Simon Coveney’s campaign team have urged grassroots Fine Gael members to “turn” national politicians supporting Leo Varadkar, after two Clare TDs controversially backed his rival just hours after the Housing Minister visited their constituency.

Gravediggers were told on the morning of a funeral, a burial plot on rocky ground was not deep enough.

A planned €45 million expansion of Roche’s Irish production plant is in doubt after the pharmaceutical giant abandoned trials for a new potential blockbuster drug.