Week 35 - Tuesday

Ireland’s pub industry continues to decline, with a quarter of pubs closing since 2005. Offaly has lost more than a third of its pubs, while Laois and Westmeath have also seen significant closures. A new recruitment drive is creating 30 caregiver jobs across Laois and Kildare, as demand grows for home care services that allow people to live more independently. Parents of young people involved in criminal activity need greater support rather than punishment, according to former prison governor John Lonergan, amid calls for penalties to tackle youth antisocial behaviour.