Two new projects will form the blueprint for future council houses in Co Cork, as they are designed to be easily adapted for people who become disabled or for couples who require additional space as the size of their family increases.

BRENDAN O’DONOGHUE, former secretary general of the Department of Environment and Local Government, has written a magnificent assessment of the career of one of his predecessors during the period before independence. 

Cork county councillors are to seek an explanation as to how the local authority has debts of €13m for sites which it bought for social housing but were later deemed unsuitable for residential development.

Plastic bag usage has been practically wiped out as a direct result of the decade-old levy on the environmental hazard.

Dubbed the “Claureen crater”, a pothole on the fringes of Ennis, Co Clare, was a silver lining for one firm, generating revenues of €12,000 in emergency tyre repairs in a matter of days.

Around 3,500 tonnes of used tyres that were acquired by state agencies for a research project that went flat have been shipped to Asia for disposal — at a cost of more than €126,000 to the taxpayer.

SUICIDE among Travellers is up to five times higher than the rest of the population, research has shown.

The importance of academic qualifications for job hunters was challenged today in a new report.

COUNCIL officials who switched off the audible warnings on pedestrian crossings to “safeguard” sighted people have settled a case taken by a blind user left stranded at the side of the road.

NEWLY imposed laws to promote Irish have added over €100,000 to Cork County Council’s bill for publishing planning blueprints.

ONE-IN-FIVE Traveller families is without proper accommodation five years after the launch of a dedicated housing programme, it was claimed yesterday.

One in five Traveller families are without proper accommodation five years after the launch of a dedicated housing programme, it was claimed today.

COUNTY councillors and local authority managers yesterday defended the increase in expenses paid to them over the past decade, totalling €116 million.

THE residents of Monakeeba and Cabragh Court housing estates in Thurles, County Tipperary, don’t like talking about their neighbours.

CONSIDERING that chewing gum is responsible for much of our litter, it is appropriate that the makers of Wrigleys should dig deep to help keep our streets clean.

THE number of planning objections lodged by the Government are expected to drop following the scrapping of Dúchas, the State heritage service.

CONSUMERS will be able to present old electrical equipment to suppliers for recycling from next year in a scheme which could cost industry up to €10m a year and result in product price increases.

DISABLED people may lose funding to adapt their homes as local authorities review the grant scheme.

A CLARE man is considering taking legal action against his county council over the alleged altering of planning documents at a €25m golf course development.

Minister for Environment and Local Government, Martin Cullen, is urging all those who are not yet registered to vote to do so before October's Nice Treaty referendum.

Bertie Ahern's new ministerial line-up has been announced.