IN a room of about 30sq ft, surrounded by paintings of court scenes and old maps, Louise O’Keeffe held her breath for the result she’d wanted to hear for over 15 years.

THE European Court of Human Rights has found in favour of an Irish woman who sought to hold the State liable for sexual abuse she suffered at a Catholic-run primary school in 1973.

Louise O’Keeffe deserves our respect, admiration, and congratulations, though she would prefer it had she never been obliged to make her cause, her decades-long fight against stone-walling officialdom, so very public.

The Church of Ireland has dropped all complaints against those who had occupied its national Cathedral.

There's bitter disappointment tonight that a potential breakthrough in the Afghan stand-off has fallen through.

Another statement is expected from the Afghans on hunger strike in Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin this evening.

Church of Ireland negotiators today pulled out of attempts to end the hunger strike by Afghan asylum seekers occupying a Dublin cathedral.

The Afghan hunger strikers inside St Patrick's Cathedral are now threatening to refuse medical assistance.

Afghan asylum seekers at St Patrick’s Cathedral have entered their seventh day of protest.

A stand-off between Gardai and 40 afghan hunger strikers is continuing in St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.

Some of the 41 Afghan hunger strikers in St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin say that they will kill themselves if they are removed by force.

A major garda operation is underway at St Patrick's Cathedral where 41 Afghan asylum seekers have been on hunger strike since Sunday.

Gardaí have cordoned off both ends of St Patrick's Close in Dublin, on the sixth day of a hunger strike by 41 Afghans in nearby St Patrick's Cathedral.

Church leaders today appealed to Afghan asylum seekers to end their five-day hunger strike in a historic Dublin cathedral.

The Health Service Executive is continuing to monitor the condition of the 41 Afghan asylum-seekers on hunger strike at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.

The United Nations Human Rights Commission has offered to act as an intermediary to resolve the hunger strike 40 Afghans embarked on in a Dublin cathedral over the state’s refusal to grant them asylum, it emerged tonight.

Two more of the Afghan hunger strikers in Dublin's St Patricks Cathedral have been taken to hospital for dehydration.

Another of the Afghan asylum seekers on hunger strike at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin has been hospitalised with dehydration overnight.

The Taoiseach has said the Government will not give in to threats from Afghan asylum seekers.

There has been a significant development in the Afghani hunger strike at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.

An intermediary is expected to meet officials from the Department of Justice later today in an effort to resolve the situation of the Afghan asylum-seekers on hunger strike at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.

Six of the Afghan asylum-seekers on hunger strike at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin have now been hospitalised as a result of their protest.

Forty-one Afghan asylum seekers are continuing their hunger strike at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin today.

Church of Ireland Archbishop John Neill says that Saint Patrick's Cathedral is not an appropriate place for refugees to protest.

A group of Afghan asylum seekers vowed today to starve themselves to death unless they are allowed to remain in Ireland despite Justice Minister Michael McDowell’s insistence that they cannot stay.

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has called on the 41 Afghan asylum-seekers who are on hunger strike inside St Patrick's Cathedral to end their protest.

Eight more Afghan asylum-seekers have joined a hunger strike by 33 of their countrymen that began at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin yesterday.

Thirty-three Afghan asylum-seekers are continuing to occupy St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin this morning as part of a campaign to be granted refugee status.