Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are set to add numbers to the Seanad election race from candidates who lost their Dáil seats.

TDs and senators had to refund almost €10,000 in expenses this year after an audit found they could not provide supporting evidence to justify claiming such allowances.

The chairperson of the National Missing Persons Helpline, Dermot Browne, has welcomed the Presumption of Death Bill passed by the Oireachtas on Wednesday, but he said he would have liked it to have been connected to the Coroner’s Act.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said he wants the Civil Law (Presumption of Death) Bill to be passed before the Oireachtas summer break in nine weeks time after three years of legislative delays.

The Government is to make changes to help families who are left in “limbo” when a relative goes missing.

The Government is to make changes to help families who are left in "limbo" when a relative goes missing.

Community groups at the frontline of the drugs crisis are making a final push in urging a State group to recommend decriminalisation of possession of drugs for personal use.

Future increases in school budgets should be linked to enforcing the voluntary nature of any contributions from families to running costs, Fianna Fáil’s education spokesman has said.

Groups working at the coalface of the drugs problem are to lead calls today and tomorrow, in Dublin and Cork, for the decriminalisation of drug possession.

Wednesday’s votes felt like a massive step forward for Irish women’s reproductive rights, writes Alison O’Connor.

Philly McMahon has been a powerful voice for societal change when it comes to drugs but the Dublin defender has no intention of transferring those views to the political arena for now.

The Oireachtas committee on the Eighth Amendment is set to recommend a straight repeal of article 40.3.3, its complete removal from the Constitution, and for any future abortion laws to be decided solely by the Dáil.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil members of the Oireachtas committee on the Eighth Amendment will block any further motions on the amendment if they are put down before the cross-party group completes its work.

Savita Halappanavar died as a direct result of Ireland’s abortion laws and not simply because she contracted sepsis, the author of the independent report into her death has said.

The cross-party Oireachtas committee examining Ireland's abortion laws has voted by a landslide not to retain article 40.3.3 of the Constitution.

Savita Halappanavar died as a direct result of Ireland's restrictive abortion laws and not simply because she contracted sepsis, the author of the independent report into her death has said.

The cross-party committee examining Ireland's abortion laws is set for a divisive meeting this afternoon after Fianna Fáil was accused by Ruth Coppinger of being "dinosaurs" for attempting to block an early repeal vote on the issue.

Political Correspondent

The cross-party Oireachtas committee examining the abortion laws is split over calls for it to issue an early formal show of support this week for repealing the Eighth Amendment.

Plans to further restrict the use of religion as grounds to exclude pupils could be introduced sooner than previously expected, Education Minister Richard Bruton hinted.

Fine Gael concerns that the abortion referendum could ultimately tear the Government apart have been underlined after a party TD accused one of her colleagues of “lies” and producing “fake” facts on the issue.

A two-minute video depicting Irish women’s journeys across the Irish Sea to access abortions received almost quarter of a million views in its first 24 hours online.

A bill tackling the illicit street sale of prescription drugs has been passed in the Seanad.

Several of Enda Kenny’s loyal senators lost their seats or were last night fighting for their survival.

In Trinity, we’re holding our Student Union elections. I mention this for context — whenever I bring up “the elections” in uni, this is what people talk about. It’s an interesting microcosm.

A national survey of student drug use has found approximately 30% have used medications prescribed by their GP to “get high” while 18% have used non-prescription drugs to do so.