The Irish political class “neither understands nor values” the arts sector here, according to Oscar-nominated director Lenny Abrahamson.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald has declined to repeat the claim that Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy is a good republican after a BBC Spotlight programme raised fresh concerns over his history.

Housing charity Threshold has warned TDs and senators that over 1,000 families face being homeless by Christmas unless the Government introduces rent certainty to ease the housing crisis.

Former financial regulator Patrick Neary has pointed the “finger of responsibility” at government, the Central Bank, financial institutions, the ESRI, and Europe for what politicians have said was his own failure to do his job.

Bank of Ireland officials knew the bank might need taxpayer help as early as June 2008 to weather “a storm” descending on the financial sector.

A majority of TDs have been abused online, according to an Irish Examiner survey which reveals the extent of the problem.

Cyberbullying is associated with school-aged children and teenagers but online abuse has escalated so that politicians, celebrities and their families are being targeted, writes Kelly O’Brien.

A split in the Coalition over how Enda Kenny packed the Oireachtas inquiry into the banking collapse with Government members has dealt a fresh blow to the credibility of the probe.

A female senator was forced into revealing details of how she had carried a dead baby in a desperate effort to stop members using “absolutely disgraceful” language to describe abortion procedures.

Sexism is “alive and well” in the Dáil, according to female parliamentarians, who said the “macho” and “laddish” culture must change if more women are to enter politics.

There were calls for a law exempting politicians from offences to be reviewed following an Irish Examiner investigation into the removal of penalty points from the driving records of TDs.

Government ministers last night stood over budget cuts as frustrated TDs came under pressure from constituents to demand a U-turn on some of the tougher measures.

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan has been accused of failing former SR Technics workers with delays while she was in charge of the Department of Enterprise meaning that much of a €7.5 million retraining fund supplied by the EU may have to be returned unspent.

ONE-IN-SIX houses are lying idle for the majority of the year resulting in growing economic and criminal problems.

The vacant third-level course places should be filled by factory workers made redundant in Donegal and Louth, it was claimed today.

THE birth of a baby in an ambulance while in transit between hospitals in Monaghan and Cavan yesterday highlights major flaws in the Hanly Report.