Bus Eireann is to cut elements of two Kerry routes, as part of the next phase of its cost recovery plan.
Eighteen routes across the country will be reduced in frequency and some will be cut.
Bus Eireann says it's due to a ten percent drop in customer numbers.
In Kerry, elements of the 274 Tralee Ballybunion route will be affected.

The 7.25am Monday to Friday service from Ballybunion to Ballyheigue, and 4.45pm from Ballyheigue to Ballybunion are being cut.
Bus Eireann says alternative services are available via Listowel.
Also in Kerry, part of the 284 Tralee Killarney route is being cut, the 8am Killarney to Tralee service on Saturdays only is being withdrawn.
Bus Eireann says there are alternative later services on a Saturday on Route 284 and inter-city Route 40.
The changes come into effect from March 28th.

A forensic scientist, who analysed a suspicious package found in the car of a man accused of possession of drugs, says the box tested positive for cannabis.
Forty-year-old Premier Mthethwa of 35 Cnoc Gorm, Knocknacuig, Tralee has pleaded not guilty to the three charges, possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis with intention to sell and supply, and possession of cannabis believed to be worth in excess of thirteen thousand euro, which all took place on the fifth of October 2006.

On the 30th of July 2007, Forensic Scientist Geraldine O'Neil was asked to analyse the suspect package recovered from the car belonging to Premier Mthethwa on the fifth of October 2006.
She said she opened the box, which contained a number of magazines, brown paper, and two further cardboard boxes, one white, one orange.
She said in each box she found 12 packs of green plant material, wrapped in paper tape and tin foil.

Following scientific analysis of each pack, Geraldine O'Neill said she found they contained cannabis.
On the second of September 2008, the forensic scientist said she was asked to examine a sealed evidence bag containing an empty box found following a search of 35 Cnoc Gorm Knocknacuig on October 5th 2006.
She said upon analysis of the empty box, she found it contained traces of cannabis.

5 units of the fire brigade battled for several hours to bring a gorse fire under control in West Kerry overnight. The alarm was raised at 11 pm when a number of houses were in danger from the blaze. Units from Tralee, Dingle, Killorglin and Killarney attended the scene at Brickany Mountain. It's understood the gorse fire could have been lit some hours previously but winds had caused it to spread. No-one was injured in the fire which was put out at half two this morning. Burning of gorse is illegal after March 1st under the Wildlife Act.

The long running dispute over the name of Dingle has moved a step closer to being resolved. Minister for the Environment John Gormley has published draft legislation which will allow the town to be known bilingually as Dingle/Daingean Uí Chúis. The row over the naming of Dingle now stems back almost six years.

In 2004 under the Placenames Order of the Official Languages Act Gaeltacht Minister Eamon Ó'Cúiv changed the name of the town to An Daingean. However, two years later, those eligibible to take part in the plebescite voted overwhelmingly in favour of changing the name of the town from An Daingean to Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis. Now it seems their wishes have come a step closer.

Minister John Gormely has published draft legislation as part of The Local Government Bill 2010. It provides for the Irish version of An Daingean to be Daingean Uí Chúis and for the English version of the name to be Dingle. These versions of the name will supersede the version set out in the 2004 Placenames Order.

Members of the IMPACT union at the Institute of Technology Tralee are escalating their industrial action this afternoon. They're been instructed by the union, along with all educations members of it, not to answer or make internal and external telephone calls, or official mobile phone calls between 1 and 5pm. Normal service is due to return in the morning.

The site of a former Tralee factory has been put on the market for almost 4 million euro. The site of the former Amann factory in Clash Industrial Estate has a 3 point 9 million euro price tag. The former textile plant stands on 26.8 acres of industrial zoned land. Almost a year ago Amann Industries announced it planned to close its Tralee plant with the loss of 210 jobs over 15 months. The phased closure was to see the spinning operation cease production by last August with the rest of the plant's operations transferred to China by July this year. The German owned company had been in the town since 1998.

A 100,000 euro shop local campaign has been launched in Kerry. Buy Kerry, shop Kerry, support Kerry - that's the message of the campaign which is aimed at protecting local jobs and communities. The buyKerry campaign is the biggest local spending initiative of its kind ever launched in Ireland. It aims to create a strong, recognisable brand that will urge local shoppers to think Kerry before they spend.

All businesses in the county are being encouraged to display the buyKerry brand to show their support for local spending. The drive is funded by local newspaper Kerry's Eye and supported by the Credit Union. Tune into In Business tomorrow evening between 6 and 7 to find out more.

Plans to retain part of a quarry in the Moll's Gap area have been turned down by An Bord Pleanala. Kerry County Council had granted retention permission to developers T and A Randles Ltd for the quarry at Letter, Kenmare, but this was appealed to An Bord Pleanala by Noel Kissane, Cornelius Houlihan, and Gene Aherne.

An Bord Pleanala decided to overturn the council's decision, and refused permission for retention of the quarry for a number of reasons. It noted the development is in a scenic area, to which views are protected by the county development plan. It said retention would seriously injure the visual amenity and scenic character of the area, and would be contrary to the development plan. The appeals board said the development would also be contrary to surface water regulations, and the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The HSE is asking people who are raising what they describe as "unfounded" concerns about the statue of Our Lady which was removed from Killarney Community Hospital to cease doing so. The HSE says it is restoring the statue and it will be relocated later this week or early next week to the left of the main hospital entrance at ground level. It would like to reassure those who are concerned about the relocation of the statue that it was done so purely on health and safety grounds.



In a statement the HSE says a decision was taken to remove the 70 year old statue from above the entrance of the hospital because of recent adverse weather conditions. It will be relocated later this week or early next week to the left of the main hospital entrance at ground level. The HSE are appealing to those who are raising the unfounded concerns about the statue, to cease doing so as they say it is serving no purpose other than to unnecessarily upset patients, staff and people in the locality. It advises that no statues or emblems were removed from St. Columbanus's Home, and in fact to the contrary, investment took place over the Christmas period in new cribs for the unit.

The statement however, does not address a call by Fr. Kevin McNamara, a curate in Killarney to state their policy on religious statues. In a statement earlier, Bishop of Kerry Bill Murphy said he was saddened by the removal and asked if cribs may be banned or if patients will be deprived of Mass.

Tralee Circuit Court was told South African man was in possession of over €100,000 worth of cannabis at time of arrest
A second man has been arrested in relation to an alleged sexual assault on a teenage girl in Ardfert over a week ago.
The man was arrested on Friday morning in the greater Tralee area.
He was released without charge on Friday evening and a file is being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The man arrested last Wednesday in connection with the same alleged incident was also released without charge and a file was sent to the DPP.
The teenage girl was taken to the sexual assault unit in Cork following the alleged assault, which is reported to have occurred at around 2pm on Sunday February 28th.
Meanwhile a meeting about anti-social behaviour in Ardfert is taking place in the community centre Thursday night.
Organisers said the event was not specifically a response to the alleged assault on the teenage girl in Ardfert last week.
One organiser, who did not wish to be identified, said there were a number of concerns about anti-social behaviour in the area.

A South African man was believed to be in possession of cannabis worth over one hundred thousand euro, when he was arrested.
That's according to Garda Detective Sergeant Declan Liddane, Head of the Kerry Garda drugs unit who was giving evidence in the case of Premier Mthethwa at Tralee Circuit Court.
The man with an address at 35 Cnoc Gorm Knocknacuig, Tralee has pleaded not guilty the three charges, possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis with intention to sell and supply, and possession of cannabis believed to be worth in excess of €13,000, which took place on the 5th of October 2006.
Detective Sergeant Declan Liddane told the court that on the 3rd of October 2006 he received information, custom officers at Dublin Airport intercepted a suspicious package believed to contain drugs, bound for Tralee.
As a result, he instructed Sergeant Raymond Monahan to impersonate a DHL courier and deliver the package to the address at 35 Cnoc Gorm, Knocknacuig Tralee.
He told the court after Sergeant Monahan confirmed the package was delivered he entered the estate in an unmarked Garda car accompanied by three other members of the Kerry Garda Drugs Unit.
He said they stopped the car Mr Mthethwa was driving and asked him to open the boot, where they saw the suspicious package had been placed.
Detective Sergeant Liddane said he opened a corner of the package where he saw he saw a pile of magazines, under which, were what he believed to be a number of slabs of cannabis.
He added he believed based on the market value of cannabis at the time of Mr Mthethwa's arrest, the cannabis was worth in excess of €134,000.
The trial continues.

Young people from Kerry are gathering in Cork, to make their views known on some of society's most pressing social issues.
They're taking part in the Young Social Innovator's Speak Outs, where participants can make their views known on issues, including knife crime, sexism in Irish sport, and youth facilities.
The Young Social Innovators is Ireland's largest social awareness and action programme for young people.
Over fifteen-hundred teenagers from Kerry, Cork, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford gathered in Cork City Hall yesterday and it continues today.
Also attending, is the founder of the Young Social Innovators, Sr Stanislaus Kennedy of Lispole.