Before she sat her Leaving Certificate, Cork legend Rena Buckley had won two All-Ireland medals and an All-Star.

The loss, within a matter of days, of more than 800 jobs at two US multinational companies highlights, once again, the nature of Ireland’s unbalanced economy and the urgent need to assist, promote and encourage indigenous industry.

Hi-tech company, ActiveCampaign, has announced the opening of its European headquarters in Dublin.

The courts will continue to play an important role as a brake on the actions of developers as shown by one Kildare farmer’s long-running legal tussles with the IDA, says Kyran Fitzgerald

US president Donald Trump has claimed the Brexit crisis which is putting tens of thousands of Irish jobs at risk is going to be “very, very good” for Ireland, predicting it is “going to work out” for this country.

Pestle & Mortar, launched by Sonia Deasy in 2014, is now a global skincare brand and stocks its products in thirteen countries including the US, the UK, Australia, Bermuda and Thailand.

The Small Firms Association has branded the decision to grant a near 3% increase in minimum pay rates for building and electrical contractors "disappointing" and said the move will make it more difficult for small companies in the sector to compete.

Minimum rates of pay for workers in the construction sector are set to rise by 5.4% while rates in the electrical sector will increase by 2.7%.

Over €3m in unpaid wages was recovered last year by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

Local Enterprise Offices have supported the creation of 18,640 jobs in their first five years.

Johnson & Johnson plans to create an additional 100 jobs as part of a €100m expansion of its Vision Care facility in Limerick.

Johnson & Johnson have announced they are to create an additional 300 jobs in a €100m expansion of the company’s Vision Care facilities, at the National Technology Park, Limerick.

The lack of protection for seasonal migrant workers is a “time bomb”, says the Independent TD for Dublin Fingal, Clare Daly.

Three Ministers are focusing this St Patrick's Day on opening up new markets for Irish companies across three continents.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin has called for sanctions to be imposed on high-ranking gardaí found to have been involved in repeated attacks on whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe.

The Health Minister has strongly defended junior minister Pat Breen over his role in the broadband tender controversy which led to the resignation of Denis Naughten.

The Government is on a knife-edge after the resignation of Communications Minister Denis Naughten, with serious doubts over whether it can pass the budget.

Over 100 new jobs have been created across nine businesses in the Mid-West.

There was double success for Agri-Spread International at this week’s National Ploughing Championships.

Farms remain Ireland’s most dangerous workplaces with 24 deaths last year — almost double that of any other sector.

The Workplace Relations Commission recovered €1.8m in unpaid wages for workers last year — an 8% increase on a year earlier.

The resurrection of a 100-year-old monks’ yeast bread recipe helped a 17-year-old student rise above his competitors to become senior winner at a student enterprise competition.

The Government says it can not support Sinn Féin legislation that would see most workplaces automatically closed during a status red weather alert.

Just five of the 54 TDs opposing unrestricted access to abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy, regardless of future changes, have an alternative to the potential new law if the referendum is passed.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney says circumstances for terminating a pregnancy must be justified and that, while the Constitution should be amended, he does not favour unrestricted abortions.

A Junior Minister has said he has serious concerns about supporting proposed abortion laws because of his own experience losing a daughter.

All eyes will be on Fine Gael’s special parliamentary party meeting this afternoon where TDs and senators will discuss their views on plans to repeal the Eighth Amendment and allow unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.

A new pharmaceutical packaging and distribution facility in Dundalk is expected to create 300 jobs over a period of five years.

The celebrities who strutted their stuff on the opening day of the national ploughing championships in Screggan, Tullamore, yesterday had plenty of competition from unexpected sources.

Trade Minister Pat Breen has opened the Ireland-Estonia Tech Bridge event in Enterprise Ireland.

Junior education minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor is under fire from some of her ministerial colleagues, who have described her comments on teachers’ pay as “deeply unhelpful”.

Junior education minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor is under fire from some of her ministerial colleagues, who have described her comments on teachers’ pay as “deeply unhelpful”.

Junior ministers have backed calls by Higher Education Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor for equal pay for teachers.

The number of people killed in work-related activities fell by almost 20% last year

The IFA and the Road Safety Authority are urging road users to take extra care in the summer months due to the seasonal increase in the number of tractors, trailers and other farm machinery on the roads.

Deeply disappointed Fine Gael TDs have questioned Leo Varadkar’s junior ministerial reshuffle as he faces a backlash over the lack of female appointments.

What jobs there were were mostly for the boys, writes Lise Hand

LATEST: Leo Varadkar has been accused of "undervaluing women's voices" after appointing less females than Enda Kenny to junior ministry roles.

Elaine Loughlin looks at those who will be disappointed with new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s picks.

They were all singing for their supper, but now the meals are coming who will be left hungry? Fiachra Ó Cionnaith assesses the likely winners and losers in incoming Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s new cabinet.

There will be nothing very revolutionary about the makeup of the new cabinet, writes Elaine Loughlin.

Businesses have been urged to avail of a Government fund worth €3.4m to become Brexit-ready.

Leo Varadkar’s supporters are defying overtures from Simon Coveney’s camp to change their position with one TD declaring he would not “commit political suicide” and reverse his stance.

Simon Coveney’s campaign team have urged grassroots Fine Gael members to “turn” national politicians supporting Leo Varadkar, after two Clare TDs controversially backed his rival just hours after the Housing Minister visited their constituency.