Homelessness campaigners are seeking new legislation to stop the “cruel and inhuman” use of spikes and sprinklers to deter rough sleepers.

The government's strategy on homelessness has been criticised by its own Fine Gael TDs after recent controversial remarks by the Taoiseach and the Housing Minister comparing the problem here to other countries.

With water charges a thing of the past, Caroline O’Doherty asks how we will finance Irish Water and essential infrastructural works.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court is due to be told this afternoon that the Director of Public Prosecutions is no longer pursuing prosecutions against the remaining Jobstown defendants.

Update, 10.53am: Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said that he would support an independent inquiry or review of the decision to prosecute the Jobstown protesters.

IT is far easier to remember the times when the use of Dáíl privilege seemed an abuse — and that is always a subjective assessment — than it is to remember the many occasions the principle served our democracy well.

Latest: The Dáil's disciplinary committee is to seek legal advice on whether Solidarity TD Paul Murphy abused Dail privilege today.

ANY objective assessment of two stories of recent days would, unfortunately, conclude that two members of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s cabinet may have abused their position in revealing ways.

Solidarity TD Paul Murphy has claimed some gardaí committed perjury in the Jobstown trial after their evidence was contradicted by video footage of the protest at the site.

The road of the newly-acquitted Paul Murphy from his privileged past to the criminal courts has included its fair share of ups and downs.

Solidarity TD Paul Murphy is demanding a full independent inquiry into the Garda investigation of the Jobstown protest after his acquittal yesterday.

Latest: In the Dail chamber the outcome of the Jobstown trial has been labelled a "stunning defeat" for the government by Solidarity TD Mick Barry.

As Judge Mary Laffoy gets ready to present her report on the Citizens’ Assembly, Alison O’Connor says we are in for a tortuous few months before we get to vote on the issue.

The Pro Life Campaign has hit out at what they claim is the "grossly irresponsible" use by pro choice advocates of selected details of today’s news that a young woman had been denied an abortion under the 2013 Abortion Act.

Leo Varadkar has never been shy about his ambitions.

Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and Councillor Michael Murphy are “intelligent men” who “should have just walked away” from the Jobstown anti-water charges protest, a garda has told their trial.

A Garda witness has told the trial of South Dublin councillor Michael Murphy for allegedly falsely imprisoning the former Tánaiste Joan Burton that the defendant was more concerned about bad publicity than anyone's safety.

Details of a new bill to abolish the so-called ’baptism barrier’ in schools will be announced on Monday.

Update 6.47pm: Former Tánaiste Joan Burton has denied that she was “relaxed” in the car in which she was allegedly falsely imprisoned during a water charges protest.

Former Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has said that it was her “absolute conviction” that “protest in Ireland is a sacred right”, but said it was also her conviction that it should be peaceful protest.

Former Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said she “ran for her life” after the car she was traveling in was surrounded by anti-water charge protesters in Dublin on November 15, 2014.

The start of the trial of Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and six other men on charges of falsely imprisoning Joan Burton has been delayed due to an issue arising with one juror.

A jury has been selected for the trial of Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and six other men on charges of falsely imprisoning Joan Burton in Tallaght in 2014.

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.

Households leaking or wasting more water than others will face higher penalties under proposals by Fine Gael, which the party insists are needed to comply with EU laws.

Simon Coveney is set to defy the water committee’s recommendations to scrap charges and instead attempt to railroad through his own legislation, which he claims will comply with EU laws.