Only a generation ago, Fine Gael were able to take three of the four seats in the Cork East constituency. Now they're barely able to hold onto one.

Pat Buckley, from Midleton, topped the poll with an impressive 12,587 first preferences, which got him elected on the first count as the quota was 10,909.

Pat Buckley was elected on the first count in Cork East.

The Government has announced the establishment of a special group to examine the supports afforded to asylum seekers, including direct provision, which will be chaired by a former secretary general of the European Commission.

Round-the-clock protests were held recently against a proposal to house up to 130 asylum-seekers in Ballinamore this month.

In a memo to be brought to Government today Mr Ross will seek to impose higher sanctions for those travelling at higher speeds.

A new refugee resettlement scheme which has seen Irish communities open their arms to welcome those fleeing war and persecution is to be rolled out nationwide.

Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration, David Stanton has called on the protesters at the Achill Head Hotel to “stand down”.

Representatives of Ballinamore Community Group claimed the Minister of State at Department of Justice and Equality David Stanton agreed to pause plans to accommodate asylum seekers in the town.

No five-year-old child should be eating his or her dinner from a piece of cardboard on the street the Tánaiste has told the Dáil.

The final cost this year of providing direct provision accommodation for asylum seekers will be up to €60m over budget – almost double the original allocation set for 2019.

The Department of Justice has said it is "disappointing" that a bidder has withdrawn from the tender process to provide a Direct Provision centre in Oughterard, Co Galway.

The developer seeking a contract to provide a centre for asylum seekers in Oughterard, Co Galway, has denied making “intimidating” comments to a delegation of residents last week.

A masterplan has been unveiled for a multi-million euro redevelopment of the former Irish Fertiliser Industries (IFI) site at Marino Point in Cork harbour, which will include a mix of industries and a new cruise ship berth.

The Government’s much-awaited second national cyber security strategy is due to be published in the coming weeks.

An independent regulator, with 100 staff, to clamp down on gambling will be in place by the end of next year.

Speaking against the background of violent criminal feuds in Drogheda, Co Louth, and Corduff and Finglas in west Dublin, the country’s superintendents said the drugs trade had “permeated” towns and villages nationwide.

In the third of a five-part series on the local elections, Kevin O’Neill profiles the revamped Cork City North-West district

A new law to name and shame companies with a poor record of equal pay for female staff has been introduced by the Government, five years after being asked to do so by the European Commission.

The legislation aims to provide more transparency on the extent of the gender pay gap in firms with over 250 employees.

It will begin with a GYDP Action Research Project that will work with 15 GYDPs across 10 counties over a two-year period in order to identify and disseminate best practice in working with young people at risk.

Asylum seekers at the Clonakilty Lodge direct provision centre have held a protest because they claim they were not told of a visit to the centre on Monday by the minister of state for equality, immigration, and integration, David Stanton.

A protest is being held by asylum seekers at the Clonakilty Lodge facility this morning after residents claimed they were not told of a visit to the centre yesterday by the Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration.

The private firm that is shutting down the largest direct provision centre in the capital received payments totalling €27.5m from the State over an 11 year period for operating the centre, new figures show.

The mayors of Cork city and county have called for a multimillion-euro Government stimulus package as both local authorities embark on unprecedented reorganisation.

Charlie Flanagan and David Stanton have announced the publication of the Government's gender pay gap legislation.

Students from Co Limerick who campaigned to raise awareness among teenagers about the dangers of sexting have won the title of Young Social Innovators of the Year 2018.

A dedicated crèche facility has been created at a refugee centre in west Waterford to cater for children of migrants awaiting permanent relocation, here.

North Monastery Secondary School in Cork became the first school in the county to achieve Yellow Flag status.

The Government may have to pull its multimillion-euro publicity campaign on domestic violence after victims said it insults them.

A brown envelope containing €2,000 cash was handed over to a man walking his dog in a woodland by another man who wanted a witness not to give evidence in a trial.

The Government will consider fresh proposals to extend unpaid parental leave to 26 weeks, which could help parents juggling care for babies and workplace commitments.

Punters can now enjoy a legal Good Friday drink in their local pub as politicians finally lifted a controversial ban after 91 years.

Gambling companies have called on the Government to lay its cards on the table regarding regulation of the industry, saying it seemed legislation was being deliberately stalled.

A number of government departments are to work together to address the gender pay gap which stands at 13.9% in Ireland against an EU average of 16.7%.

The prosecution in the case of the father and daughter charged with the murder of an Irish businessman want to present statements from a member of the 911 emergency team who said the call made about the fatal incident was “surprisingly calm”.

The Government has been urged to ensure gardaí in Cork are properly trained and equipped for armed conflict, amid threats by local officers to withdraw services.

The Cobh local electoral area has been officially designated as a national rent pressure zone (RPZ) to tackle rising rents.

The State wants to control the unregulated trade in imitation firearms, because they can be a “threat to public safety”, if misused.

Sentences of up to 10 years will be available to the courts to deal with new offences to protect state bodies and businesses from cyber criminals and hackers.

Italy’s refusal to allow gardaí assess migrants on Italian soil before they are transferred here is stalling the Government’s commitment to take in 2,662 migrants by year’s end, according to the Department of Justice.

Five years after the Government said it was to “immediately” start modernising the country’s 50-year-old gambling laws, legislation has still not been implemented.