There is concern among social care professionals that children in the Irish system are being sexually exploited.

The organiser of a major conference on the care of children has said the care system has been "dumbed down" and those working with children are not properly resourced or valued.

The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission has been hit with significant penalties after it was found to have carelessly under-declared its tax liabilities for taxies used by staff to commute from work.

The body which operates Leinster House has appeared on the latest list of tax defaulters.