THE Government is due to be roundly condemned by the European Parliament for its failures to provide clean water and modern waste management and for deciding to locate the new M3 motorway so close to Tara.

SMOKING should be totally banned indoors and in private cars because passive smoking kills, according to a report to the European Parliament.

A LOOMING international crisis triggered by over-risky lending by financial institutions will be central to discussions at the two-day meeting of EU finance ministers beginning today.

THE Government plans to decommission a third of the whitefish fleet sector in Ireland, at a cost of about €66 million, according to an application lodged with the European Commission.

THE pint has been saved.

THE McCanns arrived as a family of five in the Algarve, but yesterday almost four months to the day, they left as a family of just four.

THE Government is taking steps to ensure the safety of the 4,000 Irish citizens in Zimbabwe, Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern has said.

THE EUROPEAN Parliament and a leading consumer group has called for the CE mark to be scrapped because it could mislead people into thinking imported toys and other products were guaranteed safe.

A FIVE-FOLD increase was recorded in the number of criminals and suspects Ireland extradited to other EU countries last year.

IRELAND could find itself isolated in Europe if it rejects the new Treaty, Commissioner Charlie McCreevy has warned.