Get a taste of some of the interesting and quirky happenings in Europe from our Europe correspondent, Ann Cahill.

DAWN French, great comic and Vicar of Dibley, was asked in a newspaper interview at the weekend what she thought was more important, ambition or talent, writes Gerard Howlin.

A tax refund system introduced last year to aid first-time buyers has been described as a failure after it emerged just a tiny fraction have benefited from the measure.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has played down reports of a rift in cabinet over moves to introduce rent controls.

The Cork Local Government Review (CLGR) committee has been invited to appear before a Dáil committee on environment and local government to discuss its controversial merger report which has split the region.

Alan Kelly’s department announced a review into problems over homes which effectively are fire-traps, but this will do little to alleviate home owners fears, writes Michael Clifford    

Hidden cameras, a name-and-shame policy and education programmes are among the likely proposals being considered by Cork County Council chiefs to halt public littering.

The former minister who set up Irish Water has declared that the company overseeing water charges is not a mess and he only did what was required during the bailout.