Labour MP and shadow Northern Ireland secretary of state Vernon Coaker is to attend Sinn Féin’s Ard Fheis.

AT this time of year terns gather on our local beach for their annual Árd Fheis.

Debates on jobs and the economy will dominate day two of the 76th Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Dublin.

Bertie Ahern faces a humiliating political end – expulsion from the party he once led along with corrupt former representatives Padraig Flynn and three ex-councillors.

The Labour Parliamentary Party holds its first major review of being in Government at a gathering in Carlow today and tomorrow.

WHEN he was still a political greenhorn Cork’s Fianna Fáil powerhouse Joe Walsh offered Micheál Martin advice: “You should be prepared for the long road and the long term”.

GERRY ADAMS’ weakness on economic issues has been exposed again, after the Sinn Féin leader was unable to say how much the party’s proposal for a special tax on high earners would raise.

The Government's economic policies have come under repeated attack at the Sinn Féin Árd Fheis in Dublin today.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen insisted he does not seek confrontation with anyone in making difficult budget decisions which he hopes will be reached “with the greatest measure of agreement beforehand”.

The ongoing economic and banking crisis is expected to dominate proceedings as Fianna Fáil holds its annual Ard Fheis in Dublin this weekend.

Sinn Féin delegates are due to gather in Dublin today for the start of the party's annual Árd Fhéis.

IT IS politics but like nothing witnessed before.

More than 2,000 Sinn Féin delegates are gathering in Dublin today for the party's annual Ard Fheis.

DESPITE months of rumblings and his pre-election promise, Finance Minister Brian Cowen yesterday balked at the prospect of reforming the PRSI system.

BRAZEN bullocks, woolly sheep and haughty heifers are being given bit parts in the election campaign in rural Ireland as party leaders sweep into marts, visit shows and walk the land seeking the support of the country’s 130,000 farm families.

The Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis – the largest political gathering in Ireland this year – gets underway in Dublin today.

The Sinn Féin Ard Comhairle is meeting in Dublin today, following its Ard Fheis last week, which voted to support the PSNI.

Moves by Sinn Féin leaders to urge their members to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland were tonight hailed as potentially historic on both sides of the Irish Sea.

It was reasonable to expect that a jaundiced view would be taken by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) at an announcement by Education Minister Mary Hanafin in relation to physical education.

WITH its political fortunes bouncing back in opinion polls, and a comfortable budget looming before the general election, a palpably relieved Fianna Fáil turned the weekend Árd Fheis into a launching pad for its bid to retain power and secure a third government term in a row.

The Irish Taoiseach’s eldest daughter Georgina is expecting a baby with her husband, Westlife singer Nicky Byrne, it was confirmed today.

Next month's budget will aim to make the Irish economy more competitive within world markets, Minister for Finance Brian Cowen said today.

With more than 5,000 delegates expected to join Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at the Fianna Fáil Árd Fheis this weekend, the serious business of a return to power at next year’s general election officially began.

A SENIOR minister accepted yesterday Fianna Fáil was not “doing good enough” to attract women to the party.

Sinn Féin have responded to claims by the UVF that they left a bomb in the Mansion House during the party's 1981 Árd Fheis.

The Democratic Unionist Party has slammed the appearance of the so-called Colombia Three at Sinn Féin's ard fheis in Dublin over the weekend.

The Easter Parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising will exclude all citizens from taking part, it was claimed tonight.

More than 2,000 Sinn Féin delegates gather in Dublin today to debate 500 motions at the party’s annual Ard Fheis.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday robustly defended his handling of the mini-reshuffle controversy, saying the long delay was unavoidable.

Sinn Féin is preparing to lay the groundwork for the next general election at its annual Ard Fheis in Dublin this weekend.

Fianna Fáil today denied Opposition claims that it is axing the May Day bank holiday in Ireland.

Fianna Fáil’s 69th annual Ard Fheis continues in Killarney today as TDs and delegates consider party policies ahead of the next General Election.

Irish aid pledged to the Hurricane Katrina disaster zone in the US will go directly to people in distress, a junior Government minister said today.

THE Government’s failure to meet with victims of the Omagh bombing came in for extensive criticism at the Fine Gael Árd Fheis at the weekend.

The Fine Gael Árd Fheis continues today at City West in Dublin.

OPPOSITION parties are to table a joint Dáil motion next week in a bid to force the Government to postpone the controversial citizenship referendum until after June's local and European elections.

PSNI chief Hugh Orde will meet the Democratic Unionists, today, amid concerns over IRA activity.

ALL roads lead to Kerry for those of a Fianna Fáil persuasion this weekend. For the first time, the party is holding its Árd Fheis outside the capital.

Fianna Fail has announced that it’s 67th Ard Fheis will take place in Killarney on Saturday October 11.

The Sinn Fein negotiator, Martin McGuinness has accused the Irish Government of failing to defend the rights of nationalists in the North.

The Sinn Fein Ard Fheis in Dublin has heard sharp criticism of Fianna Fail and has endorsed its negotiators work in trying to break the deadlock in the peace process.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will attempt to rouse the Fianna Fail faithful in his keynote speech at the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis tonight.

The State funerals of ten volunteers executed during the War of Independence takes place in Dublin later today.