WHEN he was taoiseach, Bertie Ahern spoke of his intention to step down from politics when he was 60. He will reach that age next September, so stepping down at the general election means that he is essentially fulfilling that intention.

FORMER Fianna Fáil MEP Eoin Ryan received the highest amount of political donations last year, followed closely by Labour MEP Proinsias de Rossa.

THE stunning collapse of Fianna Fáil’s vote in the Dublin Central by-election may have ruined Bertie Ahern’s chances of becoming Dublin Mayor.

THE local and European elections are now just over a fortnight away and there will be wall-to-wall coverage on the state of the parties, the likely winners and losers and the implications of the results for party leaders.

TDS and senators declared a total of €163,394 in donations last year, new figures from the State’s ethics watchdog have revealed.

THE “old boys’ club” culture in Leinster House must be challenged, according to the Labour Party, which proposed laws to cut funding from parties that do not put enough women candidates forward for election.

A nationwide campaign begins today to lobby TDs for support against the proposed pension levy.

CHILDREN will be forced to drop out of school next year as the economy plunges deeper into recession, the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) warned yesterday.

THERE is a contrast between Europe and America but not a contradiction, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the joint houses of Congress yesterday.

BERTIE AHERN may be bowing out, but his ability to defy the political odds were last night recognised as he was nominated for a special award.

FOR Michael D Higgins, it was a book of prose, for Willie O’Dea it was African mines, for Jackie Healy Rae a room to meet with his people in Killarney, and for Bertie Ahern a few free tickets to the dogs.

The Government tonight announced the 17 Coalition TDs who will chair Oireachtas Committees and pick up €1.7m in extra pay over the next five years.

BERTIE AHERN has not yet named the ‘temporary’ senators who will replace the four Taoiseach’s nominees in the outgoing Seanad who have been elected to the Dáil.

SOME gems from the world of proportional representation — first preferences:

ON analysis of the election results a very interesting fact becomes apparent.

A FIANNA Fáil candidate has claimed Taoiseach Bertie Ahern “shafted” her.

A defeated Fianna Fáil election candidate who narrowly failed to take a seat in the Taoiseach’s constituency tonight accused party colleagues of sabotaging her campaign.

The outgoing Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, is almost certain to be facing into another five years in the job following Thursday's election.

IN the space of 24 hours this week, two events highlighted the disturbing fault-line in attitudes to violence and gun crime in Irish society.

BERTIE AHERN’S popularity in his own constituency has been unaffected by the controversies of the past ten day, a new opinion poll has shown.

An information campaign for people living in flood-prone areas should be launched before the weekend’s high tides, it was claimed tonight.

THE drainage system in the capital must be cleared immediately to avoid floods as the highest tides in two decades approach, a senator warned yesterday.

The drainage system in Dublin must be cleared immediately to avoid floods as the highest tides in two decades approach, a senator warned today.

The Government has decided that the new national children’s hospital will be located in the Mater Hospital.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern’s constituency of Dublin Central will be among the tightest and most divisive in the general election, following Fianna Fáil’s weekend decision to field three candidates and yesterday’s by Patricia McKenna that she will stand for the Green Party there.

Former Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna is to contest the next General Election in the Taoiseach's Dublin Central constituency.

Two candidates were tonight chosen to accompany Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on the ballot paper for the next general election.

A visit by TDs and Senators to the Ukraine is expected to strengthen parliamentary ties between both countries.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday strongly rejected any imputation that a letter sent in his name had interfered in the planning process.

THE planning enforcement officer at Roscommon County who opened the letter that arrived on her desk in mid November must have experienced, at the very least, a mild frisson of surprise.

Opposition politicians have called on the Taoiseach to explain why he asked Roscommon County Council to postpone legal action it was taking against the owner of an unauthorised quarry.

DISAPPOINTED general election candidates and hopefuls for a seat in the next Dáil figure among the Taoiseach's nominees to the Seanad, announced last night.