Half of the Cabinet has yet to put through a single piece of legislation, a year after the Government’s formation. 

The Irish Government must make clear to the UK government that direct rule is not an option if talks to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland fail, Gerry Adams has warned.

Travelfox is noted for its over-55 offers and this October has a 10-day trip to Costa Del Almeria, to the four-star Best Sabinal Hotel in Roquetas de Mar on a half-board basis with free wine and water, for €499. 

Some of the 17 schools closed in Edinburgh amid safety fears could be affected in the "longer term", the leader of the city's council has warned.

There is a real sense of getting down to business at the marts this week. With the schools reopening after the Easter break, cattle marts are back to an adult-only audience.

A man has been excused from serving on the jury in the ongoing trial of four former executives from Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent (ILP).

SKIP TO SKETCHERS : Only 6% of adults in Ireland believe that they have high energy levels with 50% of us reporting that our energy levels are poor, according to research done for the Wellman and Wellwoman range of vitamin supplements. 

A new watchdog, which will limit the ability of the banks to veto personal insolvency deals, is reported to be close to completion.

The children of one of Ireland’s most successful businessmen have escalated their ongoing court dispute over his €300m fortune.

Irish Ferries’ owner Irish Continental Group (ICG) said it will continue its policy of not hedging on fuel costs; adding that if it had done so at the turn of this year, it would already have lost around €4m on the back of falling oil prices.

As the Dáil returns from its two-week Easter break this week, there is a feeling that this administration is entering its defining period.

There will be no let-up in the freezing and snowy conditions over the Easter break.

A rise in Spain’s borrowing costs today fuelled fears about the eurozone debt crisis and triggered a sell-off on world markets.

Fresh worries about the eurozone debt crisis and the UK economy meant London’s blue chip shares index struggled to make significant gains today.

XTRA-VISION’S outlets will continue to operate as normal following the appointment of an interim examiner to the company, the High Court heard yesterday.

Families jetting off on European holidays during the Easter break have been urged to vaccinate their children against measles.

Nissan today became the latest car manufacturer to be hit by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan when it announced three non-production days at its UK plant.

BRITAIN’S Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry in Westminster Abbey on Friday, April 29, next year and millions of workers and schoolchildren will get the day off.

Over a dozen TDs are stranded overseas due to the aviation disruption caused by the Icelandic volcano.

State-owned Anglo Irish Bank tonight moved to strike a deal with the Financial Regulator to secure the takeover of Quinn Insurance.

The Quinn Group today rejected claims it was facing a €700m black hole and insisted its insurance wing needed only up to €150m to get back on a sure footing.

The London market closed at its highest level since June 2008 today as Prime Minister Gordon Brown finally fired the starting gun on the general election race.

THE Government has forced through a two-week Easter break for TDs.

More than 212,000 jet-setters are expected to travel through Dublin Airport over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend – down 15% on last year.

Fashion chain Next received a warning shot from shareholders today after it softened the rules on bonuses to boost payouts to directors.

Like-for-like store sales in fashion chain Next in the 14 weeks to May 2 were 2.3% lower - much better than the 6% to 9% decline predicted by Next for the first half of the year.

The Government has only published one piece of scheduled legislation since January despite promising 18, it was claimed today.

Drivers in the North could face zero tolerance on drink-driving with just one pint of beer putting them over the limit, it emerged tonight.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is today expected to detail a series of swingeing spending cuts and tax increases to get the country’s finances back on track.

A High Court action initiated by the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) and a number of junior doctors concerning an alleged breach of contract by the Health Services Executive in seeking to implement a range of cost-saving measures will be heard after the Easter break.

The Dáil formally returns to business today following its six-week Christmas break.

SEVERE overnight flooding caused chaos for rush hour motorists yesterday as businesses and schools reopened after the Easter break.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain called on US banks today to help their customers in the same way as they have been helped by the US government.

Plunging commodity prices left the London market heading into the Easter break on the back foot today.

Twenty-two people have been killed in Easter road cashes over the last five years, it emerged today.

The Dáil returns to business today after its two-and-a-half-week Easter break.

On Friday oil touched $69.14/bbl on foot of the continuing tensions surrounding the capture by Iran of 15 British service personnel before profit-taking saw a retreat to $68/bbl.

The Dáil is due to resume today after its two-week Easter break.

Two teenagers were arrested today after a Co Antrim primary school preparing to celebrate its centenary was extensively damaged in a fire being treated as arson.

One hundred and seven people died in road accidents in Spain over the 11-day Easter holiday period, the national traffic department said today.

Budget airline easyJet today said that it carried 7.1% more passengers last month than a year ago despite being hit by a later Easter break.

A TEACHER was allegedly threatened with a screwdriver by a pupil at a school which has drafted in security guards.

SHARES in Dublin succumbed to profit-taking as it resumed trading yesterday after the Easter break.