Early indications across the 43 constituencies suggest Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are performing well in the early stages of the counts at the expense of smaller parties.

A man has been injured in an overnight gun attack in Navan, Co Meath.

Sinn Féin was today accused by a Government minister of threatening to create a ghetto economy ahead of the next General Election.

IN recent media pictures, the Hill of Tara is clearly visible from the site of the M3 Tara interchange.

Sinn Féin has accused Meath County Council of overcharging people who wish their buy their local authority houses.

THE Government has overestimated the number of people with free medical care by 10,000 according to figures presented yesterday by the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO).

FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny has hailed his party's victory in the Meath by-election as a "real achievement".

The result of the first count of the by-election in Meath is still a close call and will be later than expected, according to the initial tallies.

Voters go to the polls this morning in the Meath and Kildare North constituencies in two eagerly-awaited by-elections.

BERTIE broke bread one last time with his candidates ahead of the Meath and Kildare North by-elections yesterday. Or, more accurately, he broke pancakes.

FINE Gael appears in danger of losing the Dáil seat which former leader John Bruton held for 35 years in Meath, a new opinion poll has indicated.

Candidates vying for seats in Kildare North and Meath enter their final days of campaigning this week.

FINE GAEL and Labour’s ‘dress-rehearsal’ vote transfer pact for the forthcoming by-elections came under heavy fire yesterday before it even got off the ground.

FIANNA FÁIL last night moved to draw a line under the withdrawal of its candidate Tommy Reilly from the Meath by-election by naming 26-year old Shane Cassells as his replacement.

Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness is due to meet Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy today after another warning to the IRA that it must stop all paramilitary and criminal activity if power sharing is to return to Northern Ireland.

A formal appeal against plans for an incinerator in Co Meath has been lodged with the Environmental Protection Agency, it emerged today.

THE crucial double by-election next spring, prompted by John Bruton and Charlie McCreevy taking up EU jobs, will be used by the political parties to position candidates for the 2007 general election.

Sinn Féin pledged today to fight for the right to affordable housing and tackle the crisis it claims is forcing thousands onto the streets.

THREE-SEAT constituencies did not markedly favour the main parties in the 2002 General Election.

A FATHER campaigning for 10 years for answers to a series of troubling questions nabout the investigation into the fatal stabbing of his son has received the backing of a dozen high-profile politicians.

WE are writing to express our support for the campaign for a thorough review of the Garda investigation into the death of Kevin Reilly, a 16-year-old teenager fatally stabbed in Tallaght on February 15, 1992.