Tony O’Brien, the embattled director general of the Health Service Executive last night bowed to mounting political pressure over the smear test scandal and resigned.

Three women out of 10 who had taken cases against the State in circumstances similar to Vicky Phelan have died, it emerged yesterday.

The success of the Ed Sheeran concerts in Cork, which were worth an estimated €60m to the local economy, has given the city a taste of what an events centre could deliver, business leaders said yesterday.