Center Parcs' plan to build a holiday village in Co. Longford has got approval from An Bord Pleanála.

A family that took over a vacant council house have turned down alternative accommodation as they deem it unsuitable for their needs, the High Court has heard.

The council chief executive rapped by a political standards watchdog for contravening ethics legislation has walked away with a gross €238,364 lump sum on his retirement.

Longford County Council's chief executive has today admitted breaching ethics rules when he failed to disclose his ownership of a house bought with State funds.

The public ethics watchdog is to investigate whether a civil servant broke any rules by failing to tell County Councillors they were buying a property he owned.

Detailed proposals for Ireland’s first Center Parcs holiday resort have been put on display with a planning application to be made in the autumn.

A pig farmer, who built a “monster” piggery without planning permission, has been given three months to work out a plan to prevent the development from becoming an environmental disaster.

A farmer was jailed yesterday after a judge labelled him “an absolute disgrace” for failing to prevent an environmental timebomb from threatening lakes in the Midlands.

A taskforce of government departments, farmers, and other agencies has been set up to avert an environmental pig slurry disaster in the Midlands.

A judge has called for a taskforce to be set up to prevent an impending environmental disaster in the Midlands.

The state funeral of Albert Reynolds is continuing in Donnybrook in Dublin, and has heard a moving eulogy from his son Philip.

Pope Francis has paid tribute to the late former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds for his work as a peacemaker.

Fondly remembered by the people of his native Rooskey, Albert Reynolds has been described as a "kind gentleman and the pride of the village" by those who knew him.

Local authorities battling antisocial behaviour in their estates sought 56 eviction warrants and 32 exclusion orders last year, figures show.

The Department of the Environment has written to all county and city managers giving updated details of the sums deducted from their funding as a result of the non-payment of the €100 household charge.

A unsold apartment block dangerously situated within an unfinished housing estate in Longford will be the first development to be demolished at Nama’s behest.

David Norris has been formally selected for the race for the Áras as the seventh and final candidate.

DRAGONS’ Den star Sean Gallagher’s presidential hopes have received a major boost after Clare and Donegal county councils pledged to back his bid for the Áras.

Former MEP and TD Avril Doyle is expected to announce later that she will be seeking the Fine Gael nomination for the Presidency.

Cork County Council and Dublin City Council are the big spenders, but the overall cost has been reduced, writes Orla Walsh.

THE house-building sector remains in free-fall with only 43,813 units being completed in the first 10 months of this year, a dramatic drop of 31% nationally.

TOWN and county councils are skimping on investment in their local roads, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey claimed.

MARY O’Leary would like to clear up all the things she is not.

THE highest-paid councillor in the Republic last night insisted the people of Cork got value for money for his €82,000 earnings.

Longford County Council is due to hold a special meeting today to discuss ways to alleviate the effects of the recent job losses at the C&D Foods factory.

The Longford County Mayor Frank Kilbride said tonight he expected the C and D pet food factory to be fully up and running within two years.

CORK CITY has the highest rate of rubbish going to landfill, Mayo has provided the least Traveller accommodation and Carlow has the longest public library opening hours, it emerged yesterday.

Cork City has the highest rate of rubbish going to landfill, Mayo has provided the least Traveller accommodation and Carlow has the longest public library opening hours, it emerged today.

‘HITLER’ taunts were shouted at county councillors yesterday who refused to give Dana Rosemary Scanlon a nomination to contest the Presidential election.

ROADS blockaded. Men, women and children on the march. Dáil deputies thrown in jail. Refuseniks manning the barricades and government departments under siege.

A MOUNTING waste management crisis could force large-scale exporting of waste, as six local authorities have closed their main dumps and 22 more face closure within five years.

JOHN CARTHY’S shotgun was taken from him following a complaint by the wife of a local builder with whom he had a falling out.

An Bord Pleanala has rejected an appeal by Friends of the Irish Environment against the construction of a peat-fired ESB power station in Lanesboro, Co Longford.