The statement by former Labour cabinet minister Pat Rabbitte that abolishing the universal social charge (USC) is a "fanciful" notion has been attacked by Siptu president Jack O’Connor.

Labour MEP Phil Prendergast has held a private meeting with party leader Eamon Gilmore after she called for his resignation.

AN American author once said timing was the longest distance between two places and this certainly rings true for the weekend’s Labour Party Conference in Killarney.

The Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has said that wages have to rise, as part of the economic recovery.

Verbal battles over Damian McBride’s memoirs at the Labour conference escalated into actual fisticuffs, as the ex-spin doctor’s publisher stepped in to stop a protester disrupting the publicity drive for his controversial memoirs.

Time is running out for the Government to help hundreds of migrant students facing enormous international student fees at college, many of whom are already Irish citizens.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore is set to cancel this year’s Labour Party conference in order to avoid a “bloodbath” showdown in the run-up to the budget.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has asked his officials to review the situation facing the children of non-EU migrant workers blocked from the same financial supports as other students attending college.

One of the reasons I attended the demonstration last Saturday at the Labour Party conference, along with many others from Glór na Tuaithe, was to protest against the closing of Garda stations in rural Ireland.

Hundreds of protesters have broken through garda lines at the Labour Party conference in Galway.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said today that Ministers have to talk to elected representatives in the Dáil, such as Michael Lowry, regardless of whether they like them or not.

The Campaign Against Household & Water Taxes (CAHWT) has claimed that the 2011 Census and an analysis by a Maynooth academic show that more than 1.8 million households must register for the Household Charge.

THE HSE “alienated” a group of consultant psychiatrists by publicly announcing the closure of an acute psychiatric unit without warning the consultants of the decision.

David Miliband today said he was “incredibly proud” of his brother Ed who beat him in the race for the British Labour Party leadership.

GORDON Brown last night announced he will resign as Labour leader – but offered to stay on as Prime Minister in a potential power-sharing government with the Liberal Democrats until his party has chosen a successor.

Gordon Brown tonight announced he will resign as Labour leader – but offered to stay on as British Prime Minister in a potential power-sharing government with the Liberal Democrats until his party has chosen a successor.

THE toast at the annual Labour party conference in Galway was ‘Eamon Gilmore for Taoiseach’. This ambition has a semblance of credibility in the context of the party leaders’ opinion poll approval ratings.

Security was tight today around the luxury country house hotel hosting finance ministers from the world’s biggest economies.

LABOUR leader Eamon Gilmore has called for the resignation of the entire board of Fás and criticised the trade union members who sit on the board.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Labour Party conference speech proved an instant hit with voters, according to a new opinion poll which shows Labour gaining seven points to halve the Conservative party's lead.

THE Government is using the economic crisis to “settle scores” by looking to shut down State agencies that have criticised it in the past, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore has claimed.

French energy firm EDF was today said to be close to winning the shareholder support it needs to seal a £12bn (€15bn) takeover of British Energy.

It may prove to be a good time to be in opposition given the economic uncertainty, broken general election promises on the part of the Government, a growing anger over political mismanagement and a sense that three terms in office has made Fianna Fáil insufferably arrogant.

Thousands of high earners received almost €100m in tax relief on their pensions, the Labour Party conference heard today.

The 62nd Labour Party annual conference continues today in Wexford Town.

Politicians in the North have more work to do if they are to deliver full devolution to their constituents, Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward claimed today.

Stormont Minister Margaret Ritchie was today backed over her October 9 deadline for loyalist Ulster Defence Association disarmament.

It is inevitable that Labour Party members in Northern Ireland will field candidates in elections there, deputy leadership candidate of the British Labour Party Alan Johnson insisted tonight.

The director of Women’s Aid, Margaret Martin, is to be honoured with the ’James Larkin Thirst for Justice’ Award at the Labour Party conference this weekend.

Northern Secretary Peter Hain has reiterated his warning about the consequences of the North's political parties failing to meet the November 24 devolution deadline.

TWO Waterford TDs have clashed over plans to bring radiotherapy to the south-east, based at Waterford Regional Hospital.

IF YOU haven’t heard of Portia Simpson-Miller, that’s your loss. She was elected this week as the first female prime minister of Jamaica.

A court battle between the Labour Party and one of its members in Northern Ireland was today put back for a month to facilitate mediation talks between the two sides.

The endgame to decades of conflict in Northern Ireland is about to be played out, the North's Secretary of State Peter Hain said today.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain will tell Britain's Labour Party conference today that restoring devolution to the North remains his “over arching-goal”.

The final episode of hit US sitcom Friends has been voted the best thing on television in the UK in 2004.

BONO yesterday urged British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown to use Britain’s influence to transform the future of Africa.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair today insisted he was doing “absolutely everything” to secure the release of hostage Ken Bigley.

Bono today urged Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to use Britain’s influence to transform the future of Africa.

Tony Blair today acknowledged that the intelligence about Saddam Hussein’s suspected weapons of mass destruction – vital to the case for the Iraq war – was wrong.

Boxing hero Amir Khan was today unveiled as an ambassador for London’s 2012 Olympic bid and the teenager has already been ear-marked as an important figure in the campaign.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern were urged today to “call the Democratic Unionists’ bluff” by triggering power sharing moves in Northern Ireland.