From broadband and Brexit to swings and printers, TDs kept up the tradition of irritating voters with bizarre behaviour, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell

Leinster House is looking to fill the top job of superintendent of the Oireachtas.

Senior gardaí are giving politicians specific security advice on coping with threatening phone calls, personal security, worker risk assessments, and constituency office defences amid heightened fears they could be attacked by the public.

Colin O’Donovan scorched to within three metres of the line in 12 brilliant shots to beat David Cotter by a bowl of odds in the Dinny McCarthy Cup final at Derrinasafa.

More than €250,000 of taxpayers’ money has been spent on new velvet carpets for Leinster House after the improvements were “prioritised” over other services.

Dáil visitors, including schoolchildren on class tours, will be forced to undergo scanner checks on any bags or items they bring into Leinster House within months under beefed up security measures.

Westmeath chairman Sean Sheridan has hit out at the decision of club delegates to remove Paul Bealin as Lake County football boss.

The prosecution case against a high-profile republican charged with murdering 29 people in the Omagh bombing is based on phone, forensic and witness evidence, a court has heard.

A republican successfully sued over the Omagh bomb has been remanded in custody charged with murdering the 29 victims of the Real IRA outrage.

The era of falling food prices has come to an end with the world’s population set to rise by 2bn people, according to US farm commodities trader, Cargill Inc.

USHERS were forced to restrain a member of the public visiting Leinster House yesterday after the man tried to force his way into the Dáil chambers.

Westmeath's experienced wing forward Derek Heavin is still a number of days away from being released from the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

Dessie Dolan is poised to make his long-awaited return for Westmeath in their Leinster SFC quarter-final against Wicklow at Tullamore on Sunday (throw-in 3.30pm).

EXILED Westmeath star Denis Glennon is expected to rejoin the county football squad next week.

IT was a wonderful weekend for the Kerry clubs in the opening round of the Martin O’Sullivan Cup.

EXILED as he is in south Dublin, Longford’s Brian Kavanagh must have thought he could distance himself from talk of local rivalries in the run up to tomorrow’s Leinster Championship tie against Westmeath.

THE battle will go down in history as The Battle of the Tearoom, the latest episode in the longstanding and poisonously bitter feud between two prominent Fianna Fáil TDs.

GAA officials have played down the Cork hurlers’ withdrawal from the All-Star trip to Singapore, saying withdrawals have always been a feature of the scheme.

LIMERICK football manager Liam Kearns was dealt a blow at training last evening when midfielder Jason Stokes failed a fitness test in advance of Saturday’s All-Ireland football qualifier against Carlow at Dr. Cullen Park.

Westmeath's forward woe has continued with the news that Gary Dolan has been ruled out of Sunday's Bank of Ireland SFC Qualifier second-round clash against Clare.

WESTMEATH are still coming to terms with the news that star forward Dessie Dolan will miss the rest of the season.

Westmeath's footballers have been rocked by the severity of AllStar forward Dessie Dolan's knee ligament injury.

Tyrone favourite Peter Canavan will make his first Championship start since helping the Red Hands to All-Ireland glory in 2003, against Cavan on Sunday (throw-in 3.30pm).

WITH Dave Bennett ruled out through injury, Brian Phelan retains his place at midfield on the Waterford hurling team to meet Offaly in tomorrow’s All-Ireland qualifier at Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow.

BANK OF IRELAND LEINSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL:

Leinster champions Westmeath open the defence of their crown as they meet Kildare in the provincial quarter-final at Croke Park today.

Westmeath boss Páidí O Sé has handed David Glennon and Patrick Mulvihill their championship debuts as the provincial champions open the defence of their Leinster crown on Sunday against Kildare at Croke Park.

Westmeath boss Páidí O Sé has injury worries ahead of the his side's opening defence of their Leinster crown against Kildare at Croke Park on Sunday.

BRIAN McGUIGAN will be back for Tyrone’s Ulster SFC clash with either Cavan or Antrim. McGuigan is due home on June 9 from Australia, 10 days ahead of the Clones clash.

LAOIS football sensation Donie Brennan bids to continue an amazing year when his Knockbeg College face St Mary’s (Galway) in the All-Ireland Colleges SFC A Final at Semple Stadium, Thurles this afternoon.

Leinster champions Westmeath will start the new season a vastly different side from that which landed provincial honours this year.

PAUL CODD, a member of one of Wexford’s most famous hurling dynasties, has been drafted in by the Leinster champions for Sunday’s Guinness All-Ireland SHC semi-final clash with Cork at Croke Park.

Westmeath 0-12 Laois 0-10

Laois 0-13 Westmeath 0-13

Westmeath’s Leinster SFC final hopes almost ended in an enthralling tussle at Croke Park this afternoon, but a 72nd minute equalising point from skipper Chris Conway saw champions Laois live to fight another day, in a 0-13 to 0-13 stalemate.

ONLY one out of every 20 asylum seekers is being granted refugee status in Ireland.

Wexford 1-14 Westmeath 2-15

Westmeath 0-14 Dublin 0-12

Westmeath 0-14 Dublin 0-12

Westmeath are sweating over the fitness of four key forwards ahead of Saturday night's National League opener against Cork.

Paidi Ó Sé is obviously keen to assess the strength of his inherited panel having made five changes to his O'Byrne Cup side ahead of Sunday's quarter-final against Kildare.

TWO years ago, when the qualifier competition was introduced to the Bank of Ireland SFC, Westmeath won the admiration of followers nationwide with a string of impressive performances, which all but earned them an All-Ireland semi-final appearance.

LIMERICK have been dealt a cruel blow as an injury leaves Stephen Lucey extremely doubtful for in the lead-up AS the countdown Sunday’s Allianz NFL final against Westmeath in Croke Park (1.30 pm).

Westmeath full-back David Mitchell has been ruled out of the NFL Division Two final against Limerick on May 4 with a leg injury.

Westmeath star Paul Conway will be out for the rest of the NFL campaign following a painful leg break last weekend.