The Government’s proposed referendum to remove the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution is a “scandalously self-indulgent raid on the public purse”.

Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran has won a fight to keep his ministerial post after a power struggle with Independent Alliance colleague Sean Canney over who should be the junior minister.

The Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has issued information which it says will provide “factual background” to the debate around the proposal to repeat the Eighth Amendment.

The Oireachtas committee on the Eighth Amendment has formally signed off on its landmark recommendations to repeal Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution, despite three members quitting the group and confirming that they will publish their own unofficial report next week.

Fine Gael senators have warned that the introduction of minimum alcohol pricing will see job losses and floods of shoppers crossing the border if changes are not enacted in the North at the same time.

The cross-party Oireachtas committee examining the abortion laws is split over calls for it to issue an early formal show of support this week for repealing the Eighth Amendment.

The chairwoman of the Oireachtas committee on the Eighth Amendment has asked two pro-life members who threatened to resign not to leave the group amid claims it is biased and “a propaganda exercise in favour of abortion”.

More than half the country's new Councillors have now been elected, while counting continues on the local and European elections.

An Independent Senator is calling for a zero tolerance approach to blood alcohol levels in the Dail chamber.

The Seanad is to hold a 30-second “reflective silence” every morning to represent members who do not want to take part in the daily prayer.

PUBLIC Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin says he will bring proposals to Cabinet in the coming months to amend the Party Leader’s Allowance system.