Mairia Cahill, who was raped by a senior provisional IRA member, has criticised Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams after he claimed the case did not involve a “cover-up” by his party because she knew the attacker outside of the organisation.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar has not ruled out the possibility of introducing childcare tax breaks for struggling families, despite Children’s Minister James Reilly effectively rejecting the move last week.