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1. Woman and two children die in Dublin apartment fire
A woman and two children have died in an apartment fire in Dublin on Wednesday morning.
Gardaí and fire services were called to the scene of the fire at Cluainin Cronan, Clondalkin at about 2.30am.
Five people were in the apartment at the time, two men and three children.
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A 27-year-old woman and two girls, aged 2 and 3-years-old were taken to Tallaght Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later.
2. An Post warns it cannot meet wage bill next month
An Post has told the Government it will face cash-flow difficulties next month unless it can immediately increase the price of stamps.
Ministers say the company will be unable to meet its €10 million-a-week wage bill in April unless it receives an immediate cash injection through increasing the price of stamps.
An Post chief executive David McRedmond told The Irish Times last night that a “price increase is an essential measure for the company”.
3. Katherine Zappone seeks AG advice on abortion Bill
Minister for Children Katherine Zappone was told by four of her women Cabinet colleagues that an abortion Bill she sought more time to examine would help abusive partners rather than pregnant women.
The Cabinet has once again disagreed on an Opposition abortion Bill with Ms Zappone seeking further advice from the Attorney General on the proposal from the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit and Green Party.
The Bill, due to be voted on on Thursday, seeks to change a section of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act. It would alter the punishment for someone found guilty of the destruction of an unborn life from a “fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years, or both” to “a fine of not more than €1”.
4. 'Tuam people shouldn't feel guilty ... it's a national issue'Tuam band the Saw Doctors made reference to the State's attitude to unintended pregnancy in the lyrics of their song Everyday.
The Bon Secours mother and babies home had been closed for 35 years when Leo Moran and Davy Carton wrote it, but Moran has never viewed attitudes to women as being particular to their town.
“The same goes for now with the mother and baby homes commission – this is a national issue, and it just so happens that Tuam’s name is out there,” he said while taking a break from rehearsals in Headford. “I don’t think people in Tuam should feel guilty or ashamed, because what occurred out the road in the home reflected Irish society in general at that that time.”
5. Four universities attain top 100 rank for various subjects
Four Irish universities have taken top-100 positions for at least one subject in the latest world university rankings.
The leading performance for any one subject in Ireland was achieved by University College Dublin (UCD), which rose two places to 29th position for veterinary science.
Further top 50 positions were taken by Trinity College Dublin, ranked 36th for the study of nursing, and, by UCD, which rose to 45th position for English language and literature.