Sinn Féin has rejected a bid to give it TDs and Senators a free vote on abortion.

By Mary Regan, Political correspondent

Thousands of undocumented Irish people living in America are a step closer to gaining citizenship, after a group of US Senators agreed a deal aimed at dealing with millions of foreigners living in America illegally.

Representatives from Twitter and Facebook have been defending themselves before an Oireachtas Committee today.

The public has until 5pm this evening to give their opinions on a proposed bill which, if passed, could give TDs and Senators the power to carry out inquiries.

The government is under increasing pressure to legislate for the X Case, allowing for medical terminations in cases where a mother's life is at risk.

Giving TDs and Senators free hand-held tablet devices such as iPads will save the taxpayer money, Oireachtas officials claim.

Concerns are being raised that the referendum to allow the Oireachtas to conduct inquiries and make findings could give politicans too much power.

Members of the Oireachtas health committee will meet asylum-seekers at the Mosney centre in Meath and St Patricks Centre in Monaghan later.

A group representing the unemployed has today demanded that TDs and Senators to reject the Social Welfare Bill being debated today.

Fine Gael TDs and Senators have endorsed Enda Kenny's surprise proposal to abolish the Seanad if the party is elected to Government.

The People Before Profit group has staged a protest outside the RDS, where the Green Party are holding a day-long convention to decide on the revised programme for government and the ’bad bank’ Nama.

The rules on protection for listed buildings will come under scrutiny at the Oireachtas Environment Committee today.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern today accused conspiracy theorists of whipping up hysteria around his plans to modernise laws on blasphemy.

THE International Monetary Fund was yesterday forced declare it was not poised to take control of the Irish economy.

A number of serving cabinet ministers reportedly made representations to the Department of Justice on behalf of convicted criminals in 2006 and 2007.

Forget Oxegen or even Glastonbury, this year pack your sleeping bags and get ready for the Festival of Politics, the biggest peace-loving political chin wagging seisiún ever to invade our streets.

THE Fine Gael leader is full of alliterative possibilities. Enda the Earnest. Easy Enda. Engaging Enda. Enda the eco-warrior (we are joking for the last one).

A committee of TDs and Senators has called for the appointment of a Junior Minister to co-ordinate the roll-out of broadband services nationwide.

TDs and senators should be allowed to use an e-voting system in Dáil votes to save time and effort, the Green Party said today.

A cross-party group of 19 TDs and Senators has come together to promote Traveller issues in the Oireachtas.

The Government motion to investigate Judge Brian Curtin will not be heard this week, despite commitments given by the Taoiseach.

The organisers of a Gaelic football match between members of the Dáil and the Northern Ireland police today faced calls for it to be scrapped.

MOST TDs and Senators are expected to take a golden handshake of almost €13,000 to give up their council seats by the end of June — a year before they are obliged to.

The Green party TD, Paul Gogarty has called on the Government to hold a referendum on the subject of dual mandate, to clarify public opinion on TDs and Senators holding council seats.

THE country’s politicians showed they had plenty of balls yesterday but fell foul to a cruel reversal of political fortunes.