Gale-force winds create a spectacular vista at Seahman harbour, England as waves battered the seafront. (PA Photo/Owen Humphreys)

HERE ARE THE things we learned, loved and shared today.

THINGS WE LEARNED:

#MAGDALENES: A day after the McAleese report on Magdalene Laundries was released, the Oireachtas, the country and international media continued to focus on the plight of women held in such institutions. Some new developments:

• Labour has increased the pressure on Enda Kenny tonight saying that an apology “needs to be addressed”;
• Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin apologised for his party leaving the survivors out of a redress scheme;
• Minister Alan Shatter refused to admit the State involvement in the Laundries was wrong;
• It emerged that past government departments used Magdalene laundries to do their washing.

#PROMISSORY NOTE: The Government is believed to be preparing legislation tonight to liquidate IBRC – the former Anglo Irish Bank – in order to secure a deal on the bank’s promissory notes. Members of the Dáil and Seanad have been told to stay late in Leinster House to deal with emergency legislation.

#PILOTS: Some Irish airline pilots fear that there could be a plane crash in Europe because proposed new EU regulations could lead to serious fatigue.

#FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: Ireland is pretty much alone in charging its citizens and media a fee to access documents under the Freedom of Information Act. The fight to have the fee dropped ended up in Leinster House today…

#RIP: The family of the late Minister of State Shane McEntee were in the Dáil today for formal tributes to their father and husband. McEntee, who took his own life in December, was lauded for “his sincerity, compassion and gentleness”.

#PAY CUTS: We revealed late last night on TheJournal.ie that Cork city gardai have voted unanimously to take industrial action – now SIPTU firefighters are set to ballot for industrial action, and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has vowed to protect the current income of its members. Croke Park tension, ahoy.

THINGS WE LOVED:

• There is not a cuter baby on the interweb today than this one. She HAS to dance.

• We hope it doesn’t rain on these cities – they are made of cardboard. Artist Chris Gilmour constructed these intricate models of London, Paris and Berlin. It took him just two days to build London = amazing. (via HuffingtonPost)

fellowesinc/Youtube

• Hate when people leave passive-aggressive notes in communal areas? You’ll love the responses these folks wrote. Thanks Buzzfeed.

THINGS WE SHARED:

• This isn’t a business card we’d necessarily want to share with you, but it *is* being shared around Dublin right now. A card for a company called ‘Dub Cabs’, it proclaims: “Phone a Dub – Get a Dub”. See what the company told us when we asked what the slogan meant…

• This is something we will share with you: how to perfect the pop diva face. Step one…

AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski

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