The removal of the long-serving MEP Brian Crowley from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party was described as "a very sad day for Fianna Fáil" and a "terrible turn of events" by its finance spokesman, Michael McGrath.

TÁNAISTE Eamon Gilmore has warned EU ambassadors that the Government will not dilute Ireland’s low corporation tax rate.

A nationalist party that rejects bail-outs for Portugal and other debt-ridden eurozone members is expected to make strong gains in Finland's election today but remains unlikely to join the next government, according to a series of recent polls.