Finance Minister Michael Noonan has today published a new Bill aimed at giving the Central Bank a range of new powers and revising existing ones.

The Government is delaying plans for a referendum on whistle-blowing.

Waterford boss Davy Fitzgerald has revealed that he was the target of a series of late night telephone calls, following his side's disastrous Munster final display.

The Redheaded Vulture, a bird that thrived in South Asia feeding on the dead, is itself dying out.

Brian O’Driscoll admits “time is running out” as Ireland seek to halt the alarming slump in form that is threatening to undermine their World Cup.

Ireland 32 Namibia 17

Manchester United 2 Sporting Lisbon 1

Scotland 13 Argentina 19

Gretna 1 Celtic 2

Arsenal 3 Sunderland 2

New Zealand 108 Portugal 13

Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari will be investigated by UEFA over his role in the events that marred his side’s European Championship qualifier against Serbia in Lisbon.

Aidan O’Brien has declared his two big guns, Yeats and Scorpion, in a bid to win the Irish Field St Leger for the first time at the Curragh on Saturday.

Blackburn 4 Reading 2

Manchester City 1 Birmingham 0

Everton boss David Moyes was left fuming by a 2-1 defeat to city rivals Liverpool after his side conceded two penalties and finished with nine men.

British television presenters Ant and Dec are to donate profits from the next series of their show Saturday Night Takeaway as a “gesture of goodwill” after the ITV phone-in investigation, they announced today.

Leicester chairman Milan Mandaric has warned manager Gary Megson in no uncertain terms his future lies at the Walkers Stadium ahead of today’s Coca-Cola Championship clash at Scunthorpe.

France 10 Argentina 34

Scott McDonald and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink got the goals as Celtic rode their luck to end a two-match losing run and reach the CIS Insurance Cup quarter-finals.