Two new sports buildings worth almost €15m were officially opened at the University of Limerick today by Minister of State, Patrick O’Donovan, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

A €142,800 award has been made to a Polish teacher who was struck by the rear of a truck as he cycled past it on a narrow footpath on the lorry driver’s left-hand side.

A former head of the Garda Traffic Bureau, whose review of the penalty points system six years ago was "shelved", has said the worst driving offenders are escaping sanction.

Taxi drivers who breach regulations could have their licenses suspended or face hefty fines, under new laws to be introduced from January.

In the third of a five-part series, Conor Kane discovers a litany of job losses, factory closures and empty premises

Toyota plans to recall about 300,000 Prius hybrids worldwide over a brake problem, a news report said today.

PLANS to make it easier to punish foreign motorists who commit road traffic offences in Ireland are effectively unworkable, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

A MAN who drowned in a tragic jet skiing accident in Mayo in 2007 had little training of jet skis, was a poor swimmer and was not wearing a life jacket, the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) has found.

TRANSPORT is one of the biggest beneficiaries in the Government’s budget with Finance Minister Brian Cowen announcing an overall investment package worth €2.7 billion.

Enda Kenny has named his new look Fine Gael front bench.

TRANSPORT has received one of the largest increases in the 2007 Estimates with spending to increase by 17% to just over €2.8 billion as the Government seeks to implement many important projects promised under its Transport 21 programme.

At least four people were crushed to death in their cars after an overpass collapsed near Montreal.

Labour inspectors today launched a probe into claims 19 South African workers were being paid only €2.80 an hour to fit seat-belts on Bus Eireann coaches.

A credit card style driving licence complete with a microchip could harmonise penalty points and prosecution across Europe, a Dáil committee heard tonight.

THE number of accidents involving foreign motorists has increased at a steady rate since 2003, the Motor Insurers Bureau in Ireland has confirmed.

Marine Minister Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher was today appointed to succeed Ivor Callely in the Transport Department while Meath TD Mary Wallace has been surprisingly promoted as junior minister at the Department of Agriculture and Food, it was confirmed.

The €2.2bn funding for the country’s infrastructure is the first step on the road to completing the Government’s radical Transport 21 plan, it was claimed tonight.

Talks aimed at ending the row behind the Heathrow airport chaos will continue today as it emerged that the catering firm at the centre of the dispute considered provoking strikes last year to replace staff with cheaper labour.

BRITISH AIRWAYS was back to 95% of its scheduled service at Heathrow last night as the airport recovered from a catering row that spoiled thousands of holidays.

The leader of one of the UK’s biggest trade unions tonight hit back at an outspoken attack against the owners of MG Rover by a senior executive of German motor giant BMW.

Dunmanway native John McCarthy crowned an excellent night for Ireland's Paralympic team in Athens, as he finished second in a F32/51 discus final - claiming the nation's second silver medal in two hours.

SÉAMUS BRENNAN does not want to transfer from the Department of Transport in September’s Cabinet reshuffle, unless he is offered the job in Finance.

A Japanese airline pilot who fell asleep twice while at the controls of a domestic flight has been suspended from his job.

The Fine Gael spokesman on Transport says Irish Rail should start work immediately on building a permanent rail link to Dublin airport.

TRANSPORT Minister Seamus Brennan must wait until tomorrow to learn the outcome of two separate inquiries into claims that he left unpaid brandy and cigars bills totalling €6,000.

A South African minibus crashed into a trailer blocking a road and burst into flames, burning 18 people to death, including two children, police said.

THE National Roads Authority (NRA) has proposed raising a section of the South Eastern Motorway to save the archeological discoveries at Carrickmines Castle.