THE blame game within Government over last week’s botched communications effort has intensified after the Taoiseach’s spokesman said Brian Lenihan’s department was responsible for handling the issue.

FF’s results in previous Euro elections are poor. From 1979 to 2004 the average FF Euro vote over the 30-year period was 34.73%. Over the same period, the FF vote in general elections from 1981 to 2007 shows a significant differential. Their average over nine general elections was 43.05%

THE paintings of Brian Cowen were, at the very latest, completed some time in January, judging by an email to the Ray D’Arcy Show on Today FM on the 19th of that month.

THE European Commission said it would not be imposing a ban on Irish pork as the authorities had taken all possible steps to limit the damage by withdrawing all products from the market.

EUROPE’S new trade commissioner to replace Peter Mandelson has been approved by the European Parliament, but she may not be farmer-friendly.

COMPLAINTS by Seán Ó Neachtain MEP (Letters, September 22) about Libertas funding of the no campaign in the Lisbon Treaty referendum leaves him open to a charge of hypocrisy.

WE are warned by Seán Ó Neachtain MEP (Letters, May 26) that “the interests of Irish agriculture, rural communities and the Irish food sector in general will be very badly served indeed if there is a no vote against the Lisbon Treaty”.

WE’RE told by Sean Ó Neachtain MEP (Letters, May 5) that we must look carefully at the facts of the Lisbon Treaty.

A DECISION on a proposal to increase milk quotas in the EU by 2% from April 2 will be taken at a meeting of agricultural ministers in Brussels on St Patrick’s Day.

A DELEGATION from Shannon meets key EU officials in Brussels today on the future of the airport.

THE Irish Government hopes that the EU Commission will give it the go-ahead to begin decommissioning almost half of Ireland’s largest white-fleet trawlers as part of a €66 million scheme.

TWO of Ireland’s main peat-fuelled ESB power stations in the midlands are closed today because the ESB has to rely on trial and error to work out how to stop the plants being corroded by dangerous chemicals.

THE State’s Irish language radio station yesterday insisted that there is no link between the axing of its second most popular programme and complaints from a Fianna Fáil MEP.

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen will not be able to negotiate with US airlines to over-fly Shannon before the EU reaches agreement on an open skies deal, according to the European Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot.

FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny has been asked to explain what role, if any, he played in an attempt to stop the Taoiseach addressing the European Parliament on the ratification of the EU constitution.

IRISH MEPs were on the defensive yesterday after it emerged that they had some of the lowest attendance rates of any members of the European Parliament.

THE Irish language is set to become the 21st official language of the EU, employing 110 translators at an annual cost of about €10 million.

SEÁN Ó NEACHTAIN, who Fianna Fáil tried to prevent from running in the European elections, last night topped the poll in the North West constituency.

A last minute twist saw independent candidate Marion Harkin topping the North West poll tonight, with Sinn Fein Pearse Doherty a close second.

FIANNA FÁIL has succeeded in taking two of the three seats in the former Connacht-Ulster constituency several times in the past and they hope to do so again.

MICHAEL McDOWELL’S repeated attacks on Sinn Féin are damaging Fianna Fáil’s chances of taking two seats in the North-West constituency, said Junior Minister Jim McDaid.

THERE are still 17 days to go and already North-West is turning into a roller-coaster ride.

THERE is one candidate in the European Parliament election in North-West that everyone is watching — Dana Rosemary Scallon.

FINE GAEL and Labour may prove to be the big winners in the European Parliament elections, according to the latest opinion poll published today.

Political Correspondent Fionnán Sheahan says FF grassroots will not accept imposed candidates.

FIANNA FÁIL'S fractious row over carving up Munster for the European elections campaign escalated last night after a blunt warning from Brian Crowley that a constituency divide will cost the party a seat.

Fianna Fáil MEP Sean Ó Neachtain says the EU presidency has great potential to improve the Irish economy.

Connacht/Ulster MEP Seán Ó Neachtáin is claiming that a world trade deal is vital if the economies of the EU and developing countries are to recover.

PLANS to drastically reduce the Irish Box and cut back even further on cod fishing will decimate the fishing industry, Irish MEPs warned yesterday.

COMMERCIAL fishermen are to resist a Brussels’ proposal which could increase the presence of foreign boats in Irish waters.