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The debate on the Social Welfare Bill continues today with pressure on government TDs who know their constituents will be watching developments with interest. So far, the cabinet is not for turning on the most controversial cuts including the reduction in the respite grant to carers despite sustained pressure from the opposition.

Joining Pat were Sinn Fein’s finance spokesman Pearse Doherty and Kieran O’Donnell deputy Enterprise and Trade spokesman with Fine Gael.

It’s a time of year where kids come into their own. Office Christmas parties, funny jumpers and overindulgence are all very well, but few would argue that Christmas is a time about children.

But, with Santa not squeezing his way down chimneys until Christmas Eve and with 2 weeks of Christmas holidays to fill, what can you do to make this year as magical as possible for your little ones?

Fear not, Pat was joined by Mary Kate Heaslip of website www.mykidstime.ie  to help us out with a few ideas.

The family of the murdered Belfast solicitor, Pat Finucane, will today be given details of the legal review of his case carried out by a barrister, Sir Desmond de Silva, as the request of the British prime minister, David Cameron. Mr Finucane was shot dead by loyalists in front of his wife and children in 1989 and the British government has already acknowledged there was state collusion in the murder.

Pat spoke to Pat Finucane widow Geraldine last year when the enquiry was announced and she first explained the circumstances of Pat’s death and she gave her reaction to Desmond de Silva legal review of the Finucane case.

Tommie Gorman, our northern editor was in London just about to read the report.

There's pirogi and borst, gingerbread and vikings. And it's all free. Valerie Cox has been to Winterval in Waterford to find out what's going on.

Thankfully books are still a very acceptable Christmas gift, either as the main show or as a stocking filler depending on how much the recipient loves reading. Pat was joined by a great reader Sinead Gleeson, critic and presenter of the Works on RTE TV. She has been looking at some book gift suggestions and we have been delving back into the archive to find interviews we may have done with some of the authors she suggests.

This Friday and Saturday, Horslips bring their Christmas Party to the Olympia Theatre in Dublin. They're going to “Drive The Cold Winter Away” – that's a reference to their 1975 Christmas album of the same name - and they were here in studio to give us a taste of what to expect.

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