Tallaght hospital has said that an estimation by Trinity College Dublin public health specialist Prof Tom O'Dowd that 30,000 GP referral letters were unopened was incorrect.
The central and over-riding priority in all aspects of health care, in every hospital, at every meeting and in every last detail of administration is the interest of patients.
The tourism group behind a new ferry service linking Cork with Swansea has expressed confidence for the future of the service which today saw the ship arrive in Cork on its maiden voyage from the Welsh port.
The Department of Finance was accused today of undermining viable hotels by giving out ?329 million in tax breaks for new developments over a four-year period.
Two more people have died after contracting swine flu, bringing the total number of fatalities from the virus in the Republic to 24, health authorities confirmed this afternoon.