The final Dáil vote saw 31 TDs oppose the X case legislation as numbers were swelled by left-wing deputies protesting that the new law was not liberal enough.

A ban on smoking in Irish pubs and restaurants due to be brought in from January is unrealistic and should be reviewed, a former government minister claimed today.

Jeffrey Archer could face a police investigation into claims that millions of pounds of charity money raised for Kurdish refugees was stolen, it was disclosed today.