Drumcree standoff continues as marching permission expires; and household energy arrears

Permission for an Orange Order march on the Gervaghy Road in Portadown expired at midnight with 35 Orangemen blocked by thousands of nationalist protestors. The Government is facing fresh pressure on the public finances, after a €700 million spending buffer set aside earlier this year was completely used up.More than 328,000 homes are in electricity arrears according to new figures. A controversy over Dublin’s Herzog Park has highlighted a legal gap that could require new legislation.