Jan O’Sullivan, a Labour TD for the past 23 years and her 4,667 votes, in the end, brought Leddin into the fourth and final seat ahead of Independent Frankie Daly.

Fianna Fáil is back down to just one candidate in Limerick County after Cllr Eddie Ryan withdrew from the ticket - just twelve hours after he was added.

TDs and senators had to refund almost €10,000 in expenses this year after an audit found they could not provide supporting evidence to justify claiming such allowances.

A Dutch man who falsely claimed over €200,000 in social welfare while living outside of Ireland has received a four-year prison sentence.

A Fianna Fáil TD has said it is “bizarre” that politicians are denied access to the identities of members of the public who submit Freedom of Information requests on their expenses.

A Wicklow man mugged a Spanish national at knifepoint while on bail for a separate knifepoint robbery, a court has heard.

Two TDs who each claimed over €1,200 after hotel, dinner, and breakfast costs were deducted during a five-day trip to Switzerland, have defended the spending levels, saying Oireachtas rules allow them to receive the money.

‘Colour of Forgiveness’, sees Neville’s leading role character, ‘Tom’, spiral into a world of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, after his fiancé ditches him at the altar.

A scheme to help young people deal with mental health issues is being “blocked” by the Department of Public Expenditure, it can be revealed.

Unlike Enda Kenny, John Bruton and Michael Noonan before him, Leo Varadkar is in total control of his party, writes Daniel McConnell.

A simpler CAP is the aim of a raft of EU changes which came into force this week.

Armed gardaí will be on the streets of Rathkeale over the Christmas period as part of a major policing plan to deal with a massive influx of Travellers from all over Europe to the Co Limerick town.

Armed gardaí will be on the streets of Rathkeale over the Christmas period as part of a major policing plan to deal with a massive influx of Travellers from all over Europe to the Co Limerick town.

Fine Gael TDs and senators will be whipped into voting in favour of a significant beefing up of Ireland’s drink-driving laws, despite concerns about the impact it could have on rural communities.

Leo Varadkar’s supporters are defying overtures from Simon Coveney’s camp to change their position with one TD declaring he would not “commit political suicide” and reverse his stance.

When it comes to the dirty game of politics, all tactics are deployed, writes Elaine Loughlin.

Fine Gael TDs are split on refunding water charges, with half of those contacted by the Irish Examiner in favour of giving the money back and a near identical number saying non-payers must instead be pursued.

TDs and senators from across the political divide have taken a trip aboard the blood bus to highlight the importance of donating blood.

A man who stole almost €54,000 from the shop he worked in by awarding himself fake Lotto wins has been given a chance to repay the money to avoid jail.

At 10.39am, a panicked text was sent out with an URGENT catchline.

A mother has avoided a jail term after she admitted harassing a former family friend for two months over some “mild school banter” between the women’s young daughters.

Rural representatives have warned that the rising cost of car insurance will drive more young people from rural areas.

A UCC law graduate yesterday spoke of her “bitter sweet” emotions when she was co-opted onto Limerick City and County Council.

A film actor who starred in the Love/Hate TV series has been jailed for four and a half years after he admitted carrying out a €50,000 armed robbery.

Thousands of hurling fans queued for hours in Thurles last evening for the removal of Tipperary hurling great Jimmy Doyle, who passed away suddenly on Monday, aged 76.

A Laois resident who used a false PPS number to claim over €15,000 in unemployment benefits has received a two-year suspended sentence.

A former army officer has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison after he “dealt with the devil” and got caught with almost €400,000 worth of herbal cannabis.

A man who dragged a woman to the ground and repeatedly kicked her in the face and head has been given a three-and-a-half year sentence with the final two years suspended.

A sixty-year-old Limerick father carried €140,000 worth of cocaine from Limerick to Dublin on the train, a court has heard.

A full-time carer is to be sentenced later after he was caught carrying just under €37,000 of heroin in a 10-litre mayonnaise bucket.

A Galway man who pulled out a firearm and threatened to shoot a dog owner after their dogs became entangled has avoided a jail term.

A Galway man who suffers from depression pulled out a firearm and threatened to shoot a dog owner after their dogs became entangled.

A man has been jailed for six years after he tied a 14-year-old boy to a radiator, threw boiling water down his trousers and removed skin from his knees, knuckles and fingertips with a cheese grater.

The Central Criminal Court trial of a Dublin father accused of sexually abusing three of his children has reached its closing stages.

A Central Criminal Court jury in the trial of a Dublin father accused of sexually abusing three of his children has been hearing closing speeches from counsel.

A consultant paediatrician has told a Central Criminal Court rape trial jury that genital injuries to a child from sexual abuse could heal within days and not leave any residual findings.

A father accused of sexually abusing his three children told gardaí that he had written a letter purporting to admit molesting his daughters but said the allegations were made so the children could get home from care.

THE head of the Garda Inspectorate yesterday said superintendents had an “unacceptable” amount of bureaucracy to deal with.

A LIMERICK community whose contaminated water supply has been subject to a “boil notice” for the past 16 months was hit with a new water scare yesterday following further contamination.

A CO Limerick community has paid out over €200,000 for bottled water since the local supply was declared unsafe last October.