Previous Day
Majority of voters support nurses, poll shows
Almost two-thirds of voters support the claim by nurses for a 10 per cent pay rise and a 35-hour working week. p
Hanafin abandons plan for two-stage Leaving Cert
The Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, is set to abandon plans for a new two-stage Leaving Certificate, after school managers refused to back her proposals. p
Mother and children are laid to rest
They gripped each other for support at the graveside, a family
crippled by grief, at this the end of their longest and most
difficult of weeks. p
Many turn out to see father buried in Wexford
There were harrowing scenes at Boolavogue on Saturday morning as
Mary Dunne arrived to bury a third son. p
Election2007
President dissolves Dáil, clears way for election
Dáil dissolution: President Mary McAleese signed a proclamation at Áras an Uachtaráin shortly after 8am yesterday morning, dissolving the Dáil on the advice of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and clearing the way for a general election on May 24th.Fianna Fáil's early start gives impression they're on the run
It just looked wrong. No matter what way they spin it in the coming days, yesterday morning was a disaster for Fianna Fáil.Easy like Sunday mornin' as Bertie sets that poll date
Oblivious to the historic events about to unfold right under their noses, the local wildlife were going about their business in Dublin's Phoenix Park.Dissolution of the 29th Dáil
How the weekend's events unfolded...Taoiseach's statement: "We will build an Ireland of pride and great purpose"
The following is the statement issued on behalf of the Taoiseach to announce the dissolution of the Dáil pElection battle begins at last
Balance of power: It has been a long time coming, but the election 2007 campaign was finally given its official start early yesterday by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.Parties swing into action as long wait ends
The announcement: The "will he, won't he" game of election cat-and-mouse finally ended at about 8am yesterday when Taoiseach Bertie Ahern went to Áras an Uachtaráin to ask President McAleese to dissolve the 29th Dáil. pFF left with ground to make up
Analysis: party strategies: Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's dawn run to Áras an Uachtaráin to formally dissolve the Dáil was a bizarre and unprecedented opening to the election campaign for the 30th Dáil.Kenny still has a mountain to climb for FG to win power
Fine Gael: Within days of the off in 2002, the Fine Gael election campaign had the smell of death about it, one that only became more pronounced as it went on. pLabour will put Rabbitte at heart of its campaign
The Labour Party: The Labour Party is heading into this campaign hoping that a clearly laid-out strategy will bring the dividend of a place in government after the general election, writes Miriam Donohoe, Political Staff. pSargent and his troops to go on the offensive
Green Party: They've come a long way. Starting off 26 years ago on what was regarded as the eccentric fringe, the Green Party could end up holding the balance of power after the election. There are no more jokes about the "brown rice and sandals brigade" because the growing influence of the Greens is no laughing matter. pConfidence levels rising after some rough times
Sinn Féin: Sinn Féin's fortunes have risen and dipped frequently over the life of the outgoing Dáil, partly because of its own actions but more often because of the actions of the IRA. pIndependents seek balance of power lost since 2002
Independents: Independents had no real influence in the last Dáil unlike the previous Dáil, when a number of them kept the minority FF-PD coalition in power. They were hugely influential figures, their policy and constituency concerns to the forefront of ministerial thoughts and actions. pKenny says FG means business this time
Fine Gael press conference: Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said yesterday the party had identified a possible 60 seats it could win in the forthcoming general election.Ahern 'slunk' up to Áras in early hours - Rabbitte
Labour Party press conference: Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte has claimed that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern "slunk" up to Áras an Uachtaráin in the early hours of the morning to seek a dissolution of the Dáil from President Mary McAleese.Wicklow's diverse electorate makes for open race
With two of its five TDs retiring, the constituency of Wicklow is an open electoral race, where four of the main parties are all in with a chance of filling either of these two vacancies.Greens promise 2,000 extra hospital beds
Green Party: health policy: Green Party chairman John Gormley has forecast that it will win more than eight seats and be in government after the general election.SF drops plan to increase corporate tax rate to 17.5%
Sinn Féin: Sinn Féin clarified its position on corporate tax yesterday as national chairwoman Mary Lou McDonald said there was no proposal for a 17.5 per cent rate in the party's election manifesto.Labour criticise Ahern for UK visit during campaign
Westminister visit: The Government has rejected allegations that the Taoiseach is using his invitation to address the Joint Houses of Parliament in Westminster on May 15th as an advantage in the general election campaign.Socialists promise to challenge 'right-wing economic agenda'
Socialist Party: The Socialist Party has pledged to challenge the right-wing economic agenda which it says has motivated the Fianna Fáil-PD Government and enriched speculators and big corporations.Tax cuts and health 'guarantees'are key PD promises
PD manifesto: Major tax cuts, extra public spending and significant reforms in public services form the centrepiece of the Progressive Democrats' election manifesto.FG-Labour coalition would put prosperityat risk, says McDowell
PD manifesto launch: The State's prosperity is not guaranteed and would be put at risk if a government led by Fine Gael and Labour is elected, the Progressive Democrats have claimed.Tánaiste targets key voters with detailed plan
McDowell believes that the polls are wrong, but the PDs still face a major challenge, writes Mark Hennessy
Registrars 'will not apply for consultant posts'
Specialist registrars - working at the medical grade just below consultant level - have said they will not apply for controversial new hospital consultant posts advertised by the Health Service Executive (HSE) on revised terms. pIrish medicine prices 19% above EU average
Pharmaceutical products cost more in Ireland than in most EU states. pHSE criticised over smear tests
The decision by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to outsource smear tests to private laboratories for analysis has been condemned by the Medical Laboratory Scientists' Association (MLSA). pCouncil moves to ease Lansdowne logjam
Dublin City Council is to hold an extraordinary meeting today to decide whether to give the developers of the 50,000-seater Lansdowne Road stadium a half-acre strip of land essential for the construction of the stadium. pUp to 4,000 children a year accidentally poisoned
Some 4,000 children are accidentally poisoned each year in the Republic, many of them with medicines which have been left lying around their homes, a conference heard yesterday. pGRA wants co-ordinated road deaths crackdown
Gardaí are to press for a new adequately-funded Government initiative to tackle road deaths that would see members of the force working more closely with government departments and local authorities. pChairman criticises public policy
The "public policy dividend" that flowed from the staging of the Special Olympics World Games here in 2003 has been "not what we might have hoped for", according to the chairman of Special Olympics Ireland, Fergus Finlay. pPresident's US visit begins with King exhibition
President Mary McAleese yesterday set off for an official visit to the US, which will include an attendance at controversial musical The Pirate Queen on Broadway. pNew layout for M50, N7 routes
Motorists will have to come to terms with a number of diversions as the second stage of new traffic arrangements on the M50 and N7 are introduced tomorrow. pHip inner-city girls hop to beat on the street
Hip hop and Dublin City Council are two words not normally found in the same sentence but yesterday it was all about popping, locking and breaking at a council-organised event in Dublin's Liberties. pDrug boss killed by his own gang
Gardaí investigating the murder last December of leading drug dealer Martin "Marlo" Hyland believe three of his closest gang members conspired to kill him, and have since taken over his lucrative drugs business, The Irish Times has learned. pMuseum to close for renovation
The National Maritime Museum in DúLaoghaire, Co Dublin, is to close for at least a year while extensive conservation work is carried out to save the building. pIn Short
A round-up of today's other stories in brief... p
Talks continue as nurses' dispute enters fifth week
Talks aimed at resolving the nurses' dispute, which enters its fifth week today, were continuing late last night. p
Inquiry to air details of Taoiseach's finances
The Mahon tribunal intends hearing evidence in public concerning Bertie Ahern's finances, writes Colm Keena p
Gardaí patrol murder victim's removal
Armed gardaí were prominent at the removal in Limerick last night of murdered gangland victim Noel Campion. pPeace in NI bought by 'fraud and lying', says McAliskey
Peace has been bought in Northern Ireland by "perjury, fraud, corruption, cheating and lying", according to socialist and community activist Bernadette McAliskey. p400 gather for Mass in new Galway parish
At a time when Catholic parishes are merging or dying out, a new one has been born in the fastest growing city in the State. pBody of missing man found in Cork
Searchers have located the body of a missing man a week after he disappeared. p
State body relying on confidentiality law to restrain publication must prove damage to public interest
His Honour Judge Alan P. Mahon, Her Honour Judge Mary Flaherty and His Honour Judge Gerald B. Keys (Members of the Tribunal of Injury into Certain Planning Matters and Payments) (plaintiffs/appellants) v Post Publications Ltd trading as the Sunday Business Post (defendant/respondent) p
