A man was arrested Sunday afternoon in Limerick in connection with the murder of Martin Purcell.

Mr. Purcell, 54, was found dead at his flat on Wickham Street on Friday morning. He had been stabbed to death.

Gardai confirmed Sunday evening that a 32 year old man was arrested in relation to the murder.

He is currently being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act in Henry Street Garda station.

A murder investigation is expected to be launched later Friday following the discovery of a body at a city apartment.

Gardai confirmed Friday afternoon that they were investigating after a man in his late 50’s was found dead at an apartment above shops on Wickham Street (seen left) in the city centre, around 11am.

The services of the State Pathologist have been requested by investigators while the scene is preserved for technical examinations.

Local and national media outlets are reporting the victim sustained a number of stab wounds, however Gardai have yet to comment further.

Gardai have begun door to door enquiries in the area and are appealing for anyone who may have information to come forward.

The HSI Business School, located on O’Connell Avenue, announced Monday it had ceased trading.

A statement on their website reads,

HSI Limerick Business School has ceased trading as of Monday 5th of September 2011. Provisions have been put in place to accommodate all students.

The Management of HSI are working with Griffith College’s Limerick campus to accommodate all students who are continuing their studies or who have applied for this year’s intake. A hotline has been set up to facilitate students, which they can access on 061- 310031 and 061-317822. The hotline is open from 9am to 9pm to deal with queries. International students whose tuition period has finished, their attendance has been sent to GNIB.

HSI Limerick commenced trading in 1951 and has been the leading independent training provider in Munster for 60 years. In its 60 year history HSI has had over 80,000 students pass through its corridors on O`Connell Avenue in Limerick.

HSI experienced trading difficulties as a result of the economic slowdown, due to a downturn in demand for professional training and a decrease in demand for part-time courses. HSI was also impacted by the introduction of the new immigration regime for full-time non EEA (European Economic Area) students implemented on the 1 January 2011, which seriously impacted on the demand from international students wishing to study on HSI courses.

The Management had been working up to the end of last week on a survival plan to protect employment and to sustain the provision of courses at HSI, but unfortunately this endeavour failed to bring about a positive outcome. The Management will be calling a creditor meeting within 2 weeks and at that point a liquidator will be appointed. The Management are also working with Griffith College to accommodate all students.

The Management wish to express their deep regret to the staff of HSI who have been dedicated and professional throughout this difficult period. The Management welcomes the assistance of Griffith College who will endeavour to accommodate as many staff as possible. Established in 1974, Griffith College is the leading independent education provider in Ireland with campuses in Dublin, Cork and Limerick.

The Management of HSI would like to thank the people of Limerick and the Mid-West for their support to HSI over the past 60 years.

The school was founded by Nora McNamara.

A man has died following a road accident in Kilfinane, Co. Limerick.

The 25 year old driver died when his car left the road and crashed into a field at Ballinacourty, Kilfinane around 1.30am Sunday.

Emergency services from Bruff attended the scene but it’s thought the young man was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was taken to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital for a post mortem examination.

The victim was the sole occupant of the car and no others were injured. Gardai say forensic collision investigators attended the scene but the road has since re-opened.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bruff Garda Station on 061 382940.

Two people have been arrested by Gardai investigating a tiger kidnapping in Newcastle West last week.

Investigators confirmed Monday a 27 year old man and a 25 year old woman were arrested in Gort, Co Galway, in connection with the incident at Kelleher’s Post Office last Monday in which 25 year old worker Tommy Kelleher was kidnapped at gunpoint.

He was held for nearly four hours until a substantial sum of money was handed over by another employee at wooded area between Carraig Kerry and Athea.

He was later found tied up in the boot of his black BMW car in the Templegreen housing estate.

The suspects are being held at Henry Street and Roxboro Garda stations. The man is being detained under Section 50 Criminal Justice Act while the woman is being held under Section 30 Offences Against the State Act 1939.

Gardai say investigations into the incident are still ongoing.

A man has been killed following a road crash in county Limerick Friday afternoon.

Gardai say the man in his twenties, who was the driver of a motorcycle, died after he was in collision with a car on the Croom to Ballingarry road at Carrigeen. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The collision happened around 4pm and was attended by fire service units from Rathkeale along with local Gardai and Ambulance.

The driver of the car was taken to the Mid Western Regional Hospital as a precaution.

The road was closed for a time while technical examinations were carried out on the stretch of road. The victim is believed to be from the local area.

Gardaí at Askeaton are appealing for any witnesses or any person who was travelling along the Ballingarry to Croom Road between 3pm and 4pm, to contact them.

NEW DETAILS
The victim has been named as 28 year old Christopher Tyrone Ryan.

Gardaí in Newcastlewest have launched an investigation following the abduction of a Post Office official in Newcastle West Tuesday morning.

Gardai confirmed that around 8.30am Tuesday morning the staff member, a man in his twenties, was at the rear of the Post Office in the town when he was confronted by an armed and masked man.

“The staff member was taken from the scene under duress. A female staff member was contacted and told to take an undisclosed sum of money to a wooded area between Carraig Kerry and Athea. This instruction was carried under duress sometime between 11am and noon,” a Garda spokesperson said.

The post official was then discovered in the boot of his black BMW car in the Templegreen housing estate around 4pm.

Both the car and the area of the Post Office have been sealed off and technical examinations are underway. A large manhunt is now also underway.

Gardai are appealing for anyone who was in the Newcastlewest, Carraig Kerry, Athea and Templegreen areas overnight or this morning and saw anything suspicious to contact them.

They are also appealing for anyone who saw the black 09-LK BMW between the hours of 8am and 4pm Tuesday to come forward.

Gardai have not said how much was taken in the raid but the figure is said to be substantial.

Both staff members were said to uninjured however they have been through a traumatic experience.

:: Proposal presents “opportunity for Limerick to pilot a new model for delivering a successful and imaginative new structure of local government in Ireland.”

:: City to act as “a generator of economic and social development.”

The Government has confirmed it has decided to implement the main recommendations of the Limerick Local Government Committee report, creating a new single local authority to replace the current Limerick City and County Councils.

The series of recommendations on reforming local Government structures in Limerick and Clare were made in the report published by the Limerick Local Government Committee in 2010.

The report, chaired by Tony Brosnan, called for Limerick City to get a boundary extension and to become the third largest city in the State. The report also recommended Limerick County and City Council should be amalgamated.

The historic decision is slated to boost local economic activity and create potential savings of over €15 million for the Authority over time.

The decision would also allow the single Limerick Authority to address the social, economic and administrative issues affecting Limerick by the creation of a single local authority under the leadership of a single elected council and single management.

The new unitary authority will come into being following the 2014 local elections. Meanwhile, appropriate management arrangements will operate from early 2012 up to the 2014 elections.

Not all of the Brosnan recommendations will be adopted though; a variation from the Committee’s recommendation is a decision not to implement the proposed transfer of an area of approximately 5 sq. kilometres from Clare to Limerick.

“We are implementing the core elements of the Committee’s recommendations. There is wide agreement on the need for urgent, decisive change in local government in Limerick. The decisions that we have taken will provide for successful transition to much stronger local government for Limerick which is essential to the future success of the City and its region,” Local Government Minister Phil Hogan said Tuesday.

The two regeneration agencies will now also report to the one authority while there will be an election of the Mayor of the new unitary authority after the 2014 local elections for the full five year term of the new authority.

“This decision to restructure Limerick to a single local authority is among a range of local government reforms which will be implemented in accordance with the Programme for Government.”

Reaction

The Limerick Chamber has warmly welcomed the announcement saying the new authority proposed by Minister Hogan “should not be seen as an amalgamation of the two existing authorities.”

Kieran Mac Sweeney, Limerick Chamber President said the move should be seen as an entirely new structure, and “what we must focus on now is how this new blank canvas is developed to deliver the best possible services for the lowest cost burden to the business community.”

“An expanded city within a unified authority gives Limerick and the region the best framework to create a dynamic and cost effective region contributing to the much needed reduction in rates. It will also give a strong message that Limerick is very much open for business helping to attract in foreign direct investment,” he said.

They say they are delighted that the proposal includes a planned reduction of rates for Limerick City businesses via a harmonisation of rates between City and County. The new structure could allow for the harmonisation of the rates downwards to the current County Council level of €59.91 from the city rate of €76.46.

The new Mayor of Limerick Jim Long welcomed the decision and said he was confident that the new authority, with a population of 184,000 will have the capacity to meet its challenges and cement Limerick’s status as Ireland’s third city.

“I’m pleased, that as the 815th Mayor of this ancient city, the historic office of Mayor of Limerick is being maintained. Limerick needs to be the driving force for development as the capital of the Mid-West and I look forward to working with all public representatives as we face the challenges in the years ahead.”

The Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council, Councillor Richard Butler says the most important issue at the centre of this debate “has been the betterment of the people of Limerick City and County, which has been at the forefront of Limerick County Council’s approach.”

“Limerick County Council never viewed this matter as “City versus County” as both are interdependent from an economic, social, cultural and sporting perspective. The County Council pledges to work with all local, regional and national interests to achieve the ultimate goal of delivering a better Limerick for all its citizens”, Butler said.

The Cathaoirleach said that the Implementation Committee “should be established as quickly as possible”.

“Wrong Option Taken”

City councilor Maurice Quinlivan is speaking of his disappointment at the decision saying merging is the wrong option to take in reforming local government.

“In our submission to the Brosnan Committee, Sinn Féin argued strongly for a meaningful city boundary extension with a new and stronger city council. This would have had the effect of strengthening local government and economic cohesion in the Limerick urban area while also preserving the centuries old Limerick City Council,” Quinlivan said.

“Sinn Féin is not convinced that the Government’s decision will prove to be the best one for Limerick. Neither do we think that the process of merging the councils will be a seamless nor problem-free matter. That this decision seems to have been primarily driven by reasons of cost is not a good omen in terms of maximizing democratic representation and accountability.”

Quinlivan also raid concerns over the plan to subsume the Limerick Regeneration agencies into the new authority.

“It is precisely because the existing local government structures were not up to the task of bringing meaningful economic and social development to the most deprived and neglected of the city’s residential districts that the stand-alone agencies were set up in the first place,” he says.

He does however welcome the commitment of a directly elected Mayor.

Further details will be made available as soon as possible including revealing how many Councillors will make up the new authority.