MOTORISTS' complaints about the spiralling cost of car tax will be silenced by improvements in the standard some of the most travelled roads over the next year, Environment Minister Martin Cullen said yesterday.

The chairman of the city and county mangers association has hit out at those responsible for delivering a death threat to the home of Roscommon's county manager on Christmas Eve.

A man whose son was gunned down by the IRA in retaliation for the killing of eight of its members in Loughgall is standing in the local government elections, it emerged today.