Some criminal trials manage to attract huge public interest, but few have ever matched the opening day of the trial of the so-called Jobstown Seven.

Politicians, rights campaigners, and commentators have joined forces to raise concern about the so-called Jobstown trial, claiming the court case is the “criminalising of political protest”.

Situated in the townland of Ardmore on the outskirts of Lispole on the Dingle Peninsula, a 47-acre farm seems to be ticking the right boxes for a number of interested parties.

Former Minister Conor Lenihan has been criticised for referring to Savita Halappanavar as “that Indian lady” during a recording of a debate for BBC radio.

Newly elected Cork TD Mick Barry is adamant to keep water charges, the health crisis, and the homelessness issue on the agenda of the 32nd Dáil.

The first anti-austerity TD to be elected outside Dublin — winning the seat at the expense of Labour junior minister Kathleen Lynch — has vowed to bring his constituents’ desire for radical change to Dáil Éireann.

An Anti-Austerity Alliance/People Before Profit candidate who seems set for the Dáil has dismissed Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil's concerns about forming a coalition.

The most significant part of Michael Clifford’s excellent tribute to Joe Higgins was his description of the exchange between Deputy Higgins and Prof Patrick Honohan at the banking enquiry. 

A commission of inquiry is the right way to address the enormity and the depravity of what has been uncovered in relation to what happened to ‘Grace’, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said.

Pat Rabbitte, Michael Kitt, and Joe Higgins are among the political stalwarts who have taken the opportunity to bid farewell to the Dáil before stepping down.

IF the Oireachtas Banking Inquiry proves anything it proves that we need another referendum.

The multimillion-euro cross-party Oireachtas bank inquiry report is set to be published this afternoon, before its findings are immediately called into question by two of its own members.

The refusal of the European Central Bank (ECB) to allow the burning of bondholders in 2010 amounted to “a one-sided extortion” of the Irish Government, a so-called minority report by a leading member of the Banking Inquiry has found.

The bank inquiry’s report has overcome one of its most important hurdles after the crisis-hit investigation’s legal team said the patched-together document meets the requirements needed for it to be published.

The banking inquiry has finally come to an end, but like so many other things in this banana republic, what have we learned? Nothing.

Socialist TD Joe Higgins will publish an alternative bank inquiry report calling for “fundamental legislative change” to prevent a repeat of what happened during the property bubble when the official document is released next month.

The Banking Inquiry Committee have agreed on a draft report.

The Oireachtas banking inquiry is to recommend that the Government takes legal action against the European Central Bank (ECB), over its refusal to allow Ireland burn bondholders in 2010 and 2011, the Irish Examiner can reveal.

Only nine of the 11 members of the €5m Oireachtas banking inquiry look set to sign off on the final report, because of objections with its contents.

THERE would be a thin crackle, and magic would follow. When the needle and record touched, the sound was like lightning, like Marty and Doc Brown disappearing into the past, their Delorean vanishing in a sharp crack. 

Focus Ireland has claimed Environment Minister Alan Kelly’s attempts to address the homelessness crisis are being hampered by a cabinet which is failing to take the issue seriously.

A senior Garda refused to grant an Anti-Austerity Alliance councillor a permit for house-to-house and street collections in Dublin because she believed the money would be used for illegal acts, a court has heard.

Plans to build 150 modular houses in the Dublin area have been agreed by the Cabinet after the Government was accused of not doing enough to tackle the homeless crisis.

The Coalition is expected to announce a multibillion-euro project to link Dublin Airport to the city centre by rail and more than 200 upgrades to schools as part of its capital spending budget document tomorrow.

The majority of TDs cost the taxpayer more than half a million euro each in pay and expenses in under four years, while TDs who are also ministers have received, on average, €631,000.

Some of the new forces in Irish politics will hammer out their programmes this weekend for the looming general election.

A left-wing merger between the Anti Austerity Alliance and People Before Profit has created the newest force in Irish politics.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan was minutes away from announcing a crucial plan to burn bondholders to the Dáil in March 2011 before then ECB president Jean Claude Trichet phoned him to insist he drop the measure.

Socialist Party TD Paul Murphy rejects the claim that the escalating row surrounding last November’s Jobstown controversy involving Tánaiste Joan Burton has effectively re-elected him to the Dáil.