PAY, pensions, and other conditions are common themes in the motions for debate by all three teacher unions this week.

Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty took the honours on the final day of the Punchestown Festival with a 235-1 treble – highlighted by Grandouet’s win in the AES Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.

Detective Superintendent Pat Byrne of the Garda National Drugs Unit said today recent gun seizures had saved lives, with some intercepted weapons known to have been destined for Limerick.

THE Garda inspectorate yesterday rolled in behind calls by middle-ranking gardaí to immediately arm members with pepper spray.

Things are looking brighter for Robert Alner as the Dorset handler makes steady progress in hospital while his string hit the heights on the racecourse.

Lastminute.com chief Brent Hoberman today shrugged off his company’s big financial losses and said his business was in good shape for 2005.

PUBLIC order offenders and juvenile delinquents face electronic tagging under plans announced yesterday by Justice Minister Michael McDowell.

DUBLIN is to get an ‘enhanced’ traffic unit, but a national traffic corps — a key election promise — remains off the agenda.

The 10th annual Small Firms Association (SFA) employment survey shows that the mindset of small business for 2004 has improved in employment prospects.