Good police work involves gardaí using their own discretion, including “squaring” minor prosecutions for members of the public who gardaí may depend on when investigating more serious crimes, a former garda has claimed.

Despite the housing crisis, more than 3,000 sites with full planning permission are lying idle in Limerick city and county, some for up to 10 years, it has emerged.

A UCC law graduate yesterday spoke of her “bitter sweet” emotions when she was co-opted onto Limerick City and County Council.