A great man for the one-liners is our Micheál. As we prepared to quiz him about their TV encounter and Leo Varadkar’s car crash response to that illegal drug question (some cannabis in college but that was a long time ago) the Fianna Fáil leader was unexpectedly wreathed in smoke from a nearby ventilation system.

A man serving a 13-year sentence for a violent sexual assault has been given another three years consecutively for severely injuring a prison officer who wouldn't let him use the phone.

A DUBLIN mother-of-eight and her pregnant daughter are still full of Christmas cheer as they enter the fifth day of a frosty 10-day vigil in search of the ultimate holiday bargain.