A severely visually impaired man has claimed his right to vote in secret has been breached by the State’s alleged failure to provide an appropriate mechanism allowing him do so.

It was on one level somewhat appropriate that Environment Minister Alan Kelly was absent when the issue of the deplorable state of affairs surrounding the 900 residents who occupy 298 apartments in the Longboat Quay development was raised in the Dáil.

THERE is nothing secret about it and nothing that will be secret about it. This was the Taoiseach’s defence of Irish Water, which he told the Dáil yesterday will be fully accountable and fully transparent.