THE state’s public spending watchdog has asked the HSE for information on its recruitment process after claims that senior managers in the health service, who were unable to avail of early retirement because of Government restrictions, took up positions at a lower grade without any reduction in salary.

TEMPORARY staff hired by the Health Service Executive to administer a Government supplementary welfare allowance started work last week without receiving Garda vetting.

FEWER than one-in-100 people who applied to join the Garda Reserve last year were accepted as part-time members of the force.

THE Taoiseach yesterday moved to clarify comments he made about the Catholic Church that were interpreted by opposition parties and victims’ organisations as a failure on his part to absorb the serious nature of the findings of the Ferns Report.

The Catholic Schools Parents Association has expressed its opposition to proposals to hold parent-teacher meetings at night.