The Government has not responded to a new protected disclosure on chemical exposures within the Air Corps.

The Department of Defence has not sought any further information from whistleblowers, on allegations that key Defence Forces documents were destroyed, a junior Minister has confirmed.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he believes the courts should decide whether former Air Corps staff are suffering chronic illnesses due to chemical exposure.

The Government has written to the Defence Forces to demand a serving member who raised health and safety concerns within the Air Corps be protected under whistleblowers’ legislation.

The Air Corps’ failure to protect workers from exposure to cancer-causing chemicals may have affected thousands of people, causing 100 deaths as well as birth defects and miscarriages, the Dáil heard yesterday.

A Defence Forces whistleblower has alleged that a named official ordered the shredding of documents that are now central to a legal case against the State.

Junior defence minister Paul Kehoe has defended the Government’s decision to investigate whistleblower allegations against the Air Corps’ management of staff exposure to harmful chemicals.

A Sinn Féin TD has admitted he knows of welfare claimants cheating the system but said there must be an amnesty for overpayments — a move that could save the State €55m per year.

The Dáil stationery office obviously does not “shop around” for printer cartridges.

A ROW is already brewing about next week’s proposed debate over the Moriarty Tribunal report with opposition parties claiming that Taoiseach Enda Kenny has reneged on his pledge to allow ample time to discuss the fallout from the inquiry.

JOBS were at the fore of the Lisbon Treaty debate yesterday with both sides arguing how ratification could affect workers’ rights.

Sinn Fein were grasping on to hope late into the night that a gain in Donegal North East might lessen the pain of the collapse of their ambitious plans for a major breakthrough.

THE Iranian who stitched his mouth together on hunger strike in protest at his asylum appeal has begun drinking water after removing the stitching.

Sinn Féin will today protest outside the Dáil at proposed new laws regulating future tribunals.

The Irish state’s refusal to recognise or allow same-sex marriages was compared to racial prejudice in the US during a landmark case before the High Court today.

MENTALLY ill prisoners are to be held in newly refurbished cells containing a television and natural light.

SINN FÉIN TD Aengus O’Snodaigh said he feared a child is going to be killed unless the scourge of joyriding is tackled.

THE indivisible links between Sinn Féin and the IRA were further exposed yesterday as the Special Criminal Court sentenced five IRA men found with CS gas canisters, a stun gun, pick-axe handles, balaclavas and SF posters.

The Irish Government has no plans to follow the British Government and match public donations for the Asian tsunami disaster with Exchequer funding, it emerged tonight.

A leading Sinn Féin member and a man who engaged in patrols against drug dealers were today sentenced to four years imprisonment for IRA membership.

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell today challenged republicans to come clean over their links with criminal activities.

Justice minister Michael McDowell was challenged today to show leadership on the protection of refugees coming to Ireland.

Sinn Féin has called on political parties on both sides of the border to sign an anti-racism pledge ahead of this year’s local and European elections.

Sinn Fein has called on the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, to withdraw remarks he made about anti-Nice Treaty campaigners during the EU summit in Seville at the weekend.