More than 500 people are expected to protest at a Fianna Fáil conference in Co Tipperary later.

THE first volleys were fired last night in what may turn out to be the longest election campaign in Irish political history when Fianna Fáil and the opposition mounted blistering attacks on each other’s policies and trustworthiness.

Angry publicans are planning to give politicians a taste of their own medicine by banning smoking at pubs and bars during a party conference next month.