Phil Hogan has been confirmed as the new European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development in the 28-member Commission named by president-elect Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels this morning.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has called on the EU to take further, stronger action against Iceland and the Faroe islands for their unsustainable fishing of mackerel.

TURF cutters are set to bypass the Government and take their case to the European Commissioner for the Environment in a bid to find a solution to a problem which could cost the state €20,000 a day in fines if it is not resolved.

Transgender persons are still being denied legal recognition of their true identity, writes Tanya Ní Mhuirthile

The Lord Mayor's Commission on Employment - which was established to tackle rising unemployment in Dublin - will hold its final conference in the capital today.

THE Irish are the sporting champions of Europe, with one in four saying they take exercise or play sport at least five times a week.

ONE-in-10 items of children’s clothing with long cords or drawstrings are potentially dangerous, an EU survey has found.

Europe’s farmers could respond to international food shortages and soaring prices if they were unshackled from the Common Agricultural Policy, a British MEP said today.

THE €500 million a year Irish farm machinery industry has a new training centre to serve the island of Ireland.

The Premier League today publishes next season’s fixture list despite Sheffield United’s campaign to overturn relegation — with the Blades taking their challenge to the EC.

ONLY six out of 10 Irish workers are confident they will keep their job for the next two years, according to a survey of attitudes to work in the European Union.

A MAJOR boost for the growing of energy crops was announced by the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mariann Fischer Boel at Killybegs, Co Donegal, yesterday.

EU migrant workers coming to Ireland promote diversity and enrich the country’s culture, it was claimed today.

FOR the past few days, the Irish EU presidency has been hosting an important conference in Dublin: "Breaking the Barriers: Partnership to Fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia."

By Ann Cahill, Europe Correspondent

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is meeting the Football Association of Ireland today for talks about its decision to sell the rights to home international matches to Sky TV in a multi-million pound four year deal.

The Government was tonight seeking clarification from the European Union about their powers to keep the coverage of Ireland’s home international soccer matches on terrestrial TV.

The European Commission will provide 1.7 billion rupees (€40.7m) to improve health services in the earthquake-hit western Indian state of Gujarat, an official said today.