Georg Listu, in his late 20s and originally from Romania, was clamping cars in Werburgh St in south central Dublin last Saturday night when he was attacked. He was left in a coma from severe head injuries and spent most of last week on a life-support machine.

Households irate over 'stinking' water

RURAL dwellers who are getting their water supply from one of the largest provincial group water schemes in Ireland are furious, claiming they can't use it because of the smell and taste.

Hundreds of householders who get the supply from the Donaghmoyne group water scheme in Co Monaghan, which provides domestic and farm water to some 1,720 homesteads in the border region, say that although they have paid for the piped water, they are now compelled to buy bottled water for cooking and drinking .

Leaders can 'learn' from Sean Lemass

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan will launch Prof Gary Murphy's In Search of the Promised Land: The Politics of Post-War Ireland at the Royal College of Physicians next Wednesday. The DCU professor said that current leaders can "learn lessons" from Sean Lemass.

"Even when the general populace seems to be unmoved by or even unaware of major policy initiatives it is the responsibility of political leaders to argue for them and drive them through. This is what Sean Lemass did in the late 1950s, and that is what the Taoiseach and Minister for Finance have to do in the forthcoming Budget," he said.

'Iconic' tree to illuminate O'Connell St

THE Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Emer Costello, will switch on the Christmas tree lights in O'Connell Street today at 6pm.

Richard Guiney, from the City Business Improvement District said: "Dublin's Christmas tree is fast becoming an icon of Dublin at Christmas time. "The city is open for business... and we would encourage everyone, old and young alike, to come in and experience the special Christmas atmosphere that has made Dublin famous."

Clarification: Mr Brian Murphy

A STORY in the Sunday Independent of November 16 last under the headline: "Festive fears as retail jobs on the line", had an accompanying photograph of Mr Brian Murphy and Mr John Damian Murphy outside Belgard Motor Centre. The caption read: "Brian, left, and John Damian Murphy of Belgard Motors, which applied for a liquidator".

It has been brought to our attention that this caption erroneously implies that Mr Brian Murphy was a director of Belgard Motors at the time of its application for voluntary liquidation. In fact, Mr Brian Murphy parted from Belgard Motors in 2005 and is now involved in business with a new company. We are happy to clarify this matter.

Pele limbers up for charity fundraiser

LEGENDARY Brazilian soccer star Pele will jet into Dublin this week to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his 1,000th goal. The footballing superstar will be in Dublin on Wednesday to attend a charity fundraiser for Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, and the Pele Little Prince Children's Hospital, Brazil.

Guests are expected to pay up to €4,000 a table to get close to the legend. Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni will be in attendance with senior figures from the FAI.

Barrister leaves €3.75m in his will

A SENIOR counsel, James O'Driscoll SC of Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin, who died on March 3, 2009, has left €3,754,128 in his will, which went to probate last week.

Other wills: Robert G Connolly, publican (retired), Clontarf, €3,339,174; Elizabeth Agnes Costello, medical consultant, Sandymount, Dublin 4, €2,478,517; Johanna Fitzgerald, housewife, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, €2,100,538; Mary Daly, widow, Waterloo Lane, Dublin, €2,052,174; Elizabeth McAuley, Kilmore West, Dublin, €1,774,911.

The value of wills include property, including the family home, and should not be regarded as cash amounts

Sunday Independent