An early flurry of electoral successes in Dublin prompted talk of green shoots for the Green Party but the countrywide count cautioned that careful cultivation would be required.

Exit polls showed the far right and Eurosceptics making sweeping gains in European Parliament elections, signalling a major political shift toward parties that want to slash the European Union’s powers or abolish it altogether.

Sinn Féin's Lynn Boylan is on course to top the poll and possibly be elected on the first count in the Dublin European elections.

The most striking feature of the RTÉ and TV3 debates among the candidates for the European Parliament is the absence of anything substantive about the future of the eurozone and Ireland’s place in the single currency.

Ukip will make good on polling predictions by scooping top place in the Euro elections, Nigel Farage has said.

YOU want a slice of Ireland today? Come to Carrigaline. Down on Main St, the Turkish barber has closed up and left town.

The Labour Party is predicted to lose all its three seats in the European Parliament in May’s elections, with Sinn Féin taking them, according to bookmakers Paddy Power.

Pat the Cope is to seek the Fianna Fáil nomination to contest the Midlands-North-West Euro constituency.

Sex, drugs and free Swiss roll dominated the 77th Fine Gael ard fheis.

Eamon Gilmore says the country has been “to hell and back” — but unfortunately for him and his Government, many people have yet to make the return journey and still feel trapped in Satan’s departure lounge.

THE dark arts of politics came to the fore as Labour leader Eamon Gilmore effectively took Joan Burton hostage as his human shield.

The risk of a lurch to the right in May’s European elections is vexing global chief executives, who worry the vote will make the bloc harder to govern just as they want it to reform.

Junior finance minister Brian Hayes has insisted he will not be bounced into standing for Fine Gael in the European elections.

THIS column might never reach your eyes. Ireland will surely have fallen off its axis, now that the X case legislation has passed the Dáil.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore suffered a fresh blow as an MEP quit the party and accused him of seeking to “hurt people”.

The introduction of water charges could be delayed by a year, according to media reports.

MAKING plastic bags more “must-have” than any designer handbag, Limerick’s newest bad lads are guaranteed to offend indiscriminately, shock randomly and secure No 1 in the Christmas singles chart.

A small throng of demonstrators arrived early today ahead of British National Party leader Nick Griffin’s victory speech in Blackpool, England.

Minister Mary Hanafin has said it would be a serious issue for Fianna Fáil in Dublin if Eoin Ryan lost his seat in the European elections.

“BIG Brussels house, this is the Voter. You are live on June 5, please do not swear.

Fianna Fáil's Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher has confirmed his intention to contest the upcoming European elections in the North West constituency.

Former Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna is apparently set to contest the forthcoming European elections as an independent candidate.

FF’s results in previous Euro elections are poor. From 1979 to 2004 the average FF Euro vote over the 30-year period was 34.73%. Over the same period, the FF vote in general elections from 1981 to 2007 shows a significant differential. Their average over nine general elections was 43.05%

FIANNA Fáil European election candidate Ned O’Keeffe has denied rumours that he is rowing with his running mate, sitting MEP Brian Crowley.

ANOTHER year, another European treaty. But the people of Europe, to judge by last June’s Euro elections, have never been so disillusioned with the European project. Eurosceptic parties made gains in Britain and Belgium.

Europe’s leaders gather in Brussels tomorrow for a summit to seal a constitution knowing that failure is not an option.

The counting of votes cast in the European election in Northern Ireland gets underway this morning with the Irish and British government anxiously awaiting the results to assess the impact on efforts to revive devolution.

DRIVING out of Dublin on the N4 at night, the posters loom out of the darkness. They are massive, illuminated, unmissable. They portray a “Fine Gael winning team,” Enda flanked by Avril and Mairéad.

FORMER Limerick hurling manager Tom Ryan resigned in protest from a local radio station yesterday after an interview with independent European election candidate Kathy Sinnott was pulled.

Geoff Meade

A brief promotional film encouraging people to vote in the European elections has been censored in Britain – to eliminate a glimpse of bare nipple.

Less than a quarter of Britons say they will definitely vote in next month’s Euro elections, according to a new survey out today.

Fianna Fáil has chosen its party candidates for the South constituency ahead of the Euro elections in June.

AN internal document circulated to British officials ahead of the EU presidency gives a startling insight into what they think of the Irish.

LABOUR Senator Brendan Ryan has announced that he will seek the party’s nomination to stand in next summer’s European elections.