The Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS 6 Nations Championship at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday has been named and coach Declan Kidney has opted for an unchanged lineup.

Declan Kidney had a full strength squad to choose from having put his big match preparations against the French on ice following the late postponement of the Stade de France encounter.

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Ireland’s rugby squad finally get the opportunity to bounce back from the opening Six Nations defeat to Wales this week.

Declan Kidney has a full strength squad to choose from having put his big match preparations against the French on ice following the late postponement of the Stade de France encounter.

No major changes are expected this weekend for the visit of the Italy.

ONLINE payments company Paypal is expected to announce a massive expansion of its workforce in Ireland by taking on another 1,000 staff in a customer care centre in Dundalk.

The eBay subsidiary, which already employs more than 1,500 people at its European headquarters in Blanchardstown in west Dublin, is to confirm the investment at lunchtime.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is to join senior company executives and IDA Ireland officials to make the jobs announcement in central Dublin.

It is understood the new positions will be in a PayPal customer care centre in Dundalk.

PayPal is the global leader in online payment solutions. It was founded in 1998 and has 123 million customers in 103 markets worldwide.

FOLLOWING the announcement of 1,000 jobs for Dundalk by PayPal, the head of the town’s Chamber of Commerce, Paddy Malone, stated that this investment will have a “wide reaching effect” on the local area and put the region on the map.

Speaking to the Dundalk Democrat only moments after being informed by RTE of the jobs boost this morning, Mr Malone stated that this is the “biggest thing to happen to Dundalk since the visit of Bill Clinton over ten years ago.”

Mr Malone believes it was the Town’s excellent infrastructure and communications that led to PayPal’s decision to choose Dundalk ahead of Limerick.

The possibility for further future investment by other companies is another major benefit from PayPals investment according to Mr Malone. “Other companies will look at this move by PayPal and think ‘why has such a major company gone to Dundalk?’ It will create a huge interest in Dundalk has a place for future investment and jobs.”

He also stated that the Chamber of Commerce will do everything within its power to facilitate PayPal in its future role within Dundalk.

THE sister of convicted burglar Daniel McCormack, who received a €175,000 insurance payout after he burgled the house of Dundalk property developer Martin McCaughey, has mocked her brother’s detractors online, saying her brother had “great” time spending the money.

There was a national outcry last week when story was brought to the attention of the national press of how McCormack, who was convicted of burglary after he broke into McCaughey’s private residence in Dundalk, was awarded a massive cash payment under McCaughey’s insurance policy.

Following McCaughey’s acquittal for assault causing harm last week, an online row broke out on social networking site Facebook.

It now appears that the sister of Daniel McCormack, Kerrie Ann McCormack, mocked the fact that he received a bumper payout, saying her brother enjoyed spending the money he received.

Over one hundred comments came in regarding a status comment by a Dundalk resident, which backed the developer for defending his home from McCormack, a convicted criminal.

At 1.20am on Saturday morning, in the comments section under the post which congratulated McCaughey for his actions, Kerrie Ann appears to suggest that her brother enjoyed spending the money.

“Well dnt let it worry ya cause he havin a gret spending n its all ovr :) time 4 all of use all 2 get ovr it n found some thing elese 2 talk about he is old news [sic].”

She also comments saying that the people of Dundalk should’nt judge her brother for his actions.

“2 all who is bother about wat my brother. N wat he done its like wat I siad people In glasses houses shouldn’t trow stone because none of us perfect [sic].”

Kerrie Ann’s comments understandably upset a number of posters, who said that what McCormick had done was unjustifiable.

Last week Kerrie Ann spoke to national media concerning her brother’s case, saying justice was not done in the case.

McCormack entered the businessman’s house wielding a screwdriver at Clann Chullainn Park, Farndreg, Dundalk, on June 27, 2008.

After waking up to the sight of McCormack standing in his bedroom with a screwdriver in his hand, the businessman chased him out of the house to his wife’s car, hitting him twice. On Wednesday, a jury found McCaughey not guilty of assault causing harm.

OVER 800 mourners and nearly 40 priests turned out to pay their final respects to the former Chief Scout of Scouting Ireland and Past President of The Irish Association of Funeral Directors yesterday (Monday, February 22).

Dundalk is mourning the loss of Peter Dixon, a lifelong scout and undertaker who has been dubbed by many as a “true gentleman”. The 81-year-old from St Nicholas Avenue and Bridge Street, Dundalk died peacefully at home on Friday last.

Tributes have been pouring in for Peter who co-founded Dixon’s Funeral Home with Niall Kehoe in 1978, and spent 50 years of his life working at a national level with the scouting organisation.

“People travelled from all over the country to attend the funeral. St Nicholas’ Church can hold 800 people and it was packed to capacity and there were more people outside,” said Niall Kehoe of Dixon’s.

“There were 19 priests on the altar. It was all there was room for. There were 20 more priests amongst the congregation. Peter had a fitting send off. He deserved all that he received because he dedicated his life to the community.”

Cora Duffy said: “Dundalk has lost one of its last true gentlemen, a man who possessed a wonderful skill in dealing with bereaved in a calming, supporting and sympathetic manner.”

Una Casey from Kilcurry said: “Our thoughts are with the Dixon family on the death of Peter. He was a pure gentleman and good friend of my late husband, Denis, and family.”

Jerome Sheerin from Castletown Road said: “ Peter was a man of great faith, salt of the the earth, a true friend to everyone.”

Peter and Deirdre Curtis said: “We are very sorry to hear of Peter’s death. He was a true gentleman and will be sadly missed”, while Michael McGahon said: “Peter was a gentleman, a great friend to my late father, PV McGahon, and a wonderful example to the young men and women of the Scouts.”

Peter was a former member on the Board of Management at Realt na Mara NS and Castletown Girls’ School. He was also a past member of the Pupil’s Union of De La Salle Secondary School.

Peter was the final Chief Scout of Scouting Ireland CSI before Scouting Ireland was formed. Some of the projects Peter worked on included the ‘Gifts of Peace Project’ and the ‘Castlesaunderson Project’.

As a mark of respect all Scouting Ireland offices closed at noon yesterday, and the World Scout Flag at the local Scout Hall flew at half mast. Peter reposed at Dixon’s Funeral Home from 4pm on Saturday afternoon for friends and family to call.

Evening prayers were held at 6pm on Sunday evening in Dixon’s Funeral Home. The removal took place on Monday at 12.30pm to St Nicholas’ Church. The funeral cortege left the funeral home at 12.30pm.

The cortege walked via Castletown Road, paused at Scout Hall, Philip Street, Patrick Street, and continued on to Bridge Street, before arriving at the church for 1pm mass. The burial took place afterwards in St Patrick’s Cemetery.

Peter is pre-deceased by his mother Elizabeth, father John, brothers Tommy and Paddy, sisters Alice (Hickey) and Maura (English). He is survived by his sister Lilly (Crawley) and husband Michael, brother Willie and wife Briege, nieces, nephews, the Kehoe family and a large circle of family and friends.