Farm families are invited to attend a series of nine free forest walks in support of the Green Ribbon campaign to raise mental health awareness during May.

A Seanad report laying bare the underfunded state of children’s mental health services has been welcomed by support groups who said its recommendations must be implemented.

Patients of an acute psychiatric unit and their families have vowed to continue their campaign to keep the service open despite the Minister of State with Responsibility for Mental Health confirming its closure is “set in blood”.

The Government has announced an emergency aid package of £250,000 for the people affected by flooding in the eastern Indian state of Orissa.