The newly appointed chairman of the expert commission on water charges Joe O’Toole is expected to resign this afternoon.

The chairman of the expert commission on water charges Joe O’Toole has said he finds it extraordinary that left-wing politicians seem to oppose the ‘polluter pays’ principal when it comes to water charges.

The final report of the Fennelly Commission is understood to be close to completion and will be delivered to witnesses next week.

EU Ministers have backed a plan to keep controversial roaming charges in place until at least 2018.

The news that the European Commission is to investigate what are described as tax breaks for multi nationals operating in Ireland will provoke some concern.

Yesterday’s European Commission progress report, the one based on principles aimed at reaching a point where the public finances — and services — are stabilised and sustainable, leaves little enough wriggle room for a Government that would dearly like to be able to sweeten the 2015 budget when it is announced in a few months.

The EU Commission will warn the Government today to stick to its plans for October’s budget, despite the most likely next leader of the Labour Party, Joan Burton, saying she does not think the €2bn in spending cuts and tax increases is going to be necessary.

In the course of compiling her book, ‘Stolen Lives’, Bette Brown has come to believe that the abuse of children in industrial schools was one of the darkest chapters in Ireland’s history.