President Michael D Higgins is expected to make a statement outlining his campaign intentions when his nomination papers for the race for the park are submitted later this month.

Independent News & Media has strongly rejected concerns of an apparent “culture of deference” within the media group towards its major shareholder Denis O’Brien.

The war of words between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil over the confidence and supply agreement has prompted the Taoiseach to rule out calling a snap general election.

Independent News & Media has a “very high standard” of corporate governance procedures and would have told the State’s corporate watchdog so, had he made it aware he had concerns in that regard, the High Court has been told.

Health Minister Simon Harris has described the HSE’s response to the cervical cancer tests scandal as “disgusting” amid growing calls for HSE director general Tony O’Brien to be sacked within days.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe’s plan to raise property tax levels has been heavily criticised by a Cabinet colleague who said “people are already under enough pressure” and cannot afford the extra costs.

Update 9.18pm: Gardaí investigating the alleged sexual exploitation of children in Munster have released a man without charge.

Leading EU official Pierre Moscovici has warned that potentially damaging customs checks may still be imposed at Irish ports and airports, when Brexit takes place in two years’ time.

Young vets are leaving Ireland in their droves due to archaic working conditions and poor pay.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said that he will insist on Egypt honouring an agreement to allow Ibrahim Halawa return to Ireland whether or not he is found guilty following his trial in Cairo.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has supported Health Minister Simon Harris in his call for “breathing space” to resolve the new national maternity hospital crisis, saying talks are needed to put in place a “legally waterproof situation”.

The public expenditure minister has warned home owners not to dig up or remove their water meters, saying they will be used again under a new charging regime, having been provided through taxpayers’ monies.

Fianna Fáil have backed Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan amid fresh allegations she led a campaign to undermine garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe.

With both Dublin Bus and Luas drivers securing double-digit wage increases and gardaí threatening strikes over their pay, two of the country’s leading trade unionists have called for a renegotiation of the latest public service pay agreement.

There is a growing fury among unions, representative bodies, and charities over a plethora is issues piling up as government negotiations continue.

First shock, then disbelief, but come yesterday evening, the mood among the Mayo football public had turned sour.

Ronan O’Gara believes assumptions Ireland will “take” France at Rugby World Cup is dangerous talk, and warns the French players have never been fitter during the Pierre Saint-Andre reign.

The Government is facing mounting pressure to create new mechanisms to provide for consistent sentencing in rape cases, as anger grows over the suspended term handed down to a man who raped his girlfriend while she slept.

Sinn Féin’s ard chomairle has overturned a rule banning male candidates from challenging Cork East TD Sandra McLellan for a seat at the next general election.

GAA President Aoghán Ó Fearghail has taken under-fire pundit Joe Brolly to task over his criticism of Cavan, claiming it was ‘upsetting’ and ‘nasty’.

Teaching unions insist they will continue industrial action to achieve further changes to junior cycle reforms that have already been significantly moderated.

The widow of Paud O’Leary, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver, says the term imposed ‘doesn’t add up’ when compared to the devastation caused to her family, says Donal Hickey

The State would lose out on at least €1.6bn in revenue if it cut the deeply unpopular universal social charge for people earning €60,000 or less a year.

The Taoiseach has been met by a large crowd of protestors this afternoon in Cork as he arrived to a job announcement in the city.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said there was "no possibility" of him resigning as head of the party following controversy over the handling of sex abuse claims within the republican movement.

A single application form for all medical cards is one of the changes Health Minister Leo Varadkar hopes will be approved by Government colleagues.

Funds raised for the disability charity, Rehab, have dropped by around €600,000 this year after a string of controversies surrounding how money was spent at the agency.

The outgoing head of the Department of Justice, Brian Purcell, is being "kept sweet" by retaining his €200,000 a year salary because of his role in events leading up to the resignation of the former Garda commissioner.

The country’s first woman president, Mary Robinson, said she would like to see a "greater push for equality" in Ireland, with "more women at the table" in "real decision-making" roles.

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".

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has made a written submission to the Fennelly Inquiry on events leading up to the resignation of the former Garda commissioner, Martin Callinan.

The Coalition has been accused of engaging in "Fianna Fáil-style politics of cronyism" by "stacking" State boards with party supporters or associates.

THE former head of the European Central Bank (ECB) has sparked anger in Government circles after stating he will not appear before the banking inquiry which is due to get under way later this year.

It has been reported that the Dermatology Department at Waterford Regional Hospital has closed its doors to all but urgent cases.

The President has spoken out in support of adopted people who have been denied information on their backgrounds.

Ibec has admitted a case is beginning to develop for a new national pay agreement, but warned conditions are not ready for it yet, as well as ruling out pay increases across the private sector.

A former senior executive at NAMA has alleged widespread breaches of the law within the agency on the issue of confidentiality and commercially sensitive information worth millions.