A convicted rapist terrified a woman and her elderly mother at a shopping centre car park in Cork when he pulled a knife and demanded their car keys.

THIS time around, three Fine Gael candidates will have their names near the top of the ballot paper and not many would bet against two of them taking seats in Leinster House on March 9.

GARDAÍ have ruled out foul play following the sudden death, most likely from natural causes, of the daughter of a former TD.

ONE of the barometer constituencies did exactly as one would have expected in light of the national outcome, returning two Fianna Fáil candidates and one for Fine Gael, just as it did five years ago.

Turnout in Cork North West was among the highest in the country, with figures this morning indicating up to 73% of voters went to the polling booths yesterday in this constituency.

THERE has been heavy betting on two General Election candidates in Cork North Central, one of whom entered the race at the last minute, according to Celtic Bookmakers.

ON THE WAY IN: 10 tipped to win

FIANNA Fáil candidates are proving to be their own worst enemies in Cork North West.

KERRY slugs and Cork landowners could together slow the progress of a major new road project in the north of the county to a snail’s pace.

IT TAKES a great man to ensure national politicians maintain a low profile.

ONLY three Cork-based TDs are racing certainties to be re-elected to the next Dáil, according to a former minister — and bookmaker.

FINE GAEL has lowered its expectations ahead of the General Election.

FIANNA Fáil’s election guru PJ Mara travelled to Cork South West last night to reassure disgruntled local members about election strategy in the constituency.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has been asked to intervene in the nine-month-old dispute between Greencore and former Irish Sugar workers over redundancy payments.

FORMER workers at Irish Sugar in Mallow yesterday called on Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan not to pay Greencore its share of the European Union sugar industry restructuring fund.

THE search began yesterday for buyers for an award-winning construction firm which has collapsed with the loss of 180 jobs.

A POLITICAL row blazed between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil yesterday over claims that the country’s biggest party will lose several seats in Cork in next year’s general election.

JUSTICE MINISTER Michael McDowell yesterday accused garda representatives of being “insolent and disrespectful” towards the Garda Commissioner in the ongoing row over the Garda Reserve.

Fianna Fáil will continue its preparations for the next General Election tonight, as it holds two selection conventions in Dublin and Cork.

FIANNA FÁIL could lose its two Dáil seats in Cork North-West if all three candidates do not comply with a very tight voting pact, Deputy Michael Moynihan warned yesterday.

AT a casual glance, it appeared to be the usual list from the revenue commissioners, naming and shaming the publicans, parish priests and assorted others who are conscientious objectors to paying their tax.

THE Government has no plans to review TDs’ expenses despite increasing criticism over the large amounts pocketed by many public representatives.

Former Labour leader Dick Spring has lost his seat in Kerry North.

Fianna Fail's Michael Moynihan has won the first seat in the three-seat Cork North West constituency.