€500m a year less is being spent on universities and colleges, though there are more students, and nobody wants to foot the bill, says Niall Murray

Fine Gael has been dealt a further blow after high- profile candidates failed to get elected to the Seanad.

The one certainty is that Eamon O’Cuiv’s seat could be the safest in Ireland — even though politicians hate hearing that.

Tánaiste Joan Burton used the probe into the banking crisis to brand Fianna Fáil “liars” for trying to claim everyone had a role in the crash.

New sanctions are unlikely to be introduced for unruly TDs after an Oireachtas committee criticised Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald for abusing Dáil privilege.

A Fine Gael councillor has been forced to apologise after tweeting his dismay at the demise of The Sun newspaper’s Page 3 feature with disparaging remarks about people who object to the use of topless models to sell newspapers.

Rebel ex-minister Lucinda Creighton has promised a different type of politics where TDs will be free to vote with their conscience, as she outlined plans for a new party.

A former junior minister is to head the Government’s road safety campaigns. Liz O’Donnell, a former Progressive Democrat TD, has been given a five-year tenure as chair of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) following Gay Byrne’s retirement.

ON radio yesterday morning, Olivia O’Leary, who chronicled his era in power as a political reporter, recalled the time she danced with Albert Reynolds. He was, she said, a great dancer.

Albert Reynolds will be remembered not just for his conventional political failures in Ireland but equally for his success as a peacemaker and statesman, writes Gerard Howlin.

Limerick City Council, one of the oldest local authorities in Ireland and Britain, having first met in 1197, sat for the final time yesterday.

Former Leinster House staff should have their Dáil passes taken away to avoid “fly-by-night” lobbying, according to an academic who advised the Government on a bill due to be published shortly.

If media exposure equalled political success then surely Lucinda Creighton would be fast-tracked to the office of the Taoiseach by now.

In a political system where dissent in the Dáil is stamped out by a dictatorial government with an overwhelming majority, the media has increasingly become the main opposition.

A small newspaper ad offering a £10,000 reward led to the establishment of the Mahon tribunal, writes Michael Clifford.

IT’S little wonder that Mary Harney has disappeared from public discourse.

RICHARD POWER (Letters, June 22) states that “the greatest problems facing this country are economic”. He then suggests that the best person to deal with this economic problem is Pat Cox.

Pat Cox's application to become a member of Fine Gael has been approved by the party.

SUCCESSIVE Fianna Fáil-led governments cranked up spending to help buy two elections but voters paid the price for these expensive promises.

LET’S fast forward to Monday, February 28 … After a hectic weekend of counting, the last seats have been allocated. Voters have spoken.

Government chief whip John Curran has confirmed the Taoiseach Brian Cowen will make a statement in the Dáil in the next 15 minutes.

IN justifying his decision in 2007 to enter government Green Party leader John Gormley cited advice given to him during coalition negotiations by Mary Harney, a woman who at that stage had been a senior minister for 10 years (and who had been a junior minister earlier in her career).

A SMALL group of isolated deputies made the most decisive votes of their Oireachtas career as the Government squeezed out a majority for its budget and social welfare cuts.

HOSPITALS could yet save the Government from death or send it to an early grave.

The Independent TD Noel Grealish has said it is time for a General Election and a new Government.

THE Labour Party needs to overcome a near impossible numbers game to fulfil its ambition to be the largest party in the next Dáil.

FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny believes a court case taken by Sinn Féin could be enough to trigger an election early next year.

WARM tributes were paid last night to former Cork and Limerick city manager, Jack Higgins, with councillors describing him as “very efficient public servant” and “a strategic thinker”.

Former Progressive Democrat TD Mae Sexton is to run for the Labour Party in the next election.

A MYSTERY figure from Clare intercounty GAA, with national prominence, is being lined up for a fight to win back a Dáil seat in the constituency.

AILING minister Martin Cullen has delivered a hammer blow to the Government by retiring from politics and compromising its Dáil majority.

THE Government is confident of shoring up enough support to push through the harshest budget in years following a number of meetings with independent TDs and Fianna Fáil defectors whose votes are crucial to pass it in the Dáil.

THE Government will hold last-minute talks with independent TDs today to ensure it can shore up support needed to push through tomorrow’s budget, which is being flagged as one of the harshest in living memory.

PHARMACIES have proliferated in recent years and there are many stories about exorbitant prices being paid for medication. It has all been part of Rip-off Ireland.

FINE GAEL will assemble for its parliamentary party today determined to put on a brave face after last week’s gathering provoked uproar.

DEFECTING Progressive Democrat leader Ciarán Cannon has been warned to forget his former policies if he wants to be a part of Fine Gael.

Former leader of the disbanded Progressive Democrats, Senator Ciaran Cannon, today joined Fine Gael.

SHORTLY after last year’s general election, a former high-ranking Progressive Democrat coldly assessed the party’s future and realised it had none.

PROGRESSIVE Democrat members will be told to bow out with dignity or face ridicule when they are addressed by former leader Mary Harney at today’s crunch meeting on the party’s future.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen will consider whether Mary Harney should continue as Health Minister if Progressive Democrat members decide to wind up the party at a convention next weekend.