TWO of Jessica Harrington’s brightest jumping prospects have been confirmed for next month’s valuable meeting at Down Royal.

HORSE RACING IRELAND is considering allowing punters use online betting and betting exchanges at racecourses to counter the rapidly falling attendance numbers at Irish race meetings.

FARM groups in the North and in the Republic have met to examine aspects of Europe’s new dairy package which could mitigate against net exporters like Ireland.

IRISH racing has plenty to be positive about despite a testing year but “radical changes” must be made if some race tracks are to avoid going to the wall.

Unionist voters in Northern Ireland were told today they could strengthen ties with Britain by backing the Conservative Party’s new political platform in the region.

The Conservative Party today repeated its pledge that Unionist politicians elected under its banner in the North could find a place in a future Tory government.

Britain’s Conservative MEPs will be part of a new 55-strong “anti-federalist” political group in the European Parliament, it was announced today.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) suffered a major collapse in its vote today as a new force in right-wing unionist politics emerged in the North.

Diane Dodds (DUP) and Jim Nicholson (UC) have been elected on third count of the European elections in the North.

Counting is due to begin this morning in the North's European elections, with Sinn Féin set to make history by topping the poll for the first time.

Sinn Féin is being widely tipped to top the poll when the European election results are counted in the North tomorrow.

Election officials in the North will begin preparations today for the official counting of the votes cast in the European Parliament election.

A top election official apologised tonight to voters who were accidentally charged over £5 (€5.75) to receive their polling cards.

THE budget is still nearly three weeks away and speculation is already mounting about the Government’s ability to get it through the Dáil. Against all expectations when this government was formed, the Greens have developed a limpet-like grip on power. Only grim death will separate them from ministerial office, it seems.

One of the North's four Victims Commissioners is dismissing calls for her resignation after she wrote about the death of her brother on a website.

THERE can scarcely be a more overworked cliché about the North than Churchill’s words during the House of Commons debate in 1922 on the Irish Free State Bill.

Fresh European red tape could force up the cost of flights from Northern Ireland, a local MEP claimed today.

Over €700m has been allocated by the European Commission to promote economic investment in the North and the border counties, it was announced today.

Dessie Hughes will rely upon Central House rather than Strong Flow in the Star "Best For Racing Coverage" Chase at Punchestown on Wednesday.

Dessie Hughes will rely upon Central House rather than Strong Flow in the Star “Best For Racing Coverage” Chase at Punchestown on Wednesday.

More than a tenth of the European funding programme for the North has been eaten up in administration, it was revealed today.

A European Commissioner leading a Brussels taskforce on the North Ireland will today meet a senior minister in the Stormont power sharing government.

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has warned today that the mushroom industry in the North Ireland is going to disappear unless urgent action is taken to secure a long-term future for the once flourishing industry.

The Ulster Unionist Party is united, a senior member insisted today.

Opposition parties tonight hit out at Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, accusing him of breaking his pledge not to go into government with Sinn Féin.

Commenting on the Northern secretary's speech today, Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has accused Peter Hain of political blackmail by continuing to link the future of children’s education to the political process.

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson said today that the ongoing threat posed by dissident Republicans is “evil and cynical” especially when considered against the backdrop of last week’s terror threat to UK airports.

European taxpayers should not have to pay to accommodate the decision to make Irish an official language in the European Parliament, according to Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson.

Democratic Unionist MEP Jim Allister was accused of shameless opportunism today after he attacked rival Ulster Unionists for joining forces at Stormont with a loyalist politician.

The absence of an elected Assembly in the north could lead to a lack of EU funding opportunities, according to UUP MEP Jim Nicholson.

Ulster Unionist Party MEP Jim Nicholson has criticised the British government for negotiating a deal which will see a substantial reduction in the amount of EU rural development money coming to the North between 2007 – 2013.

The North's UUP MEP Jim Nicholson has called for a halt to all cross border EU spending because unionists are inadequately represented on the management board.

British and Irish governments must inject greater transparency into talks to revive devolution in the North, they were urged today.

European Union chiefs were warned today by a Northern Ireland MEP his support for new peace and reconciliation funding for the North should not be assumed.

The Government today faced calls from a unionist MEP for an inquiry into collusion between members of the Gardaí and the IRA during the Troubles.

The British presidency of the European Union has recommended that €200m be allocated to peace and reconciliation funds for the North, it was claimed today.

Down Royal will offer a free £5 (€7.40) tote bet to racegoers at their next meeting on St Stephen's Day to compensate for the five abandoned races on Saturday.

Peace and reconciliation projects in Northern Ireland and Border counties of the Irish Republic could be said to benefit from a new tranche of special European Union funding, it was claimed tonight.

An Ulster Unionist MEP today vowed never to set foot in the Dáil if he and other Northern Ireland politicians are given speaking rights there.

UUP MEP Jim Nicholson has said the reaction of the Secretary of State and the Government to the recent IRA statement can only be described as an "act of outstanding stupidity".

Ulster Unionist Party MEP Jim Nicholson has hit out at the decision to upgrade the Irish language to offical EU status, branding the decision "a purely political campaign".

The officers of the Ulster Unionist Party announced tonight that if the next party leader wants a new team they will resign en mass.

The senior Ulster Unionist Reg Empey has emerged as the favourite in the race to claim the leadership of the party.

Senior figures in the Ulster Unionists are looking at plans for a corporate leadership of the party in the wake of David Trimble’s resignation, it was claimed today.