Alan Shatter has suggested he was wrongly forced to resign from Government because of the findings of the Guerin report which he lambasted as "fundamentally flawed" and akin to a "kangaroo court".

Alan Shatter is to appeal a ruling that he broke the law in comments he made about another TD, according to a report this morning.

Alan Shatter, the former justice minister, has welcomed the Cooke report on allegations of covert surveillance at the offices of the Garda Ombudsman.

Former Labour deputy leader Barry Desmond has backed Joan Burton to head the party, while also saying the Coalition needs to survive its full term.

Former justice minister Alan Shatter fired a parting shot at ex-cabinet colleagues by donating his ministerial severance payment to a charity that has led the campaign against the Government’s medical card cuts.

Alan Shatter has refused to say if he will draw down €70,000 in ministerial severance payments — despite requests to do so by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said that he expects former justice minister Alan Shatter to comply with new laws in relation to his severance pay.

It has emerged that Alan Shatter is entitled to severance pay of over €70,000 despite resigning as the Minister for Justice.

Further dramatic claims have emerged about a second Garda whistleblower who was warned about the consequences of pursuing an allegation of sexual harassment within the force.

The country faces a “two-tier recovery” with many being left behind while others prosper, the Fianna Fáil leader said in his televised address on the bailout exit.

The fallout between Taoiseach Enda Kenny the seven rebel “Reform Alliance” TDs and senators showed no sign of abating yesterday after Mr Kenny said he wasn’t interested in “superfluous conversations” which had nothing to do with the problems Ireland faces every day.

Rebel TDs kicked out of Fine Gael for opposing the abortion legislation could be let back into the parliamentary party after a period of time, according to a junior minister.

The Government faces growing opposition to its abortion legislation, with predictions that up to 10 Fine Gael members could oppose the passing of the legislation.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has rubbished the idea that the new abortion legislation will lead to Irish women having abortions as late as 35-40 weeks.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has taken a swipe at TDs who he said have holiday homes in Spain and France but are opposing property tax here.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is facing a growing revolt within Fine Gael over the Coalition’s flagship property tax initiative.

The Government is facing pressure to postpone the property tax and prevent a wave of repossessions following the latest statistics on the mortgage crisis.

Politicians have “colluded in making this country inhumane for women” for more than 20 years, Labour TD Ciara Conway said during last night’s emotive Dáil debate on abortion.

Embattled Health Minister James Reilly has said he utterly rejects acting unethically amid revelations an associate of his owns a site controversially chosen for a new primary care centre.

Embattled Health Minister Dr James Reilly was today facing fresh demands to resign following revelations he is an associate of the owner of a site controversially chosen for a new primary care centre.

The incoming junior health minister said he has no reason to believe his new boss James Reilly acted improperly over the allocation of primary care centres.

Opposition parties are calling on the Health Minister James Reilly to resign after former Junior Minister Roisín Shortall accused him of "stroke politics" and said he had blocked attempts to reform the health service.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore appointed Alex White as junior minister in the Department of Health in a bid to swiftly move on from the fallout of the resignation of Roisín Shortall.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has again defended Health Minister James Reilly’s decision to add two sites in his constituency to a list of locations for primary care centres.

The Dublin South TD Alex White is to become the new Junior Health Minister.

Central Bank officials have been summoned to appear before the Oireachtas Committee on Finance today, for questioning over the Ulster Bank scandal.

The Government has today rebuffed another attempt to delay the vote on the EU Fiscal Treaty.

There has been a “change of attitude” in the public sector where workers disagreeing with policy approaches in departments are listened to, the Taoiseach told the Dáil.

The Government is, by its own hand, mired in a communications disaster approaching something like Cowenesque darkness.

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton has said Fine Gael has yet to make a decision on whether disciplinary action should be taken against party TD Olivia Mitchell in the wake of the Mahon Tribunal report.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has refused to reveal details of ongoing talks about Ireland’s banking debts because he said they are "too sensitive".

The referendum on tighter EU budget rules should be used to secure a reduction on Ireland’s massive debt burden, according to Independent TD Shane Ross.

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny should have a great golf handicap after being gifted membership of three clubs, according to information released on Oireachtas members’ interests.

TROUBLES continued to mount for Fianna Fáil last night with confirmation that two of its Dublin TDs have decided not to put themselves forward for the next election.

BRIAN COWEN’S wife should tell him “it’s not worth it” and persuade him to step down from office, according to veteran Fianna Fáil TD Mary O’Rourke.

BRIAN COWEN has insisted he is not a “Taoiseach on probation” in an effort to quell a growing threat of backbench revolt and ease political uncertainty ahead of today’s auction of Government bonds.

The Government is set for a High Court showdown with Sinn Féin over a stalled by-election in Donegal, it emerged today.

THE Government’s Drugs Minister said the head shop industry had the “best legal representation that money can buy” and will certainly challenge planned laws to put them out of business.

Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness today insisted his party was ready to take the reins south of the border.

Junior coalition partner the Green Party today accused former senator Deirdre de Burca of threatening to damage the party if she was not given a senior EU post.

MONEY was not a factor in George Lee leaving politics, the former Fine Gael TD insisted, claiming he was earning more in the Dáil than in RTÉ and would soon be on a ministerial wage if he had not quit.

Fine Gael's Enterprise Spokesman Leo Varadkar has revealed that George Lee declined a position on a Dáil Economic Committee during his time in Leinster House.

Journalist turned politician George Lee today announced he is to quit the Dáil less than nine months after being elected.

The Government's bank rescue plan Nama has completed its passage through the Dáil and is expected to be signed into law shortly.