Clare County Council’s €7m- a-year “cash cow” at one of the country’s most popular visitor attractions, the Cliffs of Moher is under threat.

A generous childcare package to extend parental leave, pre-school care and to pay private creche fees for parents is being considered by the Government.

Efforts to encourage more women to enter politics have suffered a setback as a result of the failure of the Taoiseach to include any female TDs in his junior ministerial appointments, it has been claimed.

The National Youth Council has called on young people to oppose the Government's plans to introduce controversial anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs).