An Army bomb disposal unit was called out to examine a suspicious package near the home of the Justice Minister in south Dublin this morning, which was subsequently declared a hoax.

The penalty points controversy has regained a momentum that those defending the status quo, those deeply entrenched traditionalists, probably thought unlikely or at the very least manageable.

Defence Force members were called to Shannon Airport to assist gardaí in security duties, including dealing with protests against US military aircraft, 324 times last year.