Cabinet to give its approval to damehoods for Irish citizens

Female equivalent of knighthood awarded by British queen

Waterford-born Oxford academic Louise Richardson has been awarded a damehood.

The Cabinet is to give its approval to the awarding by Britain's Queen Elizabeth of damehoods to Waterford-born Oxford academic Louise Richardson and Limerick-born NHS boss Marianne Griffiths.

The Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) is the second-highest honour bestowed by the Queen and is the female equivalent to a knighthood.