A Wicklow youth who blinded a nurse in one eye by throwing a egg at her from a passing car will carry out community service in lieu of three years jail time.

RTE will have to pay a total of €40,000 to four charities in lieu of a fine for potentially prejudicing the longest running trial in the State’s history.

THE Society of St Vincent de Paul has seen a 50% rise in the number of calls to its Dublin help services so far this year, with struggling, middle-class families or the “new poor” emerging as the biggest concern.

A former Bewleys Hotel chef who made hoax calls stating there were bombs in the hotel carpark and kitchen has been given a suspended sentence by Judge Frank O’Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul is calling on Minister for Finance Brian Cowen not to target low-income groups when making budget cuts this year.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul has urged both politicians and voters to stop talking about the economy and focus on the real problems facing ordinary Irish citizens.