A mother, whose son was killed by a drink driver, has backed a new road safety strategy for Cork which aims to reduce annual road deaths in Ireland’s largest county.

A major upgrading of Kerry’s main water supply scheme, the biggest contract undertaken by Irish Water this year, has started near Killarney, Co Kerry.

Eir is willing to sign a binding commitment to deliver high-speed fibre broadband to 300,000 homes and businesses at the centre of a year-long tug-of-war between it and the government.

It will take a local authority more than 400 years to inspect all the septic tanks in its administration area.

Two Nigerian priests have now been formally appointed to Irish parishes.

Uefa have confirmed a 50% increase in prize money for next year’s European Championships — meaning Ireland’s qualification struggles could see the FAI miss out on at least €12 million.

Clare County Council is to make an audacious bid to have the University of Limerick (UL) renamed the University of County Clare and Limerick.

Aid workers have described deserted streets and scenes of destruction in the Philippines as a typhoon started to work its way across the country.

ESB and Vodafone are to invest €450m in a "100% fibre-to-the-building" broadband network offering speeds from 200 Mbps to 1000 Mbps.

Elderly people who do not live “gold-plated” lifestyles and who suffered a raft of other budget cuts are to be among the worst hit by the slashing of health insurance tax relief — with bills likely to increase by hundreds of euro.

The recently launched Limerick Arts Encounter is an initiative aimed at enabling the city’s arts practitioners to deliver a varied programme with funding from the Arts Council.

Chart-topping star Emeli Sande is queen of the Brit Awards after collecting two of the biggest prizes as she declared: “This is a dream.”

Britpop veterans Blur saw off competition from fellow reformed rockers The Stone Roses to be named the best live act at the Q Awards.

PENSION contributions are set to plunge by 15% this year.

Rapper Tinie Tempah, soul star Plan B and folk-rock act Mumford And Sons will be hoping for glory tonight at the UK's biggest music bash, the Brit Awards.

TYRONE county board chairman Ciaran McLaughlin has hit out at the treatment meted to referee Martin Sludden at the end of last July’s controversial Leinster senior football final.

AN Irish aid worker has played a leading role in freeing almost 2,000 girls kept in bonded labour, a form of slavery still widely practiced in parts of Nepal.

Katy Perry and Lady Gaga have grabbed five nominations each as they go head-to-head at the upcoming MTV Europe Music Awards.

The future of a Cork town may depend on a link to the M20, writes Sean O’Riordan

Chinese President Hu Jintao met today with US and other foreign naval commanders ahead of a display of ships broadcasting Beijing’s intentions of becoming a major sea power.

THE makers of the movie Slumdog Millionaire have donated $747,500 (€560,000) to a charity devoted to improving the lives of street children in Mumbai.

THE significant progress made in reducing the incidence of various diseases such as BSE and brucellosis in recent years can be partly attributed to the action taken by the Special Investigation Unit of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, according to Minister Brendan Smith.

THE Port of Cork has suffered a setback to its plans to open a €226 million container terminal at Ringaskiddy in 2011.

THE recent tragic events in which the Plan International programme office in Mansehra, Pakistan, was attacked by gunmen killing four aid workers and critically injuring another underlines once again the hazards that are toofrequently encountered in delivering aid programmes in a world where there are far too many guns.

IT is appropriate that the national potato conference and trade show should be held in Dublin today, St Valentine’s Day, because the Irish people have had a love affair with the humble spud for hundreds of years.

LIKE Fianna Fáil, the Progressive Democrats have built their agri-food policy around the €8 billion National Development Plan for agriculture and food launched by the Government earlier this year.

FINANCE Minister Brian Cowen has hinted that Fianna Fáil will continue to cut taxes if returned to power.

SINN FÉIN will be looking to Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern to reactivate cross-Border bodies and enhance North-South co-operation if their plan to achieve power-sharing at Stormont by March fails, Martin McGuinness said yesterday.

GARDAÍ plan to cut crime levels and improve detection rates this year, according to the force’s strategy for 2007.

Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have thanked the people of Pune, India, for their rapturous reception.

Singer Corinne Bailey Rae has been nominated for three Mobo Awards.

Angelina Jolie is to play the widow of murdered journalist Daniel Pearl in a new film, it was announced today.

PLANNING permission has been granted for a 207-room hotel, which, when built, will be the biggest in Co Cork.

It was revealed today that The Commercial Media Group intend to buy Plan Magazines Limited.

The Government has decided to ease capital gains tax for some farmers whose land is affected by compulsory purchase orders.