A correct application by the Oireachtas of its own rules concerning what is said in parliament would involve chilling “inappropriate” speech, a lawyer for businessman Denis O’Brien has told the Supreme Court.

A victory for former Rehab CEO Angela Kerins in her appeal over her treatment by the Dail Public Accounts Committee would undermine “a core principle of our democracy”, freedom of speech in parliament, the State has told the Supreme Court.

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin are asking the public to help name a Royal VIP after installing a beehive that will house thousands of honeybees on campus.

Billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien will give evidence today in his High Court action alleging two TDs “clearly disregarded” the constitutional separation of powers between parliament and the courts when they made statements in the Dáil about his banking affairs.

Businessman Denis O’Brien wants the courts to “clearly demarcate” the powers of the Oireachtas and courts in his “unique” action over Dáil statements by two TDs about his banking affairs, the High Court has heard.

The High Court case taken by businessman Denis O’Brien against TDs will be “absolutely” and vigorously defended, the new chairman of the Dáil Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, has said.

Fianna Fáil TD Sean O Fearghail has been elected to become the new Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil.

An application by businessman Denis O’Brien for court orders aimed at compelling a Dáil committee hand over to him minutes of two of its meetings last summer, plus other documents considered by the committee for those meetings, has been struck out at the High Court.

A Cabinet minister has suggested that stronger sanctions should be applied to politicians who breach Oireachtas privilege rules but defended the right of TDs to have their say in the Dail.

TDs may have to vote on whether the Oireachtas will defend a lawsuit launched by Denis O’Brien against a committee and its members in relation to comments made about his banking arrangements.

Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett has said a decision by businessman Denis O’Brien to sue the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and its members, including himself, is “outrageous” and that the Oireachtas body will defend itself.

An Independent TD said members of the Dáil are "outraged" at the legal action Denis O'Brien is taking against the State.

Billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien’s legal action against the Dáil’s watchdog committee has been widely condemned across the political spectrum.

Renua leader Lucinda Creighton says she thinks a legal action by Denis O'Brien against a Dáil Committee is "unwise".

Legal action against the Dáil’s watchdog committee by tycoon Denis O’Brien has been branded an “unacceptable threat” to parliamentary democracy by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

Dáil visitors, including schoolchildren on class tours, will be forced to undergo scanner checks on any bags or items they bring into Leinster House within months under beefed up security measures.

An Oireachtas committee has rejected demands from businessman Denis O’Brien to sanction Independent TD Catherine Murphy for making allegations about his bank deals in the Dáil.

Mary Lou McDonald has no plans to apologise for claiming that named politicians held offshore Ansbacher accounts to avoid tax.

It is an essential public interest that the proceedings of the Oireachtas are reported, writes Gerard Howlin

Former government minister Des O’Malley has said he would sue Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald if she made allegations about him having an offshore Ansbacher account outside the Dáil chamber.

Senior gardaí have asked the chairman of the Dáil to stop TDs from making "adverse" comments and "damaging allegations" in the chamber about members of the force.

A powerful Dáil committee is seeking to delete the names of politicians accused of having Ansbacher-linked accounts from the official record and haul in a TD who named them for a private dressing-down.

Banking inquiry members look set to undergo immediate anti-bias tests in order to make them "bullet proof" to allegations of prejudice aimed at delaying the probe.

Most of us see ourselves as the good guys in work conflict situations, and therein lies the problem, says Rita de Brun

Angela Kerins, the former chief executive of the Rehab Group, is seeking damages for personal injury and damage to her reputation she claims she suffered arising out of an alleged unlawful examination by the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee.

Former Rehab boss Frank Flannery has hit out at members of the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) who, he said, had shown a "feral attitude" to him and treated witnesses "almost as slabs of meat".

The Dáil’s spending watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is seeking to extend its powers after it ran into legal difficulties in compelling two former Rehab bosses to appear before its hearings.

The Dáil Public Accounts Committee has been refused permission to compel former Rehab chief executive Angela Kerins and Frank Flannery to appear before it after both previously declined.

Former charity chiefs could be compelled to answer questions about spending state funds under proposals to beef up the investigative powers used by the Public Accounts Committee.

Two Oireachtas committees are set to come to blows again over attempts to force ousted Rehab officials Angela Kerins and Frank Flannery to undergo a fresh grilling on how they spent taxpayers’ money.

A former head of the Garda Traffic Bureau, whose review of the penalty points system six years ago was "shelved", has said the worst driving offenders are escaping sanction.

The Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee is seeking outside legal advice after claiming its investigation into the scandal-hit Rehab charity is being "nobbled" by another Government body.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s bid to snatch back a majority on the Oireachtas inquiry into the banking collapse has been thrown into fresh turmoil.

Attempts to compel former Rehab bosses to answer questions about spending look set to be denied, in a move which may undermine the future work of the Public Accounts Committee.

Former Rehab bosses Frank Flannery and Angela Kerins have been warned they may be compelled to co-operate with the Public Accounts Committee as its trawl widens into the charity’s use of public funds.

If you are selling or donating your laptop or phone, have it wiped professionally, otherwise data can be retrieved years later, says John Hearne.

Members of the public and private firms including banks will be allowed ask that certain Oireachtas members be barred from sitting on the banking inquiry because they may be biased.

About half of all people who were mis-sold payment protection insurance were also sold CPP insurance, according to research by solicitors McHale Muldoon.

A banking inquiry is now expected to be up and running by May, before the local and European elections.

Parents are to be asked about the difficulties they have talking to younger children about relationships and sex.