Anne Ferris says society shunning certain types of family unit is as wrong and potentially damaging as it was when her teen pregnancy was hushed up 40 years ago

Letters from people like Tom Cooper (Letters, December 19) are dangerous, as they can feed the fantasies of those who like to justify the terrorism of the IRA, they must be challenged.

Israel has slammed the decision of the Irish parliament to adopt a non-binding resolution supporting an independent Palestinian state.

Those who seek to justify the 1916 Rising at the expense of the 1914 Home Rule Bill, make a number of mistakes.

Former Taoiseach, John Bruton, suggests that this September we should celebrate the anniversary of the granting of Home Rule to Ireland.

Another long trip to the Irish Parliament in Kildare Street, in a last-gasp bid to save the rural post office.

Since John Kerry was appointed US Secretary of State to replace Hillary Clinton, he has continued on her work, building up a large military base inside Jordan, to train fighters against Syria.

Television coverage of the Houses of the Oireachtas is set to get a facelift with nearly €500,000 being spent this year on efforts to improve broadcasting from the parliament.

IT IS difficult to imagine now the intensity of the controversy that was stirred by the Treaty oath, or the fact that history could have ignored for so long that it was Michael Collins who essentially proposed that oath.

A verdict from the inquest into Savita Halappanavar's death is expected today, the day when she would have been celebrating her wedding anniversary.

Ninety four years ago to this day Dáil Éireann sat for the first time in the Mansion House, Dublin, with the Declaration of Independence adopted.

There have been mixed reactions in India to the death of Savita Halappanavar, who died following a miscarriage at University Hospital Galway.

Pro-choice campaigners are organising another demonstration on Saturday calling for abortion legislation in the wake of the death of Savita Halappanavar.

A notorious appearance on 'The Late Late Show' was the beginning of the end for Padraig Flynn.

The Dáil has been sidelined by budgetary revelations in the Bundestag and elsewhere, despite Enda Kenny’s promise of more honest politics, writes Political Correspondent, Mary Regan

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has today confirmed that he intends to raise VAT by two points to 23% in next month's Budget.

A new dress code for the Dáil has been branded 'pathetic' by one TD this morning.

A judge heading an inquiry into the murders of two senior RUC officers has launched an attack on the Justice Minister Alan Shatter today for allegedly interfering with the tribunal.

Militant groups were tonight accused of hijacking a massive student demonstration in Dublin marred by violence.

FORMER European Parliament president Pat Cox has warned Brussels that any attempt to force Ireland to increase corporate tax rates – would constitute “a grave error of judgment by the EU” and would go against international law.

Willie O'Dea is no longer a member of the Cabinet.

CONTROVERSIAL bad bank NAMA is essential in tackling the country’s banking crisis, the EU’s economic commissioner said yesterday.

The controversial Nama proposal is essential in tackling Ireland’s banking crisis, the EU’s economic commissioner said today.

OH how our smitten Taoiseach swooned in the moonlight – the Ban Ki-moon light that is.

The two houses of the Oireachtas are due to hold a joint sitting at the Mansion House in Dublin today to mark the 90th anniversary of the first Dáil.

The Irish parliament must agree an all-party motion condemning alleged collusion by British security forces in the North atrocities, it was claimed tonight.

Men who have sex with under-age girls should not automatically be deemed guilty of rape, the Irish Supreme Court ruled today.

THE Guinness family is to open its doors to the famous Luggala Estate in County Wicklow this week as hundreds of antiques and paintings are auctioned off.

The Government is to sell a majority stake in national airline Aer Lingus, it was confirmed tonight.

The family of Patrick Finucane made a fresh appeal today to judges around the world not to sit on the public inquiry into the murder of the Belfast solicitor.

More and more unionists in the North will slowly accept that the IRA has decommissioned all its arms, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams claimed today.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Ray Burke, who was jailed for fiddling his tax returns, has been released, the Prison Service said today.

Former government minister Ray Burke was today jailed for six months for two tax-dodging offences.

A secret Government report on garda intelligence handling at the time of the Omagh bomb must be made public, it was claimed tonight.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has never personally asked anyone for a donation during his 27 years in politics, he said today.

The Government tonight agreed to allow the ongoing use of Shannon airport in the American military build-up for war in Iraq.

Anti-Iraq war campaigners staged demonstrations at 15 separate locations in Ireland today to coincide with International Women’s Day.

AIR passengers who have flights delayed or cancelled can claim compensation of up to 600 under laws being drawn up by the EU.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble moved today to scotch claims that he knew in advance about Irish and British Government moves to protect cross border bodies.

The people of Ireland were tonight urged to go to the polls on October 19 and vote yes to the expansion of the European Union.

The British Government today faced a call to give a definite answer to allegations that members of its security services colluded with loyalist paramilitaries to plant car bombs in Ireland.

The Government was urged tonight to bring forward formal proposals for a united Ireland.

The European Union will be forced to allow the Irish Government to aid Irish airline Aer Lingus which has suffered a dive in bookings after the attacks on America, a union said today.

The Government has extended the regulations which govern the procedures for IRA decommissioning into next year, it was confirmed today.