IN a foreword he wrote to a book of mine a few years ago, the late Fine Gael TD Jim Mitchell argued that Dáil vacancies should be filled by co-options rather than through by-elections.

IF the delegates making their way to the Progressive Democrats’ annual conference in Killarney were the equivalent of shareholders gathering for the annual general meeting of a publicly quoted company, there is one question which this analyst would be suggesting they ask those at the top table: will the PDs field any candidates in the upcoming European elections?

IN BRITAIN every autumn, they have a party conference season. In late September and early October, just before parliament resumes, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party in turn take off to Blackpool or Bournemouth or some other seaside town for an annual jamboree of political speech-giving and socialising.

NOBODY can really claim to be surprised that Sinn Féin emerged as the largest nationalist political party in the Northern Ireland Assembly election last week. It has been on the cards since the 2001 Westminster and local election when the party out-polled the SDLP.