Outgoing senator John Crown has said he is walking away from political life because of a failure to reform the Upper House.

Radical legislation to ban smoking in vehicles carrying children has been approved by Health Minister James Reilly and will be enforced before the summer.

THE ‘neutralising’ of Prof John Crown by forces within RTÉ loyal to the Soldiers of Destiny is hardly a new phenomenon given the lacklustre, monotonous discussions which take place on that station weekly and the unwillingness of ministers to appear on any show which might permit serious critics of their incompetence and mismanagement to face them down.

THE Taoiseach yesterday strenuously denied any political interference in the decision that led to the last-minute axing of a prominent health specialist from the Late Late Show.