Supreme Court refuses to hear final challenge to abortion referendum result

The Supreme Court has refused to hear a Dublin woman's challenge to May’s abortion referendum result.

Joanna Jordan from Dún Laoghaire had taken the case in the lower courts, alleging the register of electors was overstated.

She also raised concerns over the participation of members of the Government in the Yes campaign.

The High Court had already rejected her application, and the Supreme Court won’t allow her to appeal that decision.

'Thousands of children's lives at imminent risk' as Russia and Iran reject Syria ceasefire calls

The United Nations is warning that the lives of over one million children are at “imminent risk” ahead of an expected assault on the last rebel-held province in Syria.

At a tri-lateral summit in Iran this afternoon, the leaders of Turkey, Iran and Russia failed to agree on a ceasefire that would have delayed a full-scale attack on the city of Idlib by Syrian Government forces.

In recent days, Turkish President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan has warned that an attack on the area would be a “serious massacre” and called for a ceasefire.

However, at the Summit this afternoon, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani rejected the calls.

Nurses claim HSE totally unprepared for hospital overcrowding this winter

Irish nurses have accused the HSE of being totally unprepared for the inevitable influx of extra patients this winter.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) made the claim after a meeting with HSE and Department of Health officials today.

It said officials revealed that they had yet to decide on a plan to ensure safe levels of staffing in Emergency Departments for the winter.

The union also warned that there is also no plan in place to redistribute personnel from other areas towards EDs - or to guarantee stand-in staff to cover maternity leave.

UK's Northern Ireland Secretary admits she didn't understand NI politics when she started job

The UK's Northern Ireland Secretary has admitted she didn't understand politics in the North voted when she started the job.

Karen Bradley took over the role from her predecessor James Brokenshire earlier this year.

In an interview with a Houses of Parliament magazine, Ms Bradley confessed she didn't understand "some of the deep-seated and deep-rooted issues that there are in Northern Ireland".

She explained: "I didn’t understand things like when elections are fought for example in Northern Ireland, people who are nationalists don’t vote for unionist parties and vice-versa. So, the parties fight for the election within their own community.

Government to consider bringing back SSIA saving scheme

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said any proposal to reinstate the SSIA savings scheme has to be considered.

The Special Saving Incentive Account was launched more than 17 years ago.

They were a five-year scheme, which was topped up the Exchequer.

It gave taxpayers back €1 for every €4 they saved.

For example, if you lodged €100 each month to an SSIA, you were entitled to receive €25 each month by way of a tax credit.