A mother and her four children, including five-week-old twins, are among 12 residents left without homes following a fire in a block of seven apartments close to Cork City centre last weekend.

There is a surge in the number of houses for sale as owners look to take advantage of rising prices for the first time since the bubble burst.

A new study on the rental sector is to focus on finding ways to stabilise rents and increase housing supply.

TAX revenues plummeted further than expected but the amount citizens owe to the Revenue Commissioners is stabilising.