Over the past two years, the Garda, the police force, has spent almost one million euros to buy 16 cars to transport ministers; more "gardaí", the Guards, are assigned to ministers because of the increase in protests by the far-right

Vada and Borgo restaurants have been added to the Michelin Guide, bringing to 112 the number of restaurants in the Republic featured in the listings; both are located in Dublin 7 and both are relatively new openings

The Greater Dublin Drainage project, seen as a key piece of infrastructure enabling house building and growth in the capital, is to move forward after a judicial review was settled; due to be completed this year, it will serve up to 500.000 people

“Something like an Olympic village” could be built to accommodate the 8.000 construction workers needed for the completion of the planned new metro system running from Dublin city to the airport; the facility could subsequently be returned to the State