THE Oireachtas committee established to investigate issues raised by the striking down of the statutory rape law will hold its inaugural meeting today.

The Government was tonight accused of being complacent about price rises after a report revealed goods in Dublin were on average 3.5% dearer than the rest of the country.

The battle to end overcrowding at A&E units in the country’s hospitals continues at Beaumont Hospital and the Mater today.

TENS of thousands of people are being forced to spend up to €150 on tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) due to waiting lists of up to eight weeks at many public hospital clinics or due to inconvenient opening hours.

THE Labour Party representative for Dublin North Central Senator Derek McDowell has expressed concern at the mounting litter problem being caused by the distribution of free morning newspapers in the city and has called on the manufacturers to take the lead in solving the problem.

LABOUR leader Pat Rabbitte’s high-risk strategy of forming an electoral pact with Fine Gael before the next general election last night received a significant endorsement from Ireland’s largest trade union.

WORKERS were shocked and “betrayed” last night at An Post’s announcement that it will seek 270 job cuts in its loss making parcels and courier division, SDS.

THE Government last night trenchantly denied that the legislation allowing the break-up of Aer Rianta was put together by an outside legal firm.

RESIDENTS of Lucan could be forgiven for feeling an overpowering envy this week as Dubliners, and particular those living on the southside of the city, went into raptures at the arrival of Luas.

FOUR more operations have been cancelled at Crumlin children’s hospital since the death of a baby whose heart surgery was cancelled last week.

THE main political parties are celebrating strong performances in the Seanad elections, which were completed yesterday.

COUNTING in the Seanad elections today enters its final day when all of the 49 seats should be filled.

The Labour Party’s Derek McDowell has become the first person to be elected to the Seanad’s commercial and industrial panel.

Fine Gael’s Mary Jackman has become the latest candidate to be eliminated from the Seanad elections for the commercial and industrial panel.

Two full panels remain to be filled in the race for seats in the Senate election.

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

In the run up to what seems like a Fianna Fail majority, the Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn has managed to hold onto his seat in Dublin South East.

Labour says it’s confident that it will be able to deliver on its six key election pledges, even if the economy takes a nosedive.

The Labour Party has claimed that Fine Gael will not be able to fund its election promises if it is elected to power this Friday.

The country recorded an exchequer surplus of €608m during the first quarter of the year - €845m down on the figure at this time 12 months ago.

The Labour Party has promised that if it is returned to Government it will not raise income tax rates, echoing the pre-election promise of Fine Gael.

AIB officials should be called before the Dail to explain the €746m loss it made through a complex fraud at a US subsidiary, the Labour Party said today.

Opposition parties were quick to criticise Minister McCreevy's budget. Fine Gael finance spokesman Jim Mitchell, contrasted it with the last year's budget, and said: "The question everyone is asking is - where has all the money gone?

Fine Gael has urged Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy to invest more in primary education in this year’s budget, the details of which will be revealed this afternoon.

Opposition parties are slamming the Government’s spending plans for the next year.

New figures released today have shown that inflation for the month of September fell by three percent to 4.3%.

The Labour Party has said the Dail should have the power to suspend Liam Lawlor after he was sent to jail for a week today for the second time this year.

The Labour Party is rejecting the Government's warnings over wage inflation.