Fine Gael has promoted TD Noel Rock to replace Maria Bailey as Chair of the Oireachtas Housing Committee.

Fine Gael TDs Noel Rock and Hildegarde Naughton are set to be promoted and take up Maria Bailey's Oireachtas committee places after her swing-gate fall from grace.

Fine Gael TD Maria Bailey has resigned as chair of two more Oireachtas committees - including one focussed specifically on ethical rules - in the wake of the swing-gate controversy.

Proposals to filter emails sent to TDs and prevent “waste” from clogging up mailboxes are being considered following a recent avalanche of complaints.

ALL TDs and senators are to be offered data encryption technology for their laptop computers after a spate of scares both here and in Britain over the safety of sensitive information.