The Fianna Fáil leader became a TD in 1989 and has had four ministries, but the role he covets might elude him unless he can convince he is for change, writes Gary Murphy.

He said his own staff signed him to introducing an emergency rent freeze as demanded by a charity, even though his own party have said such a move is unconstitutional.

I was at FemFest recently, a conference organised by the National Women’s Council of Ireland for young women between the ages of 16 and 25.

With Budget 2020 set for October 8, and with ‘fiscal space’ of some €700m, is there room for a focus on long-term wellbeing or just short-term tax cuts? Joyce Fegan reports

The National Women’s Council of Ireland is calling for the urgent introduction of safety zone legislation ahead of a planned 40-day prayer vigil outside the National Maternity Hospital by campaigners opposed to abortion.

The economy is close to full employment and the last Census shows that there are 1.25m children under the age of 18 in the State. So how well is our childcare system able to cope? asks Joyce Fegan

Gráinne Healy has been appointed as the new chair of the Collaborative Forum on Mother and Baby Homes.

Dr Gráinne Healy has been appointed as the new chair of the Collaborative Forum on Mother and Baby Homes.

Legal experts and civil rights groups have said it is imperative that the Government open a public consultation on how redress schemes should operate.

The Health Minister has asked his department to engage with the HSE to establish how four consultant obstetricians at a Kilkenny hospital have “decided unanimously” that their unit is not a suitable location for abortion services.

Safe zones for people accessing abortion services at GP offices or hospitals are expected to be agreed by the Government next month.

There was a time when securing a former county GAA player or other sports personality was a major coup for any political party.

Coping with multiple, intersecting care demands, such as children and older parents, the need to always “look good”, to achieve in work, and to support partners through their own hard times, are among the many stresses that impact on women’s mental health.

Trade unions, housing advocates, and community and campaign groups have come together to call for a radical shift in housing policy.

Cost or geographic location will not be a barrier to women accessing abortion services, Health Minister, Simon Harris has said.

Des O'Driscoll shares this week's talking points from the world of music, TV and film

The Government may have to pull its multimillion-euro publicity campaign on domestic violence after victims said it insults them.

Women’s rights campaigners have expressed dismay after further discrepancies were uncovered in the recording of crime statistics — this time involving sexual offences.

Women who have suffered sexual abuse were “retraumatised” by the details of the Belfast rape trial and the way in which the woman at the centre of the case was treated in court.

A bill to prevent schools from using their religious ethos to avoid providing objective and factual sex education is to be debated in the Dáil.

Drogheda United soccer player Luke Rossiter has said he “doesn’t really know” why he tweeted that he was “delighted for Paddy Jackson” and why he criticised the complainant following last week’s Belfast rape trial verdict.

Drogheda United soccer player Luke Rossiter has said he “doesn’t really know” why he tweeted that he was “delighted for Paddy Jackson” and why he criticised the complainant following last week’s Belfast rape trial verdict.

There are no workplace provisions to protect women during the menopause. It’s time to break the silence, says Áilín Quinlan.

Reaction to the Supreme Court ruling on the rights of the unborn was swift and divided. Pro-choice advocates welcomed it, while anti-abortion campaigners said it was rushed and that it exposed Government “hostility” to the unborn child.

The Government has been urged to ‘show us the money’ and resolve years of pension discrimination against women, punished for taking time out of work to raise their children.

The Government is to consider an Oireachtas report recommending a referendum be held to liberalise Ireland’s abortion laws and allow for terminations for pregnancies up to 12 weeks.

A judge reportedly told a victim of child sexual abuse not to cry in court in case she influenced the jury.

The head of the Department of Social Protection is emphasising that women who have been subjected to domestic abuse do not have to make attempts to contact their attacker in order to receive the lone parent’s allowance.

The Department of Justice failed to examine all available evidence when it wrongly refused some Magdalene laundry survivors access to redress payments.

The Taoiseach is hoping a cross-party committee examining Ireland’s abortion laws will meet a December deadline on a decision after the members voted, by a majority in favour of not retaining the Eighth Amendment “in full”.

The Government has promised to put forward proposals to address, by December, pension rules which discriminate against tens of thousands of women amid claims that it deliberately ignored the crisis in Budget 2018.

The Government will not be addressing a “bonkers” rule which is denying tens of thousands of women full pensions entitlements, claiming they do not have the money to do so.

Newstalk has concluded its review of the circumstances that led to George Hook’s recent rape remarks, which results in the radio presenter “stepping down” from his weekday slot to “take on” a new weekend show, writes Joyce Fegan.

Newstalk has suspended presenter George Hook amid the ongoing controversy surrounding his comments on rape last week.

Radio personalities have a responsibility when it comes to tackling rape culture — but so do the show sponsors, says Suzanne Harrington

Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald says the gender pay gap is “unacceptable in this day and age” and that the Constitution is not the place to deal with reproductive rights.

Rape crisis centres, women’s groups and the Policing Authority have welcomed the establishment of four divisional specialist units to investigate domestic, sexual and child abuse.