It has emerged this evening that Senator Ivor Calelly was sent a letter ordering him to attend today's committee investigating his expenses - and a cheque for €50 was enclosed to cover his travel to Leinster House.

Independent Senator Joe O'Toole has put forward five proposed amendments to the legislation being introduced by the Government to set up the National Asset Management Agency.

A private members bill is due to be introduced in the Seanad this evening calling on the Government to adopt an ethical foreign policy.

Independent Senator Joe O'Toole has called for legislation making it an offence for companies to refuse to attend the Labour Court.

A PROPOSAL to scrap the current €14 million expenses regime for TDs and senators in favour of a new vouched-only system will result in far higher expense claims, it emerged yesterday.

GREATER demands on company directors are to blame for top business people turning their backs on board seats, according to a survey published yesterday.

A FORMER adviser to three Fianna Fáil Taoisigh criticised the Government yesterday for rushing through immigration legislation, branded as Nazi-like in the Seanad yesterday.

TENS of thousands of workers from Eastern Europe will be free to live and work in Ireland from May next year.

Talks between the ICTU and IBEC over a national pay agreement are continuing at Government buildings.

The President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions says he wants the Government to be generous on the issuing of medical cards in tomorrow's Budget.

AN increase in the burden of taxation cannot be ruled out in the Budget, warns the National Economic and Social Council.

WORKERS face a pay freeze of up to a year as Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy said the boom is finally over.

The President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions says employers will have to pay up if they want a new partnership deal.

The Irish National Teachers Organisation has said complaints regarding teacher shortages have increased a hundredfold over the last year.

The vice-president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Joe O'Toole, has criticised the employers' body, IBEC, for accusing trade unions of trying to wreck the social partnership.

John Carr is to succeed Senator Joe O'Toole as the general secretary of the Irish National Teachers Organisation.

The INTO has warned that if the benchmarking process fails its members the government will have "no credibility at all" with teachers.

Ireland's universities should consider offering places to help ease the queues for places at teacher training colleges, according to the general secretary of the INTO, Joe O'Toole.