The independent chairwoman of the HSE’s child deaths in care review has warned below-requirement social worker levels are preventing vulnerable people from accessing potentially life-saving help.

There has been an alarming rise in the number of child neglect cases being investigated by the HSE.

Forty-six children known to care services have died since the start of 2010 including 13 in the first four months of this year, with the HSE admitting that its frontline services are under pressure.

A team set up to investigate deaths and serious injuries of children and young people known to social services cannot cope with its workload, it has warned.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny today defended the State's record on child protection after it emerged that 35 children or young adults who were in HSE care, or who were known to social services, have died since March of last year.

THE jeers at the final whistle told its own story.

TNS 4 Bohemians 0 (TNS win 4-1 On aggregate)

BOHEMIANS will have every reason to hope that they can advance to the third qualifying round of the Champions League after a second-half goal from Killian Brennan gave them a narrow victory over Welsh side TNS in a tense second-round, first-leg tie at Dalymount Park last night.

Bohemians 1 TNS 0

CHILDREN’S Minister Barry Andrews has rejected requests to remove two employees of the Health Service Executive from an investigation into how the system failed six Roscommon children abused by their mother over a period of several years.

An independent inquiry is to be carried out into the handling of the 'House of Horrors' child abuse case, health chiefs confirmed tonight.

Steven Gerrard is a major Liverpool doubt for the Premiership trip to Southampton with a groin injury that has been troubling him all week, and it has now emerged would have ruled him out of the FA Cup defeat at Burnley.

RAFAEL BENITEZ has thrown his support behind calamity goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek and insisted the Polish international will play in the FA Cup third round tie at Burnley tonight.

Rafael Benitez insists he will only use his promising youngsters in the Carling Cup semi-finals in the unlikely event of the second leg being a near-formality.

The owner of a company involved in the development of products for the CCTV industry today topped a list of the UK’s 100 leading entrepreneurs.

Goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek returns to the Liverpool side against Portsmouth tomorrow after Chris Kirkland was ruled out with a back injury.

Liverpool could be without new Spanish signing Josemi for their home Champions League third qualifying round second leg match at Anfield tomorrow against AK Graz.

Jamie Carragher is determined to make the most of Liverpool’s pre-season trip to north America.

El-Hadji Diouf’s Liverpool career looks as good as over after he was left out of the squad which leaves for a three-match tour of the United States tomorrow.

Liverpool 1 Newcastle 1

New on-loan goalkeeper Paul Jones goes straight into Liverpool’s squad for the home clash with Aston Villa after completing a one-month move from Southampton.

A BLAZE which ripped through the heart of one of the world's most historic cities may not be fully extinguished for another two days, fire chiefs said last night. It has been more than 24 hours since the fire broke out in Edinburgh's Old Town, causing damage running into millions of pounds.