Employers and unions agree that ringfencing a portion of corporate tax or business profits could be a better way to bolster higher education funding than a government proposal to increase employers’ PRSI.

The Government will not write a blank cheque for the developers of Cork’s 6,000-seat events centre who have requested an extra €18m in state funding — almost double what has been sanctioned.

An association for retired public servants claims that tens of thousands of the State’s former employees will die without getting access to their full pensions unless the date for restoration is brought forward.

The Government could be asked to cough up another €10m in State funding to save the stalled Cork event centre project from collapse.

The full scale of the Apple tax bill could hit €19bn when interest on the unpaid sum is taken into account.

An emergency cabinet meeting will be convened later today after the Apple tax crisis caused a fresh split between Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance, with one junior minister refusing to confirm if he will remain in office.

The Nice killer was one of many terrorist recruits who were petty criminals, with little interest in Islam, a leading expert has said.

Fine Gael backbenchers pressing for leadership change are prepared to defend their recent remarks at the weekly parliamentary party this evening.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe has said it would cost €2.2bn a year to eliminate lower pay rates for new public servants.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has repeated the Government view that a citizens’ assembly is the best way to consider abortion law reforms amid ongoing opposition claims the proposal is simply a delaying tactic.

A senior minister insists the Government is "engaging extensively" with garda officials over salary levels after frontline members of the force threatened to derail reform plans due to the pay dispute.

The Government survived its first key vote of the 32nd Dáil last night to suspend water charges for nine months, despite criticism from the Opposition.

The Health Service Executive may impose drug price cuts in the absence of a deal with pharmaceutical companies.

A turf war is looming between the Dáil and the Department of Finance over proposed increased powers for TDs in the annual budgetary process.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has warned there is a real prospect of a hung Dáil, risking a second economic crash.

Large insurance levies and the relocation of thousands of residents from flood-prone areas are both being considered by the Government to help address the flooding crisis.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

The long-awaited Health Service Executive financial plan for 2016 will be brought before Cabinet so spending on services can be allocated for next year.

Pensioners, carers, the disabled and those on long-term welfare will be among those who receive the partially reinstated Christmas bonus in the next fortnight.

Gardaí have launched an investigation after an 87-year-old woman was allegedly the victim of an attempted sexual assault at a Tipperary hospital.

Mooted Government plans for a national audit of all buildings and apartments constructed during the boom are likely to be rejected over concerns it will be too expensive and cause too much disruption for people living in or using the sites.

Labour is planning to distance itself from Fine Gael as election momentum builds in a bid to regain support from its core voters.

Senior figures at two third-level colleges in the southeast have given positive soundings about the prospect of restarting talks on a university for the region, despite serious problems highlighted in a plan.

The Lansdowne Road agreement on public service pay has been given another boost after a third trade union voted to accept the contents of the deal.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin says legislation cannot be brought in to reduce pensions of retired politicians, as they are constitutionally protected.

The scope for reversing cuts to public sector pay and pensions is set to be outlined in the looming spring budget statement.

IT seems that the Government has finally accepted that if the water charge regime is to succeed and sustain its legitimacy, then they must establish a mechanism to collect the charge from those who can pay but refuse to.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has said he does not envisage reducing the costs of water for households anymore despite demands from Siptu.

The Government has extended, by a year, the deadline before which public servants must retire if they want to receive a pension based on the terms and conditions they had prior to the introduction of emergency financial legislation.

Every political party that has had the opportunity to appoint its supporters to the board of state companies has done so. 

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has told a conference in Dublin that the people of Ireland have lost sight of the depth of the economic crisis.

Pay recovery across all sectors of the Irish economy is vital if the Government is to achieve its target of full employment by 2018, according to public sector trade union Impact

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin says the public will face higher water charge bills if the Seanad rejects the Government’s revised bill.

The Government has under budgeted for its water conservation grants and said this is because it expects that over a fifth of households next year will not apply for the allowance to help pay bills.

Many of us are looking forward to January 1 to reap the meagre benefits of the latest budget, but there are almost 5,000 people for whom the turn of the new year will mean a significant cut in their incomes.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin said that he would embrace any ideas the Archbishop of Dublin has on how to tackle homelessness.