Former taoiseach Brian Cowen has said he regrets that a quarter of a million people lost their jobs during the recession.

With an election in the offing, a growing percentage are completely disillusioned with politics as it has been practiced by the main parties in this country for decades. Time and again we’ve had the merry-go-round of promises to do things differently when in opposition, and subsequent reneging when in government. In that light, we have compiled 10 ideas that might contribute to saving politics from total cynicism, writes Special Correspondent Michael Clifford

The IMF says Greece needs debt relief and €50bn in new financing, Berkeley survivor Clodagh Cogley is "making great progress", Brian Cowen has denied that the government were "on autopilot" in the midst of the financial crisis and three new buildings will be built at the Boland’s Mill site in Dublin. Here’s this evening’s irishexaminer.com catch-up.

Irish Water has denied ‘secret deals’ to not install water meters in homes of protestors, Brian Cowen accuses bankers over economy, Greece is braced for more chaos on the streets and Irish entertainer Val Doonican passed last night, aged 88. Just some of the latest and most read stories on irishexaminer.com.