Shane Ross has been criticised for saying that there should be strict sentencing guidelines for judges for all crimes.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Over the weekend, the cinemas were packed with the women of Ireland enjoying the sexual exploitation of a young woman by a wealthy, domineering, dysfunctional man in the film, Fifty Shades of Grey.

IT IS the little things that find you out, as Enda Kenny is now realising with his spectacularly botched attempt to promote someone we have never heard of to a nothing organisation.

A brainstorming session by representatives from seven nations 7 years ago was key to Wednesday’s €80m cocaine bust, writes Sean O’Riordan

Your daily, spoiler-free guide to what to look out for on the box.

SATURDAY

THE appalling vista for Fine Gael is that the ultimate outcome of the debacle involving Alan Shatter, Martin Callinan and An Garda Síochána will be that it allows Sinn Féin to make its most significant, strategic electoral gains yet in the Republic. Compared to the rise of Sinn Féin, the reputational decline of Shatter is small stuff.

Former Fine Gael justice minister Nora Owen said the manner in which Martin Callinan left office would seem “unfair” on the former Garda Commissioner and she called on the Government to give the full picture on the issue.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has received the Garda Inspectorate report into the operation of the penalty points system.

Every year on this day Michael Collins’s grave in Glasnevin is inundated with cards and flowers from admirers, writes Nuala Woulfe

Thousands flocked to an open day in Cork, some from as far away as France, as they celebrated the birthday of Michael Collins and came to view the proud tradition of the army stationed at the barracks named after him.

Young Daniel Collins was the real hero yesterday as he was joined by some of Cork’s top sports stars to launch Rebel Week.

Following their party leader’s humiliating defeat in the Seanad referendum, for the 2,000 or so Fine Gael party faithful who gathered in the modest surrounds of the South Court Hotel in Limerick, it was very much a “back to basics” weekend where Fine Gael was determined to return to its core values.

Former justice minister Nora Owen has said she was “offended” by the description of her ancestor Michael Collins as a “langer” in the official Rebel Week programme.

The promoters of Rebel Week in Cork have apologised and withdrawn 100,000 event brochures which described General Michael Collins as a 'langer'.

The Criminal Asset Bureau has been a great success, but the challenges continue to grow.

Not since a group of young gardaí were sacked for fighting for improved pay in 1961 have tensions between members of the force and their political masters been so pronounced.

A former Justice Minister has branded comments made at the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors conference in Sligo yesterday, about garda Adrian Donohoe's death, as "insensitive".

Gardaí will go ahead with protest actions today over the proposed cuts to their pay and allowances.

Victims of sexual abuse who report the crime to gardaí have to wait almost three years for sentencing in cases where charges are brought.

Dáithí O Sé, Maura Derrane, Norah Casey and Bláithnaid Ní Chofaigh present the new daytime series Today live from Cork every weekday.

Barry Walsh states Enda Kenny took a pay cut (Letters, Aug 23) but he is mistaken.

Desmond FitzGerald (Aug 18) says that Mr Kenny’s first act as Taoiseach “was to double his salary and that of everyone he appointed to government”.

As Enda Kenny will become the first sitting Taoiseach to give the address at Béal na Bláth tomorrow, it is worth asking if he is a suitable person to do so.

Surely it’s time our national TV stations should give youth a chance.

SATURDAY

I was listening to Nora Owen on RTÉ radio deprecating the making of money out of the sale of her grand-uncle, Michael Collins’s hair lock, at an auction recently.

A 1916 copy of the Proclamation was sold for €124,000 last night.

Which former Minister for Justice ... I’ve started so I’ll finish ... is set to be Ireland’s newest quiz show host?

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said that there may be a market for the obsolete e-voting machines - in Irish theme pubs.

Nora Owen has been appointed chair of the Irish Aid expert advisory group.

TV3 has declared war on RTÉ in a battle for ratings as well as a challenge to end the state broadcaster’s access to dual funding from advertising and the TV licence fee.

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese and her husband, Senator Martin McAleese, led the mourners at Brian Lenihan’s removal last night.

POLITICAL parties were being “dishonest” by continuing to claim the national deficit could be reduced to 3% of GDP by 2014, a conference of leading international economists at Croke Park was told yesterday.

FORMER Fine Gael justice minister Nora Owen has called for anyone plotting to overthrow Enda Kenny to back down for the sake of the party.

THERE were no floods, forked-lightning, hellfires or seismic shifts.

ALBERT Einstein’s defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” It is a fitting description of our drug strategy in this country.

THE Seanad will sit for just one-and-a-half days this week, despite a number of its members attempting to defend the importance of their work against proposals by Fine Gael to scrap the upper house.

TRUE to form, John O’Donoghue’s resignation speech was petulant, bitter and deeply ungracious. There was no apology for any extravagance or excess on his part, no acknowledgement of the deep anger of the public at his behaviour. This was of no great surprise.

GEORGE LEE’S Dáil enthronement was a suitably lavish affair which took a lot out of all concerned.

THE authorities absurdly suggested during the week that Conor Casby, the artist who painted the controversial portraits of Brian Cowen, was guilty of indecency, incitement to violence and criminal damage.

NEARLY €1 million was paid out last year by the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime, its annual report showed yesterday.