A former Fine Gael minister has suggested that Ireland’s EU Commissioner nominee should be scrutinised by the Oireachtas so the position is not used as "a political football" between the Coalition.

Fine Gael ministers have rallied behind Alan Shatter ahead of a vote of no confidence in the justice minister.

Claims by rebel TD Lucinda Creighton that she does not intend to use a one-day conference by her Reform Alliance grouping as the springboard for a new party have been ridiculed by Fine Gael top brass.

Women face an increased risk of being discriminated against in the workplace because of a cut to the sum the State pays towards maternity benefit, according to exiled Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton.

An angry “he says, she says” political war of words has erupted between Transport Minister Leo Varadkar and rebel TD Lucinda Creighton.

The Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has denied he told a former member of his party and other rebel TDs to toe the party line.

Former Fine Gael Junior Minister Lucinda Creighton has said senior party figures have told her to keep her head down and agree with the Government, in order to get back into the party.

Government backbench TDs want access to budget forecasts and are insisting on sensitive economic documents being released to their offices ahead of decisions being made at Cabinet.

Dáil backbenchers have criticised the political party whip system in place for parliamentary votes and called for political reform.

Former minister Lucinda Creighton is entitled to a €46,000 severance pay package on top of her TD salary after resigning over the Government’s abortion legislation.

The right of a woman to access abortion to save her life - including from suicide - has been enshrined for the first time in Irish legislation following a historic Dáil vote shortly after midnight.

Lucinda Creighton last night accused her former colleagues in Fine Gael of breaking their pledge on abortion after she was expelled from the parliamentary party over her stance on what she described as a “life and death” issue.

Proposals to allow abortion on the grounds of suicide were “built on sand”, according to Lucinda Creighton, in her last-ditch attempt to change the legislation allowing terminations in certain circumstances.

European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton has proposed far-reaching changes to the abortion legislation in a move that signals she will oppose the bill during a final Dáil vote next week.

Disgruntled Fine Gael TDs are set to put pressure on the Government to amend legislation on the property tax, as demands for the charge are sent to homeowners this week.

The European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton has revealed she has received vicious, personal, and threatening letters and emails from both pro-choice and pro-life groups on the issue of abortion.

European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton has revealed she has received vicious, personal, and threatening correspondence regarding abortion from both pro-choice and pro-life groups.

Lucinda Creighton tells political reporter Juno McEnroe that pay arrangements of middle to high-earning public sector workers are one thing she hopes will change this year

Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy has been hauled in for a reprimand by his party’s chief whip over critical comments about the Croke Park agreement, but he has escaped sanction by the party.

The savings made under the Croke Park Agreement may be overestimated, according to a TD who is calling for a change in the calculation methods used.

A small number of private schools have refused to co-operate with a Department of Education review of the €100m annual bill for teachers in fee-paying schools.

More than 1,000 allowances paid to public sector staff will be examined by the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) after the Government abandoned plans to abolish them for existing workers.

A junior minister has claimed there is hidden bullying in politics and a toxic culture in her party where female politicians are being treated unequally.

WHEN the five Bruiser Boys of Fine Gael lined up to launch the party’s election manifesto this week, there was one thing noticeably missing from the top team.

LABOUR’s director of elections, Ruairí Quinn, has predicted the party is set to double its current representation in the next Dáil by winning in excess of 40 seats.

THE fight against cross-border crime could be improved through the greater harmonisation of legal and judicial practices across EU countries, according to a new cross-party report.

FINE Gael TD Lucinda Creighton is being sued by developer Michael O’Flynn over defamation claims.

Fine Gael must commit to higher standards and not be reliant on high-profile developers for hand-outs, a backbench TD claimed today.

Former Labour leader Ruairi Quinn, has revealed he was diagnosed with cancer five years ago.

Minister for the Environment John Gormley is expected to be formally unveiled as the new Green Party leader tomorrow evening.

Taking people out of the tax net and improving public infrastructure will be Progressive Democrats’ future priorities in Government, it was claimed today.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today defended the cost of make-up to prepare himself for the Dáil’s TV cameras.

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell tonight accused Green Party supporters of being involved in vandalising his Progressive Democrats party offices during the Love Ulster riots last month.

More than 1,000 demonstrators today called on the Government to stop allowing the US to use Shannon Airport for military stopovers.

Hundreds of people are set to take part in a demonstration at Shannon Airport today to highlight the continuing US military stopovers there.

A new campaign is to be launched today in a bid to stop a 500,000 tonne incinerator being built on Dublin’s Poolbeg Peninsula.

The number of unprovoked attacks on the streets of Dublin more than doubled last year.