Paddy Power have cut the odds on a Fianna Fáil/PD coalition from 5/4 to even odds after Brian Cowen delivered his Budget speech to the house earlier today.

THE Greens last night insisted Ireland must go on to a “war footing” to avoid economic and environmental disaster in the wake of a major probe into the consequences of climate change.

SERIOUS crime has increased significantly since Veronica Guerin was murdered 10 years ago. No statistical juggling can hide this.

The US and Britain used the pretext of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including chemical weapons, as a justification for their invasion of Iraq.

THE riots in French cities are a grim warning of what could happen here if the underlying causes - poverty, social deprivation, racism and xenophobia - are not tackled soon.

Financial adviser and TV personality Eddie Hobbs has slammed the Government's dismissal of yesterday's report from the Comptroller and Auditor General.

FIANNA Fáil was last night left reeling from a "Rip off Republic" backlash which could see it drop 20 seats at the next election.

ONE could almost have sympathy for Education Minister Mary Hanafin when, with a helpless shrug, she pleaded that it was not possible to have every school bus fitted with seat belts by September.

THE representatives of three major organisations have walked away from talks on the Disability Bill.

A planned fundraising drive by Fianna Fáil could undermine proper standards in Irish politics, Opposition parties claimed today.

THIS week it might be timely to remember the dangers of drawing far-fetched conclusions from mid-term election results.

THE £22 million Belfast heist raises the very apt question of whether it was civilian criminality, or paramilitary criminality.

THEY say that the best fish and chips are wrapped in a quality newspaper. Last week’s Budget was like a particularly greasy cod and chips wrapped in a glossy magazine (with a large emphasis on the cod).

ON February 15 last the Peace & Neutrality Alliance and the Irish Anti-War Movement helped to organise one of the largest anti-war demonstrations in recent Irish history.

I’M fed up of the Fianna Fáil and PD coalition telling us they are spending more money on healthcare than ever before. They suggest time and again that funding for statutory healthcare has increased by €€5 billion since they came to power.

AS we watched the closing moments of the Special Olympics, many of us witnessed the most insensitive and inappropriate piece of political spinning for many a day.

A RANGE of issues threatening the future of many of the 6,000 people employed in fishing will be raised by the industry with an all-party committee today.

THE country’s serious criminals must be quaking at the prospect of Michael McDowell’s answer to the shortage of gardaí.

TALK is cheap and actions speak louder than words.

THE waste of taxpayers’ money on jets for senior politicians while patients are waiting on trollies and hospital wards are being closed is a national scandal.

FINE GAEL members of Dublin City Council are set to defy a senior party order to vote against large increases in service charges.

I WISH new Labour leader, Pat Rabitte, well in his aim of building a strong left-wing opposition in Ireland – for the first time since James Connolly’s death.

THE Government was yesterday urged to adopt an effective approach to the problem of children who were persistent offenders.

What's with all the whinging about the Government breaking its promises so soon after the election?

Irish troops will have to come home from peace-keeping duties abroad because the United States does not want American soldiers to be subject to trial for war crimes, according to Fine Gael's John Bruton.