Party candidates are being licked into shape, reports Political Correspondent Fionnán Sheahan.

Sinn Féin takes the first direct hit as Bertie’s troops launch their election war, writes Political Editor Harry McGee.

The 68th Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis will continue at City West, Dublin, today as the party faces the most damaging string of allegations in its history from builder Tom Gilmartin at the Planning Tribunal.

AT first glance, IBEC and the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) don’t seem to have that much in common. IBEC is for wealth creation.

AT the FF Árd Fheis in Killarney, Brian Cowen stated the advice of the Attorney General (AG) to successive Irish governments on the issue of granting facilities to US troops and flights at Shannon airport during the war against Iraq (in which an estimated 30,000 people were killed) was that “the provision of such facilities does not, in international law, constitute a participation by Ireland in a military action”.

The Taoiseach has officially opened the 67th Fianna Fáil Árd Fheis in Killarney.

An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has postponed the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis, planned for April 6 and 7 due to the Foot-and-mouth crisis.