THE sole applicant from the private sector to secure a top-level civil service job over the past five years had previously worked with the Department of Finance, it has emerged.

ONLY one person from the private sector has secured a high-level post in the civil service in the past five years.

THE Department of Finance allowed Fás to break bonus payment limits for senior managers despite suspicions the awards were divvied out inappropriately.

THE golden handshake deal agreed with former Fás boss Rody Molloy was in breach of the Government’s own rules, which state it should have been sent to cabinet for approval by all ministers.

It has emerged the Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan approved terms of a generous severance package for former FAS Director General Rody Molloy.

The North's Police Ombudsman has criticised the PSNI in relation to an incident two years ago in which a 28-year-old man was crushed by security gates at a police station in Co Tyrone.

Cork and Antrim face off in the All-Ireland quarter-final today for the first time since 1990,in a curtain-raiser the Rebels are strong favourites to win.

STEPHEN MacGABHANN will make his Championship debut with Meath in Sunday’s Leinster clash with Wicklow in Croke Park.

DAVID HOEY, Sean McMahon and Diarmuid McMahon look set to make their first Allianz NHL appearances with Clare this season when the Bannermen take on Galway in a top-of-the-table clash at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

A man was crushed to death by police station gates in Northern Ireland after a chase ended in tragedy, it emerged today.

Police in the North have named a 28-year-old man who died following an incident outside a Co Tyrone station early this morning.