Last week, women celebrated Nollaig na mBan, or Women’s Little Christmas, a day when Mná na hÉireann take a well-earned rest and let the men take over the housework.

The President of the High Court has directed that the education minister allocate four hours and 15 minutes of additional resource hours weekly to schools where two children with Down syndrome are attending.

Leading rebel Labour TDs have launched a stinging attack on Bono and his U2 bandmates, calling on them to give Irish tax authorities some “New Year’s Pay” during this unprecedented economic crisis by bringing their tax affairs back to Ireland and helping to rebuild the country which all four band members reside in.

After a long balmy summer on the beach, TDs finally got back to the business of running the country yesterday and in case they had forgotten what it’s all about they were greeted by the familiar voices of protest against austerity on the streets outside Dáil Éireann. Nothing had changed.

A mother of three children with autism has brought a High Court action arising out of the social protection minister’s refusal to pay her the domiciliary care allowance in respect of her youngest child, Éadaoin, 2.

Dundalk 0 Shelbourne 1

Government parties may be on a collision course over plans to clamp down on the misuse of alcohol.

Philly Hughes was the Shelbourne hero at the Brandywell last night, having taken advantage of a Derry defensive howler to plunder the points.

Danny North scored in each half as Sligo Rovers kept their unbeaten Premier Division run intact last night.

Junior Health Minister Roisin Shorthall has said that Ireland's new minimum alcohol pricing will be similar to Scotland's.

It was a happy case of déjà vu for Cork City last night, as they returned to the scene of their First Division title win last season and, with an identical scoreline — and a near identical winning goal — this time secured just the second victory of their Premier Division campaign.

Dundalk, in eighth place, will accept their third goalless draw in six outings against fourth-placed Shelbourne in a game of few thrills and controlled largely by the visitors.

Cannabis-based medicinal products, such as Sativex, could soon be available to people with multiple sclerosis and other medical conditions on prescription.

The Government was criticised for failing to publicly endorse its own expert report on alcohol.

A spokesperson for the National Parents Council has said parents should give children small amounts of alcohol when they are at home.

Junior Health Minister Roisín Shortall has said there are "serious teething problems" with a new centralised system for medical card applications.

Drugs Minister Roisin Shorthall said today that she wants to clampdown on supermarkets who sell cheap alcohol to attract consumers.

The Drugs Minister Roisin Shorthall has said she will be announcing a new strategy to deal with the alcohol problem in Ireland later this year.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC are through to the semi-finals of the FAI Ford Cup — but only after being given one hell of a scare at Turner’s Cross.

RICHMOND PARK is full of brotherly love these days.

THE Blue army may not have been on hand in their droves to witness it but a new era of Dublin dominance may just have been ushered in at Croke Park.

MEATH reversed a first-round result to advance to the Leinster MFC final at the expense of Louth at Navan’s Páirc Tailteann last evening.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC closed the gap on Shamrock Rovers to a point in the Premier Division last night, but they didn’t have it all their own way against the league’s basement club, which played the majority of the second half with 10 men.

A DOMINANT second-half display marked by three goals saw St Patrick’s Athletic get their new campaign off to a winning start in Terryland Park last night.

The Labour Party says it remains to be seen if a deal can be done with Fine Gael.

Roisin Shorthall has been re-elected in Dublin North West on the first count.

BANK of Ireland is seeking judgment orders for €17.4 million against a property developer under personal guarantees provided by him over certain loans to three of his companies.

DCU’s recent love affair with the O’Byrne Cup grew yesterday thanks to an impressive last quarter against Meath that takes them into their second final in successive seasons.

Three houses for the mentally ill refurbished to the tune of €500,000 are lying empty because of a staffing freeze, it emerged today.

Two Wexford men who raped a Waterford mother at her home while restraining her with a rope around her neck have been jailed for 14 years by Mr Justice George Bermingham at the Central Criminal Court.

The former head of FÁS who walked out amid a scandal of lavish expenses run up through first class travel today claimed he did not like flying.

THE Government comfortably won a vote on its controversial medical card policy last night, after Fianna Fáil backbenchers and supporting Independent TDs put aside their strong concerns and cast their ballot in favour of the scheme.

UCD and Finn Harps play out another early season six-pointer tonight at the UCD Bowl, kick-off 7.45pm.

Labour Party TD Róisín Shorthall is accusing Fianna Fáil of cynicism over its attitude to the Aer Lingus controversy.

The fall in the number of drink-driving tests has undermined the campaign to put drink drivers off the road, it was claimed tonight.

UCD 0 Derry City 2

The Government has delayed the introduction of random breath testing for two years due to its close links with publicans, opposition TDs said today.

A junior transport minister was today accused of over-enthusiasm after he claimed the Government was planning a €16bn package for transport, including a metro system for Dublin.

Irish motorists are capable of easily adapting to the new metric speed limits, it was claimed today.

The Comptroller and Auditor General is to investigate a contract between the Government and National Toll Roads for the construction of the Westlink bridge in Dublin.

Archbishop of Cashel Dermot Clifford has called for the Premier County to offer Fermanagh a tournament game as a goodwill gesture, in light of the Tipp football team failing to fulfil their All-Ireland qualifier against the Ernesiders during the summer.

Seamus McCarthy is set to be named Tipperary football boss tonight, ending a long-running saga in the county and filling the last vacant inter-county football post.

Former Premier County football boss Seamus McCarthy has been strongly linked with a return to the position.