MICHAEL Noonan made an extraordinary admission in the Dáil on Thursday.

SOCIETY may have changed dramatically in recent decades but when it comes to relationships, Irish people still look for love among those of the same social class, education, nationality, religion and age as themselves.

IRISH couples are bucking western trends by marrying more, divorcing less and having more children.

IRISH women are having more babies per capita than their European counterparts, despite having few financial incentives and poor childcare support, a survey has revealed.