Across:
8 Span (SPREAD) of sun coming out of underpass (‘sun’ coming out of ‘underpass’ = derpas = SPREAD),
9 Underestimating a Bandon stadium (‘underestimating’ abandon ‘stadium’ = nereitng = ENTERING) on the way in (ENTERING),
10 Bank’s temporary investment (banks ‘TEmporary investmeNT’ = TENT) in something that’s pitched (TENT),
11 Well-informed (CULTIVATED) religious group (CULT-) on one (-I-) vessel (-VAT-) contacts journalist (-ED) (CULTIVATED),
12 Weather (weather/withstand = RESIST) is (-IS-) found in everything else? (rest = RES-T) (RESIST),
14 Particular (SPECIFIC) mixed (= anagram indicator) spice (spice = SPECI-) for Indian cold starters (‘For Indian Cold’ starters = -FIC) (SPECIFIC),
15 Individuals (ones = ONE’S) following (= position indicator) 8 across (‘spread’ = SPREAD), 24 across (‘wing’ = WING-) and leader of sedition (leader of ‘Sedition’ = -S) (SPREAD ONE’S WINGS) get independence (SPREAD ONE’S WINGS),
18 Takes issue with (CONTESTS) a number of competitions (CONTESTS),
20 When they’re switched on you’ll see these (LIGHTS) slight (slight) changes (= anagram indicator) (slight = LIGHTS),
22 Female (-F-) in reception (reception = PER-ECTION) showing off (= anagram indicator) (PERFECTION) the crème de la crème (PERFECTION),
24 Women (W-) in (-IN-) Government (-G) (WING) faction (WING),
25 Recruit (INTERN-) a (-A-) novice (learner = -L) (INTERNAL) in-house (INTERNAL),
26 Pay attention to (LISTEN) place (lie = LI-E-) across street (-ST-) – it’s new (-N) (LISTEN).
Down:
1 A round heavy-set figure (SPHERE) has sheep (sheep) roaming around (= anagram indicator) (sheep = SPHE-E) top of ridge (top of ‘Ridge’ = -R-) (SPHERE),
2 Older Irish type (CELT) of characters in Little Caesar (characters in ‘litTLE Caesar’ = tlec) going all the way back (= reverse indicator) (tlec = CELT),
3 Knowledgeable (EDUCATED) Oriental (East = E-) theologian (Doctor of Divinity = -D-D) getting to grips with acute (acute) problem (= anagram indicator) (acute = -UCATE-) (EDUCATED),
4 Get better (HEAL) content from The Alert (content from ‘tHE ALert’ = HEAL),
5 Rear brakes (rear ‘brakeS’ = S-) on tricycle (trike = -TRIKE) (STRIKE) stop working (STRIKE),
6 Is (-IS-) following (= position indicator) paper (ORGAN-) popular (-IN-) with legend (‘leG’ end = -G) (ORGANISING) working for The Union (ORGANISING),
7 Most of (e) the allergic reaction (‘sneeze’ without ‘e’ = SNEEZ-) in (-IN-) front garden (front ‘Garden’ = -G) (SNEEZING) is a sure sign someone is under the weather (SNEEZING),
13 Recognised (IDENTIFIED) one (I-) gets good books (New Testament = -NT-) from film institute? (Irish Film Institute = -IFI-) Indeed! (in deed = -DE-ED) (IDENTIFIED),
14 Does a number (SINGS) of moral transgressions (sins = SIN-S) taking in force (-G- force) (SINGS),
16 Institute (-I-) in Preston (Preston) working (= anagram indicator) (Preston = PROTE-NS) (PROTEINS) with ingredients such as milk and cheese (PROTEINS),
17 Sell tiny (sell tiny) nuts (= anagram indicator) (sell tiny = SILENTLY) as quietly as possible (SILENTLY),
19 Absconders removed bars (‘absconders’ removed ‘bars’ = sconde = SECOND) in the briefest of times (SECOND),
21 Passage (TUNNEL) or note (-N-) in ditty (tune = TUN-E-) and closing instrumental (closing ‘instrumentaL’ = -L) (TUNNEL),
23 It isn’t working (IDLE) for the odd indulger? (for the odd/odd letters in ‘InDuLgEr’ = IDLE),
24 Wait and see policy for leaders (‘Wait And See Policy’ for leaders = WASP) is cuckoo? (cuckoo WASP).