EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, TheJournal.ie brings you the five stories you need to know before you head out the door.

1. #GO TO THE POLLS: The Tánaiste has said Labour is “on a high level of alert” for the general election which could take place earlier than expected. There is growing speculation that Taoiseach Enda Kenny could go to the country as early as the end of next month or the beginning of February.

2. #COURTS: Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy insists the court case which sees him accused of false imprisonment is “very serious”. He was one of a group of people before the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin this afternoon.

3. #FRANCE: A teacher in a Paris suburb who claimed to have been attacked by a man who shouted “This is Daesh” made the story up, according to French prosecutors. The 45-year-old teacher at a school in Aubervilliers was hospitalised with light stab wounds in his side and throat.

4. #BACK BEHIND BARS: Close to half of prisoners released in 2009 reoffended within three years, according to new figures from the CSO. This represents a fall of 4% compared to the year previous.

5. #DRUG DEATHS: Other figures released today reveals heroin deaths have increased in Ireland for the first time since 2009.

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