The North’s political leaders have dismissed controversy over the Irish Government’s role in new Northern Ireland peace talks as a frenzied "much ado about nothing".

Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness has slammed as horrifying and disgusting the suspected torching of an Orange hall in Donegal – the second such attack within weeks.

The North’s leaders have dismissed controversy over the Irish government’s role in new Northern Ireland peace talks as a frenzied “much ado about nothing”.

Seanad reform pledge an ‘act of window dressing’

Youth unemployment will be the main focus of discussions at a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council today.

Health Minister James Reilly shas said that the HSE inquiry into Savita Halappanavar's death will proceed without her husband's co-operation.

Any decision for Sinn Féin members to meet the Queen will be made on whether it would enhance the peace process or damage it, the party said.

Banking reform and economic challenges will be discussed today by political leaders from both sides of the border.

Government officials from Dublin and Belfast have been tasked to draw up new plans for the major cross-border A5 road.

The North's political leaders are set to unveil their Programme for Government today.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has described Mr Lenihan as a decent man and exemplary public servant.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has continued to express bitterness towards his coalition partners after he was denied the chance to promote six Fianna Fáil TDs to the Cabinet.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen will travel to Armagh today to discuss the economy with his Stormont counterparts.

Michael McGimpsey and Martin McGuinness were at loggerheads today after the North's deputy first minister rebuked his colleague for missing a North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) meeting in Dublin.

THE agriculture ministers from the south and the North have agreed an All-Island Animal Health and Welfare Strategy.

An all-Ireland economic summit must be held to find an alternative to the controversial plans to establish a 'bad bank' to handle toxic debt south of the border, Sinn Féin demanded today.

The Taoiseach says Ireland is facing very serious choices about its future.

The Taoiseach will today attend the 7th plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Derry.

A planned meeting of the North South Ministerial Council today has been cancelled due to the ongoing stalemate in the North's power-sharing Executive.

WARNINGS of a return to violence by dissident republicans must be taken seriously, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said.

IF PROOF was ever needed politicians spoil all the fun, it came in a cavalcade to Dundalk Institute of Technology.

MEASURES to stop paedophiles using the border to escape detection are to be drawn up in a joint crackdown by the Dublin and Belfast governments.

Ministers from newly-formed governments in Dublin and Belfast will today meet for landmark talks in Armagh City.

The North’s politicians will betray their voters if they fail to form a power sharing government by November 24, a senior SDLP official warned today.

THE British and Irish Governments’ document mapped out hour by hour and month by month a timetable of exactly who should do exactly what and when, but by the time it was published it was clear Northern Ireland had again missed the political boat.

The Democratic Unionists were today urged to stop insisting the Good Friday Agreement can be rewritten.

Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley will today meet the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern for their first political discussions in Dublin.

Attempts to hollow out the Good Friday Agreement will be resisted, the Democratic Unionist Party was warned today.

Voters in Northern Ireland need to think what message it would send out to the rest of the European Union if the North elected Democratic Unionist and Sinn Féin MEPs, John Hume said today.

All parties aspiring to be part of the government of Northern Ireland must turn their backs on violence for good, the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists insisted today at the launch of the party's election manifesto.

It's been confirmed the US Government will support the proposed international body set up to ensure all parties keep their obligations under the Good Friday Agreement.

Republicans must play by the same rules as their political rivals, a former nationalist minister told Sinn Fein today.

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.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams today dismissed demands for the immediate disbandment of the IRA as wishful thinking.

Urgent measures to save the Northern Ireland peace process from collapse began today after David Trimble’s Ulster Unionists threatened to quit the power-sharing government.

DAVID TRIMBLE yesterday called on all IRA members to quit the paramilitary organisation and join its political wing to save the Northern peace process.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble and his party critics remained bitterly divided tonight as efforts to find common ground over power sharing with Sinn Fein failed.

Northern Ireland's Health Minister Bairbre de Brun was accused tonight of failing to engage with the Government in creating cross border health services.

Stormont Health Minister Bairbre de Brun was today under fire for failing to develop cross-border hospital links with Minister for Health Micheal Martin.

Stormont Minister Brid Rodgers’ home was at the centre of a bomb scare last week, it emerged today.

In a New Year message the North's First Minister David Trimble and Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan said stable government was the key.

Rival unionist parties were today embroiled in a bitter row over plans to increase co-operation with the Republic of Ireland.

The Government and the Stormont Executive are to consider increasing the number of cross-border bodies, it was disclosed today.