Former President Mary McAleese and Justice Kevin Cross have reassured middle Ireland that a ‘Yes’ vote on same-sex marriage will not undermine the the rights and status of families.

Britain’s election is weeks away and Ed Milliband’s policy of economic justice is connecting with the people, while the Government here has roused itself only because it is afraid of massive voter losses writes Shaun Connolly

PHANTOMS and faint hearts dominated another week when Ireland’s political leaders left reality behind them. Taoiseach Enda Kenny had one of his conveniently frequent encounters with a nameless soul who just happened to present him with the perfect political metaphor to justify his unpopular policies.

Under Micheal Martin’s leadership, they have been sidelined. They didn’t nominate a presidential candidate, have no female TDs, and their only MEP, Brian Crowley, left after his re-election. Shaun Connolly asks, has the sun set on the party?

Meaningless name and lack of policies suggest this new party will be aimless. The launch has raised Creighton’s profile in the run-up to the general election, but this is not the heralding of a new dawn in Irish politics, writes Shaun Connolly

Shaun Connolly analyses how the Government has performed in relation to what they promised

With two spectacular cock-ups seeing drugs temporally legalised, and heterosexual marriage nearly outlawed, it was perhaps not the best day for this unlucky and unloved Government to celebrate its fourth anniversary in power, writes Shaun Connolly.

THE long-anticipated wave of repossessions has suddenly turned tidal: 8,000 cases are surging though the courts.

It’s a bit rich of Mr Kenny to launch a commission on low pay when his salary is €185,000 a year, or €3,500 a week, which is more than the leaders of the much larger Britain and France earn

Enda Kenny was sending love letters with one hand while issuing dark threats about what life would be like if we ever left him with the other.