A 38-year-old pedestrian has died following a crash in County Laois.

A drunk driver jailed for the death of a four-year-old boy has had 18 months cut from his jail term following an appeal.

The Department of Health Chief Medical Officer concedes that “a determination not to reveal the clear and full facts to patients who deserve them” has been a recurrent theme in cases where the health service failed those in its care.

Specialist counselling is to be offered to the near 20,000 women and their partners and families who suffer miscarriage, perinatal death, fatal foetal abnormality, termination or who travel for an abortion each year.

IT seems extraordinary that this is the first time that Ireland will have a national maternity system that is actually focused on the mother.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

The father of a newborn boy who died at Portlaoise Hospital three years ago has called on Health Minister Leo Varadkar to order a public inquiry into infant deaths at the hospital.

The head of the HSE has pushed the blame for the deaths of newborn babies at Portlaoise Hospital back onto Government, claiming decisions to keep unviable services at the facility was “a matter of policy” which the HSE is “obliged to follow”.

The HSE has been accused of ignoring “more than a decade” of serious patient safety concerns flagged by staff, patients, and official reports, culminating in the deaths of eight newborn babies in “extremely traumatising” circumstances.

Midwifery practice standards that put the mother at the centre of decision making have been published by the nursing regulator.

The mother of one of the babies who died at Portlaoise hospital said it was “disgusting” people like her should find themselves in the middle of a dispute between two state agencies.

A post mortem is being carried out on a baby who died at Portlaoise Hospital at the weekend.

The HSE has confirmed that a perinatal death took place at Portlaoise Hospital two days ago, on March 8.

The HSE's Chief Operational Officer said disciplinary action will be taken "where warranted" over the deaths of four newborn babies at Portlaoise Hospital.

In a passionate contribution to this week’s Dáil debate around GSOC bugging and garda whistleblowers, independent deputy Mick Wallace described our parliament in less than flattering terms and suggested that public cynicism about our political system is entirely justified.

An 18-year-old man has died following a road crash in Co Tipperary.

A 20-year-old man has died after attending the Electric Picnic music festival in Co Laois.

The M7 motorway has re-opened at Portlaoise after this morning's series of crashes.

One person has been taken to hospital following a series of crashes on the motorway at Portlaoise.

A FATHER-OF-THREE has been cleared at the Central Criminal Court of murdering a cattle farmer in a row over a stray animal.

A Detective Garda has reiterated his evidence in the case of a two brothers accused of murdering a Co Offaly farmer, telling the Central Criminal Court he heard one of the accused say: "I hit him, you can arrest and charge me," when he arrived at the scene.

A witness in the trial of two brothers accused of murdering a 49-year-old farmer in Co Laois has denied that the deceased called one of the accused “scum” and told the other there was “bad and dirty breeding” in him.

Two brothers have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of murdering a Co Offaly farmer two years ago.

A Limerick criminal serving a life sentence for a violent murder 12 years ago has died in jail.

Two men have died following a crash in Co Offaly.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has admitted the reports into the cancer misdiagnosis crisis at Portlaoise Hospital revealed “critical issues” that had to be addressed.

THE civil servant at the centre of claims that the Government tried to cover up the extent of a cancer misdiagnosis scare has been appointed to a new position as special adviser to Tánaiste Brian Cowen.

A GOVERNMENT department receives a warning about an issue but the minister is never made aware of the problem — sound familiar?

Two reports into the cancer misdiagnosis scandal at Portlaoise Hospital will be published tomorrow, the Taoiseach confirmed tonight.

Minister for Health Mary Harney has today said that she will be publishing one of the reports into the cancer screening crisis at Portlaoise Hospital in the next few days.

The Opposition today rounded on the Government after it emerged a report probing the misdiagnoses of cancer patients must receive legal clearance before publication.

Minister for Health Mary Harney has faced down a barrage of criticism in the Dáil from opposition TDs demanding her resignation.

Minister for Health Mary Harney is facing one of the toughest periods of her political career as the Dáil prepares to debate a motion of no confidence in her handling of the health service.

A FINNISH pathologist whose work at Cork University Hospital (CUH) is the subject of an independent review has been reported to the Medical Council.

The Health Service Executive said this evening tests will begin tomorrow on the 97 women being recalled for surgical review at Portlaoise Hospital.

Patients groups are calling for an independent inquiry into the breast cancer misdiagnosis scandal at Portlaoise Hospital.

The HSE is due to begin making contact today with the latest women facing a new examination due to the breast cancer misdiagnosis scandal at Portlaoise Hospital.

“YOU’RE damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t,” said one senior HSE official yesterday when asked why it chose a Dáil committee as the means of informing almost 600 women in the midlands that they may not be clear of breast cancer as they had been led to believe.

The HSE has revealed that at least 97 more women are to be recalled for more tests amid the cancer misdiagnosis scandal at Portlaoise Hospital.

Minister for Health Mary Harney has said she has confidence in the review of mammograms being carried out following the cancer misdiagnosis scandal at Portlaoise Hospital.

Minister for Health Mary Harney and HSE chief executive Brendan Drumm are expected to face tough questions when they appear before the Oireachtas Health Committee in Leinster House today.

Minister for Health Mary Harney has denied responsibility for the delay in the rollout of a proposed national screening programme for cervical cancer.

HSE chief executive Professor Brendan Drumm has been criticised by Sinn Féin spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin after attending Drumm's briefing for Oireachtas members today.

The cancer misdiagnosis scandal at Portlaoise Hospital is expected to dominate today's weekly meeting of the Cabinet in Dublin.