Plans for special Brexit summit in November officially scrapped - EU official

The EU has dropped plans for a special Brexit summit next month because not enough progress has been made in the negotiations, according to an official.

Leaders have agreed to reconsider the decision if chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier reports a breakthrough in the coming weeks.

It comes after the UK Prime Minister addressed the heads of the remaining European governments ahead of a working dinner at the EU Summit in Brussels this evening.

Theresa May left her European counterparts to consider their next steps following her 15 minute speech.

Man who tried to kill four children is jailed for eight years

A man has been jailed for eight years for trying to kill four children.

The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to four counts of attempted murder.

This man cannot be identified to protect the children involved and for this reason, many of the details of what happened have to be excluded.

The court heard he tried to strangle the four children and left two of the younger ones for dead.

Calls for Peter Casey to withdraw from Presidential race over Traveller comments

Presidential candidate Peter Casey will tomorrow visit a Tipperary housing development which he says members of the Travelling community refused "because they want stables."

This evening a spokesperson for the 61-year-old said he will not be making a statement amid controversy over comments he made about the Travelling community in the Irish Independent's Floating Voter podcast. 

The comments sparked condemnation from his fellow candidates - and calls from the Irish Traveller Movement for him to retract and apologise. 

"I don't believe that Travellers should be given special status," Mr Casey told the podcast. "Why should they be given status over and above yourself or myself?"

Flanagan issues Dáil apology to Sergeant Maurice McCabe

The Minister for Justice has apologised to Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe in the Dáil.

Last week the Disclosures Tribunal found that Sgt McCabe was the victim of a smear campaign carried out by the former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and former Garda Press Officer Dave Taylor.

It found that Sgt McCabe had been "repulsively denigrated for being no more than a good citizen and police officer."

It said he was a genuine person who kept the interests of the people of Ireland uppermost in his mind at all times.

Irish artists highlighting homelessness with major funding drive

A group of artists in Ireland have erected a new mural in Dublin to highlight the ongoing homeless crisis.

SUBSET Dublin has been running its #greyareaproject in recent months in an attempt to change the laws around large-scale public artwork in Ireland.

The artists working across a range of different mediums are aiming to make Ireland’s towns and cities more vibrant, while “doing our bit for those in need.”

All proceeds from the campaign – which includes the sale of prints, t-shirts and caps – will go to the Inner City Helping Homeless charity.