Fianna Fáil has not revealed its hand as yet on the childcare issue – this, presumably, will be done in the forthcoming Budget. The party states that the Government will continue to support parents by providing more child benefit, more childcare places in every county and by investing in early education.
When it comes to childcare, Ireland is a half-century behind other developed countries, and the issue is set to be a major one at the next General Election. The political parties are now vying with each other to rectify the State's huge neglect in this area
Before 2002, sexual abuse figures available in Ireland were based on only the numbers seeking counselling or reporting sexual abuse to gardaí. But SAVI (Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland ) revealed the true extent of abuse
A shocking report was published three-and-a-half years ago revealing the scale of child sexual abuse. In the meantime the Government has failed to implement the key recommendations of that report and are still stalling. By Emma Browne, Sara Burke and Vincent Browne
Dr Garry Fitzgerald: Ireland has a drink problem, what does it mean for our population
Almost 1,000 people die in road accidents and from suicide each year and yet there is no sense of crisis or urgency
Where is Europe going today? asks Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. What are the signs of hope? Which are the signs which should cause us concern? On what principles will the Europe of the future base its values? What will be the contribution of faith and of men and women of faith to the construction of those values?
The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) has denied sending contradictory messages to the public by using a celebrity to promote a 'give blood' campaign who is disqualified from donating blood.
Thousands of people with disabilities living in long stay accommodation are facing substantial increases in charges, as a direct result of the Health Regulations, 2005 rushed through the Dail by Mary Harney on 15 June 2005.
The past few months have been personally fulfilling as I discovered the meaning of independence. For the first time in my life, I have 100 per cent of the decision-making power. In the past, other people played a role in determining what I did, when I did it and how I did it. The provision of a personal assistant has given me this autonomy. I just completed a BA degree and I plan to start an LLB degree in September at NUI, Galway. My interest in the law stems largely from a desire to ensure that rights and privileges of people with disabilities have a clear expression in Irish law.