Nigel Worthington has been making attempts to persuade the Derry-born player to switch his allegiance back to Northern Ireland and Staunton will hope that his awarding Gibson a first senior cap ends the controversy.

BBC: SPORT | Football | Internationals | Denmark 0-4 Republic of Ireland

This is the role of structures called telomeres that cap the ends of chromosomes.

ECONOMIST: Ageing

Although Chancellor George Osborne increased the bank levy in last week's Autumn Statement, the unions say the public sector is bearing the brunt of measures to rebalance the public finances with workers facing a new 1% cap on pay rises after the current two-year pay freeze ends in the Spring.

BBC: We will 'get tough' on excessive boardroom pay - Clegg

Among money-saving measures outlined by the chancellor were a 1% cap on public sector pay for two years, once the current two-year pay freeze ends from 2013 - Mr Osborne said the government "cannot afford the 2% rise assumed by some government departments thereafter".

BBC: Osborne confirms pay and jobs pain as growth slows