CAO points for many college courses have risen to their highest level for decades.

It is raising concerns about the effect the 25 bonus points for students who passed higher level Maths has had.

Almost 10,000 students had accepted a 3rd-level place by 9am this morning.

About 3/4 of those who applied for a Level 8 course has received one of their top 3 preferences.

However points for science, maths and chemistry courses all saw dramatic rises.

President of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors is Gerry Flynn.

He says the bonus points have distorted the points required for a broad range of courses.

“In relation to the courses that have gone up, a significant increase in a number of areas – and not necessarily all in the areas of the science-technology and engineering courses which would require say a high grade in honours maths” he said.

“This is one of the distorted affects we think the bonus points system has had on these courses” he added.

There has been an increase in new mortgages being issued to buy homes in the 2nd quarter of the year.

The rise in homeloans issued to first time buyers and ‘mover-purchasers’ between April and June is the first of its kind on a year-on-year basis since 2006.

The latest Mortgage Market Profile by the Irish Banking Federation and PriceWaterhouse Coopers shows 524 million euro worth of new mortgages were issued during the three month period.

That is up more than a fifth on the 1st quarter of this year.

Chief Economist with Goodbody – Dermot O’Leary -  says though the increase is welcome sustainability is still a long way off.

“I suppose it must be said it’s from an exceptionally low level, so there’s a long way to go to get to some sort of sustainable level of mortgages” he said.

“But in saying that, we have seen an increase for the first time since the crash began since 2006″.

“We’ve seen increases in the amount of mortgages issued for both first-time buyers and mover-purchasers”.

“That alone has to be welcomed” he added.

A post mortem on the body of an elderly man found dead in Co. Wexford is due to be carried out this afternoon.

The 81-year-old man has been named locally as Walter Plunkett.

He was found in the garden of his home in Ballyedmond Co. Wexford yesterday afternoon and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gardaí are continuing to question a 51-year-old woman over his death.

Nicki Minaj has had to cancel her concert the Olympia Theatre in Dublin tomorrow night.

A statement from MCD says it is because of ongoing vocal issues and she has been told by doctors to rest her voice for a couple of weeks.

Her band and crew are already in the city.

The promoters say everyone is devastated that the show cannot go ahead.

Full refunds will be available for ticketholders from their point of purchase.

Tributes are being paid to British film director Tony Scott after his apparent suicide.

The 68-year-old died in Los Angeles and reports suggest a note was found in his car.

Newstalk’s Jack Quann has more.