Moves to deal with the mortgage crisis were promised by Taoiseach Enda Kenny as he insisted the Government had much to be proud of after four years in power.

Cabinet tensions over the costs involved in introducing universal health insurance have added to uncertainty over the flagship government policy.

WERE it not for the visits of Queen Elizabeth II and US President Barack Obama to Ireland, 2011 would have been the bleakest of years, blighted by unemployment, mass emigration, harsh austerity measures, another hairshirt budget and a deep sense of crisis across the eurozone.