The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence has been urged to visit Naval Service headquarters to investigate for itself how bad manpower levels are.

A former senior chief petty officer in the Naval Service has said he never thought he would see the day when two ships had to be tied-up indefinitely because of manpower shortages.

Presentation Athenry produced a stirring final quarter to secure passage to a second successive All-Ireland post-primary SHC final.

St Thomas’ boss Kevin Lally reckons Henry Shefflin is destined for the Kilkenny manager’s hotseat after guiding Ballyhale Shamrocks to the All-Ireland Club final at the first attempt.

Aaron Gillane was the hero as Mary Immaculate College booked their place in this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup final when they held off the NUIG challenge at Cusack Park in Ennis..

A storming first-half helped UCC secure a home quarter-final in the Fitzgibbon Cup, following their seven-point victory over NUIG at the 4G pitch in Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday afternoon. Unbeaten after three games, they topped Group A.

UCD were indebted to a brace of late frees from Ronan Hayes as they recued a share of the spoils with NUIG after their entertaining Fitzgibbon Cup Group A encounter at David Billings Park.

Dozens of cases over EU working time laws could cost State millions

Businessman and TV personality Gavin Duffy will formally enter the presidential race within a week after leaning heavily on Fianna Fáil to allow councillors to nominate a contender for the role.

Your lunchtime headlines:

It could be argued that Gerard Craughwell — one of the potential candidates for the presidency — has dented, if not wrecked, his prospects before the starting gun has been fired.

Potential presidential election candidate Gerard Craughwell has risked undermining his campaign by claiming the highest office in the country is a “meet and greet job” that has no impact on the general public.

Fiachra Ó Cionnaith breaks down the potential list of candidates for the Presidential race.

President Michael D Higgins has sharply denied he timed his announcement to seek a second term in order to block other candidates from challenging him.

Poor Gerard Craughwell. Those Fianna Fáil feckers. How could they do it to him?

Children may be compelled to hand over their mobile phones to their teachers at the start of each school day if proposed legislation introduced in the Seanad is passed.

Okay folks, it’s showtime! The late PJ Mara’s open invitation to electioneer and party would have nothing on President Michael D Higgins, writes Gerard Howlin.

The visit of Pope Francis to Knock at the end of August has impacted on club championship matches in Mayo.

The naval service is facing a personnel crisis, having failed to secure sufficient numbers for its latest recruitment class.

Last Sunday, the great and the good gathered on a cold and breezy O’Connell St for the annual Easter Rising commemoration, writes Daniel McConnell.

RTÉ broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan is “most unlikely” to be the Fianna Fáil candidate to become president, party figures have said.

Special medals given to members of the Defence Forces to commemorate the 1916 centenary are being sold on Ebay and similar online auction sites.

Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness has signalled that she wants to run to succeed Michael D Higgins as President.

If it’s All-Ireland final memories you’re looking for, Niall Healy has a plentiful supply. Regrets, too. Plenty of them.

Galway 0-21 Dublin 0-19 (after extra time): On many levels Galway required this win. There was last week’s senior disappointment, last week’s minor disappointment and the disappointment suffered at this very juncture for the last four Augusts.

“Who is Gerard Craughwell?” was the question Shane Ross asked me outside Government Buildings shortly after 6pm yesterday.

Sarsfields 2-10 Craughwell 0-14: And so the cycle of history goes on. It wouldn’t be a Sarsfields success in Galway without the Cooneys at the forefront.

Over the weekend, the Sunday’s Well Rebels, Ireland’s only mixed ability rugby team, returned home to Cork after their successful Mixed Ability Rugby World Tournament campaign in the UK.

The Sunday’s Well Rebels, Ireland’s only Mixed Ability Rugby team, travel to England next week to compete in the first Mixed Ability Rugby World Tournament (MARWT).

The sun was a non-runner on a dank summer’s day in Ballybrit, but a colourful Mad Hatters competition lit up the final instalment of Galway Race Week.

Fun and Colour is the theme for this spectacular day. The Mad Hatters competition is hugely popular, the effort and creativity of the entrants is a fabulous spectacle.

EU corporate governance officials have been asked to examine the Government’s Irish Water conservation grant over claims that it is simply an “inducement” to encourage people to sign up to charges.

“I’ve never seen my wife so excited!”

Kelly Proper bagged long-jump gold and her 17th national indoor title at day one of the Glo Health National Indoor Championships.

It started off as the by-election the Coalition could not lose and ended-up as the bye-bye election for the Government’s majority in the Seanad.

Coalition leaders have insisted they will not try and restore their majority in the Seanad by cutting deals with rebels after the defeat of Government candidate John McNulty.

Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald has congratulated Gerard Craughwell on his win in the Seanad by-election.

The country's newest Senator says he will not be whipped by any party or group in the Seanad.

Gerard Craughwell has won the Seanad by-election.

Donegal businessman John McNulty is expected to take up his Seanad seat next week — on the same day Michael Noonan will deliver his budget to the Dáil.

Labour Party minister Jan O'Sullivan said the prospect of John McNulty accepting a seat in the Seanad is a matter for Fine Gael.