A specialist Garda unit investigating sex crimes is not expected to be able to take on new cases until at least next March because it still is not properly staffed.

Plans for a dedicated Garda Insurance Fraud Unit have been abandoned.

A teacher's bid for a permanent injunction preventing the Teaching Council of Ireland from notifying the National Vetting Bureau of its concerns over his relationship with a former student has been dismissed by the High Court.

Here's your morning bulletin.

A specialist Garda unit tasked with assessing intelligence on the financing of terrorism only has two members attached to it, despite external calls on the State to boost its resources and “more actively” pursue prosecutions.

TWO lawyers, John and Paul, meet in the foyer of the Four Courts. Or maybe they are in Cork City courthouse, writes Michael Clifford

New laws to grant immunity to whistleblowers could form part of package to fight white collar crime.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said disturbing conditions for children, revealed by a damning report, must cease as the Government faced calls to audit all services and retrain gardaí.

The specialist Garda unit tasked with combating fraud and white collar crime does not have any dedicated financial analysts.

A 25-strong Garda unit has been set up in Cork City specifically to ensure water protests don’t become violent.

A standoff between an angry crowd and armed gardaí in Waterford City over the weekend resulted in one arrest after a front door of a house was kicked in and windows smashed.

There are calls this morning for a new Garda unit to tackle violent street crime and gangs in Dublin's city centre.

The question of who will succeed Martin Callinan as Garda commissioner almost invariably prompts the answer that there’s only one man — or in this case, woman — for the job.

The Council of Europe believes the true number of children, women, and men trafficked into Ireland, mostly for prostitution, in the space of three years is much higher than the official recorded figure of 201.

It’s a bit like the closet with the proverbial skeletons. It has creaked open, but only slightly, just enough for a few limbs to spill out. Inside is still shrouded in darkness.

There is still no date for the mandatory vetting of organisations working with children to come into force, with the Garda Central Vetting Unit inundated with applications in advance of new rules being introduced.

A number of people appeared at Tralee District Court yesterday on charges relating to running a brothel near the local courthouse.

The Garda unit charged with vetting employees to work with children and vulnerable adults is to get 25 extra staff, Justice Minister Alan Shatter has announced.

HE’S four, a pure-bred Irish draught gelding, the newest recruit to the Garda Mounted Unit — and he needs a name.

A GARDA drug unit has delivered a blow to a major trafficking gang after it seized more than e1 million worth of drugs, arrested two men and seized a number of cars.

Gardaí were today questioning three people about the latest murder in one of the bloodiest feuds in gangland history.

A HEAVILY armed and highly trained Garda unit is to hit the streets of Cork from Monday week.

THE Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is considering whether to set up a special investigation into alleged links between a convicted drug dealer and members of a Garda unit.

THE Garda’s serious crime unit yesterday smashed a drugs gang and recovered up to 3,000 stolen plasma televisions, worth up to €1.6 million.

A SPECIAL Garda unit have identified new lines of inquiry in a chief prison officer’s murder 25 years ago.

GARDA Commissioner Fachtna Murphy is to create a full-time Organised Crime Unit which is set to target serious criminals.

A Dublin man whose arm was broken after he was arrested by the Garda Emergency Response Unit on his return from the North where he had purchased a quantity of fireworks has been awarded €40,000 in damages by the High Court.

THE family of the only prison officer ever assassinated in the Republic are in talks with gardaí about reopening the murder files, it emerged yesterday.

GARDAÍ yesterday appealed for information on missing Fiona Pender on the 11th anniversary of her disappearance.

GARDAÍ are hopeful they will be able to build a case against a number of Irish paedophiles who accessed images of children as young as three years old being raped.

A new 50-strong specialist Garda unit is to be deployed in an attempt to contain a massive upsurge in murderous gangland violence in Dublin, it emerged today.

A SPECIALIST garda division must be set up to tackle the growing problem of alcohol abuse, an abstinence group said yesterday.

The High Court will hear applications for legal representation on behalf of witnesses in the Abbeylara inquiry later this morning.

THE Morris Tribunal will rule today on the parties entitled to be legally represented at the pubic inquiry into allegations of Garda corruption in Donegal.

A Dail committee inquiry into the death of John Carthy at Abbeylara Co Longford last year has got underway.