55 million New Year text messages sent

Up to 55 million text messages were reportedly sent from Irish mobile phones over the New Year.

The figure is based on a prediction by a mobile messaging company and amounts to around 14 messages for each of Ireland's four million mobile users.

It is also more than three times the number of text messages sent on Irish phones on New Year's Eve in 2003.

Reports this morning say one independent Galway TD got in on the act by texting all his constituents to wish them a "happy, healthy and prosperous New Year".