1. Crunch-time at Leinster House
The Fianna Fáil leader has told Independent TDs the time has come for them to declare their support for either him or Enda Kenny as taoiseach. Mr Martin has told the 15 Independent TDs involved in discussions that today is their last chance to vote for him as taoiseach. It is a high-stakes move. The Fianna Fáil leader is testing the resolve of the Independent deputies who say they would support him if they could, but believe the numbers are with Enda Kenny.Meanwhile, the Parties face paradigm shift as any minority government would demand change. Such a minority administration can work, but would demand subtle skills, according to a British report. Miriam Lord asks whether the Independents willcling to Micheál's leg, stick with Enda or Or do a runner
2. Student loan scheme unlikely within lifetime of next government
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have both proposed that a report which examines the feasibility of a student loan scheme for third-level education should be referred to an Oireachtas committee. Draft policy documents produced by both parties indicate that no quick decision will be made on the issue. With numbers going to third level projected to grow by 30 per cent over the next 11 years, experts say an extra €1 billion is required just to keep pace with demand. Meanwhile, mandatory gender quotas should be introduced in NUI Galway to increase the number of female academics in senior posts, a major inquiry set up after it lost a gender discrimination legal battle will report shortly. Women currently hold just over half of all of the lecturer posts at the university, but their numbers fall to 30 per cent at senior lecturer level and 10 per cent at associate professor level. Just 14 per cent are full professors. Elsewhere, the HEA has said college students should be treated as partners not consumers. Also of interest to many students will be the move announced yesterday by Facebook it has introduced a new tool aimed at tackling harassment on the social media platform. The feature automatically sends users an alert if it detects another person is impersonating their account by using their name and profile photo. The safety tool has been tested in parts of the world since last November but is being rolled out to all users this week, according to Julie De Bailliencourt, Facebook's Dublin-based safety policy manager.
3. Dublin’s heroin problem
There are about 3,000 injecting drug users in Dublin with about 400 openly injecting in the city each month. The detritus, human and otherwise, of open drug injecting is visible across Dublin city centre on any morning. In this video, we talk to heroin users and service providers. Tony Duffin, director of the Ana Liffey drugs project on Middle Abbey Street, points out the small bright green "wraps" of citric acid, small plastic, empty, bottles of saline water, syringes and burnt tin-foil, within a two-minute walk of his centre. Citric acid and saline water are used to break down heroin while it's heated on foil, to make it injectable. Meanwhile, homeless numbers went up by 49% in February
4. Riverdance duo’s Howth home for €9.5m
Moya Doherty and John McColgan, are downsizing.Their 9,000sq ft home is on the market. When enterprising duo, Moya Doherty and John McColgan, took the world by storm with Riverdance in 1995 and the till started ringing to the tune of €90 million, the world lay at their feet when it came to where they might live. The couple chose Howth, a part of Dublin close to their hearts, and closer to the city than their Co Meath home of the time. Check out this video to see how the other half lives.
5. Take your pick
Planning rules forcing Kerry people to live like 'hobbits' Maura Healy-Rae says ban on one-off houses on elevated sites leads to building in 'hollows'
Nothing lost in translation on Man Booker International list: High class shortlist of six shows strength of work published in English translation
Link confirmed between Zika and birth defect microcephaly: US experts say discovery should pave way for increased funding in disease revention
Fashion Forward: River Island's 'Studio' collection arrives Dominique McMullan and Deirdre McQuillan round up this week's style news and tips
