Nurses have announced details of further work stoppages for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Hospitals and mental health services in Sligo, Louth, Cork, Dublin, Laois, Offaly and Clare are being targeted.

Health should be the top priority for the new Ulster Assembly, a survey has revealed. According to the YouGov poll which questioned more than 2,000 people across the UK, health was voted the top spending priority for the next Executive, ahead of law and order, education, defence and the environment.

BBC Children in Need has announced grants totalling more than £1.2m for projects in Northern Ireland. One hundred and sixty-four schemes will benefit, including one in Lurgan to help alienated young people.

Nurses working for five health service providers around the country will hold a one-hour work stoppage later this morning, as part of their campaign for better pay and shorter working hours.

Our Health Service faces a time of unpopular but necessary restructuring – some of which will be left to the new Assembly. Claire Regan reports on the task ahead for our new Health Minister and MLAs.

A poll commissioned by the Irish Penal Reform Trust has found that the majority of voters surveyed prefer non-custodial programmes over prison for most offenders.

There is no sign of any moves today to resolve the long-running nurses’ pay dispute as hospitals in Dublin and Roscommon prepare for the latest round of work stoppages tomorrow.

Residents in some of Limerick’s troubled housing estates will no longer have to turn directly to gardai in the battle against anti-social behaviour.

The nurses’ dispute is due to escalate today with one-hour work stoppages taking place at St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin, South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel and St Luke’s Psychiatric Hospital, also in Clonmel.

Ms Margaret Yarr has been appointed by the Representative Church Body as Child Protection Officer for the Church of Ireland with particular responsibility for Northern Ireland.