The Garda Commissioner has undertaken not to examine or otherwise attempt to access information on the phone of a newspaper editor as part of an investigation into incidents at a repossessed house in Strokestown, Roscommon, the High Court has heard.

A judge has rejected a State application to confiscate the “hard-earned” income of two prostitutes which was stolen and later recovered.

A former senior civil servant has been jailed for 16 months for defrauding the taxpayer out of nearly €17,000.