Prisoners’ kickabouts have cost taxpayers more than €80,000 on footballs alone in the past two years.

A Fine Gael TD has said the Croke Park Agreement is still affordable, despite the Central Bank significantly cutting its growth forecasts for this year.

Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan is calling on Bishop John Magee to answer questions raised by the Cloyne report in front of the Justice Committee.

RENT paid by the Government for premises to run 16 family mediation centres cost €690,123 last year, up by more than €70,000 on 2008.

FINE GAEL has refused to comment on reports that one of its TDs could assist the Government by abstaining in tomorrow’s budget vote.

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan’s decision to shelve a review of semi-state bosses’ pay sends out “the wrong signal”, a Fianna Fáil TD has said.

The delay in publishing reports into the deaths of two vulnerable children in State care was tonight branded scandalous.

Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter is said to be "considering" the HSE's request that he withdraw from the public record a report into the case of a young woman who died in 2002 while in State care.

A Fine Gael TD has condemned the level of preparation amongst officials for the country's latest cold snap.

IT appears there is a lack of joined-up thinking between two Government departments regarding on-farm inspections.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen refused to say last night whether he believed an Oireachtas probe into the banking crisis was merited.

The Ceann Comhairle temporarily adjourned the Dáil this morning after a row with Fine Gael TD James Bannon.

THE stop smoking lobby group Ash has lashed Fine Gael’s enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar for questioning the effectiveness of expensive excise duties in preventing people from smoking.

AN OPPOSITION TD has claimed cutbacks on carers are already taking place, with incontinence sheets no longer available for all dementia patients.

COLLEGE graduates could be asked to pay extra taxes instead of being charged fees by a future Fine Gael government.

The Minister of State for Integration has been forced to withdraw remarks he made in the Dáil last night describing a Fine Gael TD as a fascist.

THE HSE has spent more than half a million euro since the start of 2007 investigating bullying allegations and paying out compensation to workers targeted by harassment.

THE Dáil Public Accounts Committee is to widen its investigation into FÁS and its spending and procurement practices after the state agency came under sustained criticism from TDs yesterday.

A Fine Gael TD is set to attend the upcoming convention in the United States to nominate Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential candidate.

Fine Gael's Terrance Flanagan has been caught copying his Dáil colleagues work again.

Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keefe has claimed law and order has "totally broken down" due to the Government's failed policies for tackling crime.

A Fine Gael TD has raised questions about the role of certain junior ministers.

Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keefe has claimed that the people of Dublin feel terrorised on a daily basis due to the level of gun crime in the capital.

Fine Gael TD Denis Naughten has slammed the Government failure to launch an information campaign on the implementation of the EU Nitrates Directive.

Fine Gael TD Jimmy Deenihan has called on the Government to ensure this year's Ryder Cup competition is broadcast on free-to-air television in Ireland.

Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keefe has called for the establishment of a new garda unit to deal with criminal gangs following another fatal shooting in Dublin last night.

Fine Gael has called for the establishment of a separate county council for east Meath due to the area's increasing population.

Fine Gael TD Olivia Mitchell has called for safety improvements on all school buses following yesterday's tragedy near Navan in Co Meath.

Fine Gael TD Fergus O'Dowd has expressed concern about a government move make it easier for people to build one-off houses in the countryside.

Fine Gael TD David Stanton has called on the Government to clarify whether it plans to proceed with the Disability Bill.

NEW Fine Gael TD Dr Liam Twomey accused the major political parties of ignoring rural Ireland during his General Election campaign in 2002.

Fine Gael TD Olivia Mitchell has called for the establishment of an information campaign for immigrant women in an effort to prevent “back-street” abortions.

Fine Gael TD Phil Hogan has called for the introduction of a code of conduct for petrol companies following significant increases in the price of petrol in recent weeks.

Fine Gael TD Gay Mitchell has been expelled from the Dáil during heated exchanges about the Government’s proposed citizenship referendum.

Fine Gael TD Michael Ring has called on the Government to stop giving "mixed messages" about its opinion of Sinn Féin.

Fine Gael TD Denis Naughten has called on Transport Minister Seamus Brennan to carry out an immediate review of the Rail Procurement Agency’s entire operations.

Fine Gael TD Olivia Mitchell has claimed that privatisation of bus services would help improve the public transport system in Ireland.

Fine Gael TD Bernard Allen has called on the Minister for Justice to set up an inquiry into the death of Adrian Moynihan outside a Cork nightclub two years ago.

IRELAND will lose €50m in tourist revenue following its failure to guarantee two venues for the 2008 European soccer championships.

Fine Gael TD Jim O’Keefe has given a sworn testimony to lawyers representing the three Irishmen facing trial in Colombia for allegedly training anti-Government rebels.

Fine Gael has called on the Government to hold the upcoming general election on a weekend to encourage young people to vote.