This year, Ireland topped all Six Nations teams for number of tackles made during the tournament (888). It was also a record for the number of tackles completed by an Irish side in the Six Nations era (from 2000 onwards). [ How Ireland’s set-piece detail returned with a vengeance against ScotlandOpens in new window ]Ireland led the way in a number of defensive stats in the Six Nations. Photograph: Brian LawlessAs Ireland’s defensive workload has increased, and with it the ability to repel sides close to the line, the required attacking efficiency to match has also been there. One efficient Six Nations campaign is a small sample size, but what offers encouragement is Ireland’s direction of travel.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is currently ‘behind schedule’ in implementing action plans for existing flood-hit areas, despite Ireland already being impacted by climate-change-induced flooding, an Oireachtas committee will hear on Thursday. The OPW — the State’s property manager, which also holds responsibility for flood mitigation schemes across the country — will appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday, together with Met Éireann, to discuss the adaptation of ongoing flood management schemes to the impacts of climate change. “Recent attribution studies have shown that climate change is already impacting flood events,” Mr Conlon will tell the committee, adding that Ireland must “be prepared to deal with and manage the increased flood risk arising from climate change”. Despite this, the OPW has informed the PAC that the CCAC’s evaluation of the progress being made in terms of the delivery of the flood risk management sector is “’good’ overall in all of the assessments undertaken”. However, the agency has acknowledged that it is currently “behind schedule” on four of the 67 actions it is required to perform under the Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan, one of which is the instigation of ‘community climate action programmes’ for all 56 existing flood relief schemes.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been lambasted by the opposition for not being critical enough of US president Donald Trump’s war in Iran and not correcting him on President Catherine Connolly’s gender. The Taoiseach met with Mr Trump in the Oval Office for over 40 minutes on Tuesday as part of the annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations. During the meeting, Mr Martin said that the US president was “doing his bit” for peace in the Middle East. “I don't think Micheál Martin successfully represented the Irish people's position, who strongly oppose international law being broken and who strongly oppose illegal wars. “But I think it's really important that Micheál Martin said what he said in relation to immigration and also in relation to Europe.”In the Dáil, Fianna Fáil justice minister Jim O’Callaghan also praised Mr Martin.

A large crowd gathers in Tehran on Wednesday for the funeral of Ali Larijani, Iran’s top security official, who was killed in an Israeli strike. The announcement came after attacks on the huge Iranian South Pars gasfield and on a refinery in Asaluyeh, a large energy hub on Iran’s Gulf coast. The South Pars offshore gasfield, which Iran shares with Qatar, is the largest such facility in the world. Global oil and gas prices rose sharply after the attacks, which according to Israeli media reports were carried out by Israel in co-ordination with Washington. Israel confirmed it killed Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, in an overnight air strike on Tehran.

Public meeting in Tullamore to help people get to grips with electricity billsA public meeting will be held in Tullamore Library next week to help residents of Offaly become better acquainted with reading and understanding electricity bills. The meeting will be held by members of Offaly County Council's Climate Action Team at Tullamore Library, O'Connor Square on Monday, March 23 from 10am to 12.45pm. The aim of the meeting is to assist people to understand unit rates, standings charges and meter types, as well as providing information on how to possibly reduce energy usage with practical tips. The meeting will be open to all and people are encouraged to bring along energy bills, while also receiving advice on how best to use their energy provider's mobile application.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka said she is unsure about her return to the Dubai Championships after its tournament director criticised her withdrawal this year, labelling the demand for tougher penalties on late pullouts a "ridiculous" idea. "I think it's ridiculous," Belarusian Sabalenka told reporters at the Miami Open on Tuesday. For me, it's actually so sad to see that the tournament directors and the tournaments not protecting us as players. World number four Coco Gauff urged a more understanding view of Swiatek and Sabalenka pulling out of Dubai. I completely understand why she [Sabalenka] would feel like that because the comments were unnecessary."

‘You’ve just got to bide your time’ – Luton’s Josh Keeley on his hopes of making Ireland squad for play-offsMeath goalkeeper (22) has no regrets about Spurs exit as he looks to boost his international hopesJosh Keeley at Luton Town's training ground, The Brache. Photo: Seán O'ConnorSeán O'Connor Today at 14:30It’s match day minus one at Luton Town’s training centre and although the weather outside is wet and gloomy, inside the vibes are anything but.

This follows South Dublin County Council granting a three-year extension to the five-year permission for the €200m 454-residential-unit scheme obtained by Hugh McGreevy & Sons Ltd at Tubber Lane, Adamstown, Co Dublin. The applicant has been a key contributor to housing delivery in Adamstown“This legislation has been specifically introduced to support large-scale housing development projects essential to addressing Ireland’s housing shortage, such as the subject permission’s development,” Mr Kelly said. He pointed out that the emergency legislation states councils should grant planning extensions where various criteria are met by the schemes. The planning extension “will provide the certainty required to secure financing, commence construction as planned and ultimately safeguard the completion of the project”, Mr Kelly said. “These lands have been zoned in the Adamstown Special Development Zone (SDZ) for significant development as a new area for residential housing,” he added.

Photograph: iStockI recently returned to work from maternity leave to be issued with a notice of redundancy. After being put on notice of redundancy on my first day back after maternity leave, I was surprised and I immediately asked what happened to the role. You go out of your way to ring-circle that person on maternity leave and keep them,” she says, describing it as a “nearly sacrosanct protection”. Under the Maternity Protection Acts 1994-2004, those on maternity leave must be offered any suitable alternative role in priority to other employees. “Where a company is shutting down a whole department, and if someone’s out on maternity leave, they’re vulnerable.

The WNBA and its players reportedly reached a tentative agreement on the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement, bringing a lengthy, tense battle to an end. The deal is expected to greatly increase stars' salaries with million-dollar players - a first for the league. The average salary for the 2025 WNBA season was said to be around $107,000. I told Cathy it's not just for the players that are entering the league or the players that aren't already here. 'We opted out because what we were giving to this league and what we were getting back didn't match,' union executive committee member Alysha Clark said.

A former school principal described by a judge as “a sexual predator” who abused young boys in their “formative years” has been jailed for four years. This fourth set of prosecutions brings to 89 his number of convictions for sexual or indecent assaults of young boys. The eight victims in this case brings to 32 the number of boys abused by Harte. Judge Baxter said Harte was “in a trusted position” and “he exploited his position to abuse” the children. Judge Baxter imposed various different sentences and ordered that all of those sentences should be concurrent to each other.

Rory McIlroy has 'freeing feeling' going into his Masters defenceBy Carl Markham, Press AssociationRory McIlroy expects to feel “free” when he returns to Augusta for the defence of his Masters title and is putting no pressure on himself to win the green jacket again. “This is going to be the first time I drive down Magnolia Lane and it’s all going to be about enjoying my week, enjoying the perks that come along with being a Masters champion,” said the 36-year-old. “The thing is I know I get to go back to the Masters tournament for the rest of my life and that’s quite a freeing feeling. “I honestly think that I’ve done it once and it’s not as if I have to win it again to win the Grand Slam. “Obviously (that’s) what happened on 13 and on 14 and when I got to 15 again I needed to be aggressive.

Gianluigi Donnarumma questions Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr for Champions League celebrationManchester City saw their Champions League run ended by Spanish giants Real Madrid with Brazilian wideman Vinicius Jr being key to victory once again at the Etihad StadiumView 2 Images Donnarumma took exception to Vinicius' celebration (Image: Getty Images)Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma told Vinicius Jr to ‘make everyone love him’ after his controversial celebration at the Etihad Stadium. The Brazilian winger was once at the centre of things for Real Madrid against the Premier League side. ‌He netted a brace for the Spanish side to rubber-stamp their place in the Champions League quarter-finals - the second coming in the form of a 93rd-minute penalty. I wasn't disrespecting City fans but it was a way for me to prove myself to them." Away from his celebration, Vinicius was key to victory for Real Madrid as they progressed 5-1 on aggregate following a stunning 3-0 success at the Bernabeu.

Donald Trump and Micheál Martin at the shamrock bowl presentation in the East Room of the White House yesterday. Sent Monday to Friday when the Dáil is in sessionHow do you survive an encounter with a shark? For the overwhelming majority of the Taoiseach’s 40 minutes on the periphery of Trump’s vision, the Irish politician maintained a wise silence. According to the elastic rhetoric of the White House, Operation Epic Fury only needs to tie up a couple of loose ends – like neutering Iran’s nuclear capabilities (the same nuclear capability that the same White House claimed to have already “completely and totally obliterated”). “I think it would have hit Europe, maybe not Ireland, but it would have hit Europe,” Trump told Martin.

One of the engines featured in the race, Dublin & South Eastern Railway engine No 18, later renumbered No 444, on a Wexford-bound cattle train passing through Glenageary, Co Dublin, in September 1939. The 24th edition of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s (RPSI) annual magazine recounted it in detail in 1979. The GSW closely guarded the region’s valuable bovine workings and were running 30-wagon cattle trains three times a week to Dublin. Great Southern & Western Railway J15 class engine No 184 in Dublin's North Wall yard in May 1961. Dublin & South Eastern Railway locomotive No 18, wearing its later number 444, at Dublin's Grand Canal Street engine shed in August 1953.