"The people who signed the new contract are currently getting support payments for the next 18 months."

THE RDS promises to deliver more than the usual fare tomorrow for a Six Nations down-week.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has announced five closure orders for the month of January.

The Hula Hoops Paudie O’Connor Women's National Cup Final between Singleton SuperValu Brunell and Pyrobel Killester will tip off at 5.30pm on Sunday, January 26.

The Simon Communities of Ireland have said that though there is a drop in family homelessness for the second month in a row, it is worrying that 2019 came to a close with nearly 10.500 people in emergency accommodation.

On November 29, Gillian Powell, of The Haven Montessori, Bandon,Co Cork, went on RTÉ’s Liveline radio show and told the nation we needed to get back to the drawing board with our childcare system.

The Government cannot say when the process of exhuming the remains of hundreds of children buried in the former Tuam mother and baby home will begin.

John Fogarty previews the weekend's GAA fixtures.

John Spillane tells Ellie O’Byrne how he’s hoping to fund his next album by taking the bardic route of writing unique compositions for people on whatever they’d like

Sinn Féin’s Westminster abstentionist policy, the lack of an Assembly in the North, and absence from 2016 government formation talks have created a bad smell, writes Daniel McConnell

A strengthening of the right to housing in the Constitution and strict limits on how long a family spends in emergency accommodation are among fresh demands to alleviate homelessness.

Where the problem for economies and financial services is lack of competition, residents of developing countries need to look to their own politicians. The remedy for their woes is not going to come from Mark Zuckerberg, writes Barry Eichengreen.

The Shrimpers were set to confirm Larsson as Kevin Bond’s replacement after agreeing terms with the former Celtic, Manchester United and Sweden striker

I have always been hugely interested in being part of the beauty industry and I trained as a beauty and body therapist.

Nearly 70% of businesswomen believe it’s difficult to be female in business and 100% said it was crucial they supported other women.

Faced with the prospect of missing the All-Ireland rematch this weekend, top chef Mark Moriarty had to make a quick decision.

The precocious 17-year-old LA songstress, whose March debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? made her the first ever artist born in the new millennium to have a number one album in the US album charts, has been catapulted to stardom and hailed as the voice of a new generation.

Shocking images have emerged of an emaciated elephant reportedly forced to take part in an annual festival in Sri Lanka.

Richard T Cooke is involved in organising the Music at the Maldron free gigs by Jimmy Crowley and others as part of the Mother Jones Festival in Cork, until Sunday.

The High Court has approved survival proposals for three health care and pharmacy firms employing 79 people.

Mad Cool Festival returned to Madrid for its third instalment at the weekend. A stellar line-up featuring The Cure, The National and Robyn attracted over 180,000 fans to the Spanish capital.

Pregnancy is often an anxious time, but in this country, mothers-to-be are offered a number of routine screening tests which can show whether they or their babies are at risk of certain health problems.

There is a warning we are in danger of creating a welfare state if young people cannot buy homes.

Green was the colour this week as a talented team of architects scooped enviable prizes for energy efficiency and innovation.

The Munster Agri-Innovation search for winners comes to a climax at the Cork Summer Show on Saturday.

Both incidents occurred in the Edgeworthstown area between last night and the early hours of this morning.

Detectives involved in raiding seven premises connected with the suspected sale of contaminated horse meat say that they do not believe that any contaminated meat has been sold in Ireland.

Gardaí are looking for a 13-year-old girl who is missing from Enfield, Co. Kildare.

The Franciscan Well brewpub in Cork city wants to hire a full-time employee to help run its award-winning brewery tours and tastings.

The AA Hotel of the Year has been announced for 2019.

New York manager Justin O’Halloran says a way must be found for the Exiles to play more competitive matches each year.

Glastonbury is back and there are a host of other overseas festivals offering impressive line-up, writes Ed Power.

Waterford won their first Munster MFC game in five years as they stormed back from six points down to surprise Clare in Dungarvan tonight.

Public policy yesterday, public policy today. The more things change, the more they sometimes stay the same.

Waterford and Limerick are still alive in the Munster MFC after last night’s error-ridden stalemate in Dungarvan. Déise full forward Aaron Ryan struck two late points to level matters for the fourth time in a game that featured 53 frees.

Captain Kyle Shelly kicked 2-8 (2-2 from play) as a strong, skilful and speedy Tipperary had the two points wrapped up by half-time.

It’s the ultimate battle of philosophies in Manchester tomorrow. A classic clash of styles as the family pulling every stroke to pump as much money as possible into their club faces the family working every trick in the book to take it out.

The cost of Michael D Higgins’ presidential term is set to be examined by an Oireachtas committee next week despite fears that the investigation will damage the integrity of the presidential election.

A much sought after original of the Irish Proclamation of the Irish Republic is to go under the auction hammer next month.

Billionaire investor Elon Musk has always done things his own way, from designing space rockets to manufacturing electric cars.

Cork’s Orla Finn is relishing the start of the knockout section of the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Championship as the Rebels face Westmeath in Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds at 4.45pm on Monday.

As an alternative band mixing it up in the mainstream, the Flaming Lips enjoyed a fine run of it between the years 1999-2006. Yet, even if their popularity has declined a little since then, their reputation as one of the world’s greatest live acts remains intact.

If you have had enough of the World Cup, fear not. Here I am, as always, to help you out. Or to sharpen your dress sense, at least.