Four nursing home organisations have joined forces to form Nursing Homes Ireland.

Dublin City Council has passed a motion calling for the abolition of the Health Service Executive.

Ever since Ken Loach’s classic Cathy Come Home highlighted the plight of the homeless, the film director and the charity Shelter appeared to be a match made in heaven.

Nearly four out of five Ulster people would want to be cared for at home if terminally ill, but the majority still die in hospital, new research said.

The organ retention support group, Parents for Justice, had to leave its national headquarters in Dublin yesterday after facing a funding crisis.

One of the country’s largest HIV/Aids support groups today said it was seriously concerned after a massive jump in the numbers contracting the disease.

People working with the homeless have expressed concern after it emerged that no funding will be made available to establish new homeless services this year.

Nursing homes around the country are reportedly facing the prospect of having to undergo major modifications to comply with new regulations.

Only 17 out of 181 children in care in Northern Ireland who sat GCSE examinations in 2006 obtained five or more passes from grade A* to C, it can be revealed.

A total of 1,200 ambulance staff employed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) have voted for industrial action which could affect 999 services all over the country.