Cabinet ministers will be allowed to "dissent" from supporting the upcoming referendum on abortion, the Taoiseach has said.

ANY objective assessment of two stories of recent days would, unfortunately, conclude that two members of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s cabinet may have abused their position in revealing ways.

Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

US billionaire John Malone has secured planning permission for a major extension to his Hilton hotel at Charlemont Place at Grand Canal in Dublin after An Bord Pleanála gave the go-ahead for a seven-storey, 97-bedroom extension.

The case of a man with inflammation of the brain and spinal cord who was denied a medical card has been raised in the Dáil along with claims other sick patients are being refused care.

The Government has spent more than €6m over the past seven years on the witness protection programme, figures show.

DISENCHANTMENT with traditional politics is being expressed right around the world in sometimes bizarre but always energising ways.

A Government Minister said it is quite clear there will be no referendum on abortion before the next election.

RTÉ welcomed the clearance from the High Court yesterday to report Dáil debates concerning billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien, saying it sent out an important message to TDs and the media.

The firm that operates the network of speed camera vans for the Gardaí received monthly payments of €1.43m last year.

Former Fianna Fail Dáil Deputy, Councillor Chris Andrews, will run for Sinn Fein in the Dublin Bay South constituency in the general election.

Arts Minister Heather Humphreys said today that she only allowed the new Star Wars film to be shot on Sceilig Mhichíl after getting producers to scale down the environmental impact on the island.

Jobs will be the focus of the second and final day of the Fine Gael "think-in" in Cork today.

The Taoiseach has said Ireland will probably need to hold a referendum to allow children who were forcibly adopted to trace their parents.

The communications minister has ruled out any prospect of allowing broadcasters to air 'offensive' material.

Ruairi Quinn states that the removal of the teaching of the Catholic religion from school will help those parents who hypocritically baptise children for school.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter yesterday responded to allegations that the offices of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission were bugged. Here is his statement to the Dáil in full.

The normal cut-and-thrust of Irish politics is set to resume today when the Dáil convenes for the first time since the passing of the Lisbon Treaty referendum.

A GROWING number of solicitors are failing to hand over to the Revenue stamp duty paid by clients when purchasing property.

CONTROVERSY over claims that the Green Party were asked to sound out Sinn Féin on whether they would support a Fine Gael government descended into farce yesterday, dominating the last day of campaigning before tomorrow’s elections.

Many people believe there is no smoke without fire and what he’s up to is one hell of a smokescreen.

Opposition leader Enda Kenny tonight cranked up political pressure on the Taoiseach to resign, as both leaders traded insults while 8,000 miles apart.

The mayors of the Mid-West today called for thousands of people to join a weekend rally in the continuing battle to save the vital Shannon-Heathrow air link.

Northern MPs could get seats on a special committee of Dáil, it emerged tonight.

Four cross-party politicians are joining forces and their singing voices in the name of charity, it emerged today.

Another ’Stardust’ could happen because of the lack of ambulances and fire prevention officers in Dublin, the Dáil heard tonight.

GERRY ADAMS wasn’t the star of the Sinn Féin Árd Fheis. Nor was it Martin McGuinness. And as for the hunger stirkers - Bobby who?

An editorial on Monday, May 31, stated that the Minister for State at the Department of Health Tim O’Malley declined to be interviewed for an article on suicide and Ireland’s mental health services, and that his department had not bothered to deliver a promised reply.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has told the Dail that the Government will do all it can to assist the humanitarian mission in Iraq.

The Government is to recall the Dail on Thursday morning for a six-hour debate on the imminent US/British war against Iraq.

A second judge has apologised for comments made against non-nationals.

Gardai in Limerick have revealed that the man murdered in the city last night was spoken to during the investigation into the abduction of the Ryan brothers.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has told the Dail that he has no plans to intervene in talks on a new national pay deal which broke down in Dublin early today.

An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has reiterated his view that Croke Park will be available if the joint Irish/Scottish Euro 2008 bid is successful.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has told the Dail that his Government had no contacts with the Real IRA following the 1998 Omagh bombing.

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has told the Dail that he never took a bribe in his life.

The Government has reportedly put a proposal to the FAI that would allow Ireland’s home internationals to be screened on free-to-air terrestrial television.

The loss of many high-profile candidates in the 2002 election has shocked experienced observers.

It is rare that a politician, fighting his first election, knocks on a door canvassing for votes and is asked for his autograph.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will today confirm the date for a general election - and signal the end of the longest-lasting government in the peacetime history of Ireland.