100 new full-time jobs are on the way to counties Laois and Carlow - after Topaz announced its building two new motorway service stations.

JOURNEY times between the south-east and Dublin are to be cut by almost an hour within the next two years, with work getting underway yesterday on the new N9 Carlow bypass.

The two young motorcyclists who were killed in holiday weekend accidents have been named. 23-year-old John Paul O'Connor from Glenmorgan, Co Tipperary, died when his motorbike collided with a wall at Dundrum in the county.