EXHORTING the people to throw away their auld cynicism about politics before the last general election, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore promised that, this time, it would be different.

Labour has accused Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil of being part of a "Celtic Tory" consensus that embraces austerity at any price.

“SINGLE party government — no thanks!” By climbing up lamp posts delivering this message in 2002, Michael McDowell halted the momentum towards a Fianna Fáil overall majority and got the PDs back in power.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has depicted his short time in office as a "trial and test" during which he battled to fix past mistakes.