Health Minister Simon Harris has said he is pressing ahead with plans to introduce exclusion zones around maternity hospitals after tweeting that he was “appalled” at new video images of a New Year’s Day protest outside the National Maternity Hospital.

Hate is just emotion, however distasteful the comment, whomever the target. It should not be prosecutable, unless it becomes incitement or violence, says Margaret Hickey

For just the second time in the 19-year history of the qualifiers, Offaly have put together back-to-back wins and reached the third-round qualifier pot, where they will be the only team of the eight who will play their football outside the top two divisions of the National League in 2020.

A 42-year-old married Co Clare man who sought out pornographic material of babies online has been jailed for three years.

Cork C of I’s women dug deep to grab the women’s Irish Hockey Trophy title with a spectacular second-half comeback, rising from 2-0 down to beat Galway’s Greenfields 4-2.

‘Quickie’ divorces will not become the norm in Ireland if voters remove the waiting period for separating couples from the Constitution, the Government’s referendum campaign director has said.

Irish coach Alexander Cox is set to make his first significant squad announcement next Tuesday as the men’s hockey World Cup in India comes into view.

If proof was needed that sailing is a ‘lifelong’ sport, a glance at last week’s Laser Masters World Championships at Dun Laoghaire is all that’s needed.

Teachers unions and groups working with young people have welcomed Education Minister Richard Bruton’s plans for a review of sex education in schools.

Policy makers don’t really like advocacy, it puts them under pressure. That’s why they make it difficult to fund, writes Fergus Finlay.

The head of Amnesty Ireland has said if the human rights organisation is breaking the law by accepting donations from foreign philanthropic organisations, then “so is the Irish Government”.

While Cork C of I are the only Munster side in the men’s EY Hockey League, the Garryduff outfit view tomorrow’s game with Dublin’s Pembroke (Garryduff, 2.30pm) as their main derby for the season.

The children’s minister has threatened to enforce a fee cap on childcare providers if they abuse the affordable childcare scheme.

On this day in 1997, divorce was legalised in Ireland. Jonathan deBurca Butler looks at how we’ve fared since

Cork Harlequins, despite playing two games in just over 24 hours, advanced to the Irish Senior Cup final for the first time in 15 years.

The announcement by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald that the waiting time for a couple seeking a divorce may be reduced is a further indication the Government does not take seriously its constitutional duty to guard marriage with “special care”, according to the Iona Institute.

More than 900 leading medical professionals from around the world have signed an open letter appealing for the decriminalisation of abortion.

An Irish priest has said he disagrees with the comments of a high-ranking Vatican official who described last week’s marriage equality referendum result as a “defeat for humanity”.

The Catholic Church needs to re-examine itself and how it interacts with young people and their views, according to Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin.

Ireland is set to enshrine the right to gay marriage.

No vote campaigners “absolutely believe” the yes side has “already lost” the same-sex marriage referendum, despite “bullying, name-calling, and a shocking campaign of intimidation” by the Government and the media.

The Taoiseach said a Yes vote in Friday's same sex marriage referendum will obliterate discrimination and give gay people hope.

The Education Minister has dismissed concerns that the Church could face a legal challenge or be forced to incorporate teaching into schools if the same-sex marriage referendum passes.

WELL, that was some wait, wasn’t it? Nearly 900 days ago, one million people in Ireland voted in a referendum on the rights of children. This weekend, after endless delays caused by a legal challenge, the Supreme Court has decided that your decision must stand. At last.

Labour would consider taking part in a live TV same sex marriage debate with No vote campaign representatives if a station makes an offer to organise such an event.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has described as “historic” the Cabinet approval of the wording for May’s same-sex marriage referendum.

Three of today’s four FBD League games brought wins for new men at the helm as Mayo, Leitrim and Galway emerged winners along with Roscommon.

A campaign has been launched encouraging people to register for their vote ahead of next year’s referendum on civil marriage equality.

Ireland’s women claimed Champions Challenge I silver for the first time, but gold eluded them as USA claimed a 3-1 final victory in Glasgow.

Munster sides landed three national titles from a possible four over a memorable weekend at Belfield.

WHEN did Barack Obama cease to be homophobic? Is Enda Kenny redeemed from his homophobia? If some of the hoopla of recent days is to be taken seriously, then anybody who doesn’t favour same sex marriage can be described as homophobic.

RELAXING into the ritual of a soft-boiled egg on Sunday morning I was astonished, actually envious, to read in several newspapers that RTÉ paid out €85,000 to named people ostensibly libelled when called homophobic by Rory O’Neill aka the drag-artist Panti Bliss on the Saturday Night Show.

The amount of license fee money RTÉ paid out following a row over homophobia topped €10,000, the Irish Examiner can reveal.

The Italian man charged with the murder of a well-known pro-life campaigner and religious writer told gardaí that he was guilty of the crime.

Murdered man Tom O’Gorman was an inoffensive man who would never fall out with anyone, friends said.

A man is due in court later this morning in connection with the death of Thomas O'Gorman.

A row over a move in a chess game is believed to have been a factor in the latest in a series of violent deaths across Ireland since the start of the new year.

A man was stabbed to death in a violent late night row over a chess game, detectives believe.

Marriage rates are falling while the age of those tying the knot continues to rise, it has emerged.

The Director of the Iona Institute, David Quinn, has said he believes politicians must vote with their conscience regarding the abortion bill.

THE Catholic Church is unlikely to employ me as a communications advisor, so this pithy pearl of wisdom is on the house — step away from the microphones, Cardinal Sean Brady.

THE insidious subtext of the argument against same-sex marriage is that children, currently being raised by gay and lesbian couples, are harmed by the experience.

Health Minister James Reilly said today that he believes that discussions about “threesomes” on a State-funded website is not an appropriate use of that cash.

If there was any doubt that Cork Harlequins’ time as top dogs in Munster is over for the time being, Saturday’s Munster Senior Cup final provided it.

Misleading information is being presented to the public as part of debate on the children’s referendum, writes Conor O’Mahony

If there was a choice between putting a child in a 'Romanian-style' orphanage, or placing them for adoption with a gay couple, in that case it would be preferable to allow the child to be adopted.

The proportion of the population that is Catholic is at its lowest since 1961, while that with no religion has increased by 400% in the past 20 years.