East of Ireland champion Colm Campbell and leading qualifier Stuart Grehan were forced to dig deep to make it into the last 16 of the AIG-sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at a sun-kissed Seapoint.

A BANKING inquiry will be a priority for the Government if voters give parliamentary members tougher investigative powers in next month’s referendum, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said.

PUBLIC Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin raised the prospect of a banking inquiry last night once Oireachtas members are empowered through an upcoming referendum.

Fine Gael will today hold its annual pre-Dáil parliamentary meeting.