Some 53 victims of human trafficking, including five children, were officially identified in Ireland in 2023, while a “stark increase” in female victims was also recorded.

Mr Gloster said that he  was very conscious that every time the case was spoken of that there was a family involved who were coping with what had been “the worst possible outcome.”

About 230,000 children suffered from material deprivation in 2023, an increase of 30,000 children compared with 2022.

The Government has announced that a Commission of Investigation is to be established to examine the abuse allegations.

Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Pearse Doherty and Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien clashed in the Dáil on Thursday

The recommendation is one of more than 100 contained in two reports which were ordered by the Government which were published on Tuesday, alongside an examination on the organisation’s use of the so-called barter account

The Norwegian Centre for Human Rights examined state actions during the conflict.

Two independent reports into RTE’s governance and culture were commissioned by the Minister for Media.

The final report, published on Wednesday, makes 38 recommendations

The organisation launched its Report Card 2024 on Tuesday, which grades the coalition government on the progress made in commitments to children contained in the Programme for Government.

The latest State of the Nation's Children report found 40.3 per cent of primary school children were absent for more than 20 days during the 2021/2022 school year

Almost one third of tenants said their rent is higher than it was when they began their tenancy

When asked by Ms Lawlor if the incident with the accused had an impact on him, he replied that after “the event there was a wall around me”.

Research as part of the Healthy Ireland initiative found 80 per cent of people rated their health as being good or very good this year, down from 82 per cent in 2022