The four contenders for the leadership of Fianna Fáil will put their cases for support today.

MICHEÁL MARTIN remains the front-runner to be the next Fianna Fáil leader, with the number of TDs publicly declaring they will support him in tomorrow’s vote now in excess of 20.

MICHEÁL MARTIN was first out of the blocks after the Fianna Fáil leadership became vacant — announcing his candidacy for the position and then watching as a steady stream of TDs declared support for him.

MARY HANAFIN says she is ready to lead Fianna Fáil — if they will have her.

THE system used by Fianna Fáil to select candidates to run for elections has developed into “a farce”, a party councillor in north Tipperary has claimed.

THE son of former government minister Michael Smith is to challenge outgoing TD Máire Hoctor to run for Fianna Fáil in the general election in the North Tipperary constituency.

EVER notice how history has a habit of repeating itself? If it does, then Minister for Older People Aine Brady may need to start watching her back.

ENVIRONMENT Minister John Gormley has made peace with Fianna Fáil backbenchers through a complicated legislative juggling act with his new law to ban puppy farms.

A NIGHT of high drama in the Dáil saw the Government scramble to victory but lose three of its supporters over a Green Party animal welfare law.

LAST ditch talks are scheduled for today to quell a protest movement among rural-based Government TDs against two pieces of legislation championed by Environment Minister John Gormley.

I USED to be an inveterate funeral goer – several per week. I hadn’t been to one for the past two years until the unexpected death of newspaper man and former schoolmate, Alan Ruddock.

COALITION tension over the threat to cut state pensions spilled into the open last night as the Greens insisted they would vote against such a move, attacking the “confusion” surrounding the issue.

MANY Fianna Fáil backbenchers stayed away from their weekly parliamentary party meeting yesterday amid growing dissatisfaction with Brian Cowen’s reshuffle.

The Taoiseach is dropping seven TDs from the junior ministerial ranks, it was confirmed this afternoon, as the new line-up of 15 Ministers of State appeared for an official photocall at Leinster House.

DEPUTIES could soon be expected to pay a €50 entry fee to walk into the Dáil, a TD last night suggested as he ridiculed demands for a further slashing of Oireachtas perks.

THE final report into the Leas Cross nursing home scandal has been delayed for the third time in less than a year due to the “complexity and volume” of the cases involved.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has promised a symbolic cull of junior

THE Health Service Executive has clarified that its controversial mid-west review of hospital services will create six new advanced paramedics for north Tipperary — instead of six ambulances as had been claimed by a junior minister in the region.

Plans to end overnight A&E services at two hospitals in Nenagh and Ennis were today denounced as dangerous.

THE Government was accused of having a “warped sense of priorities” after new figures show private and constituency staff of the 20 junior ministers continue to cost taxpayers more than €8 million yearly.

THE Government was sharply criticised over the decision to remove the automatic entitlement to medical cards for over-70s which got over its final hurdle when it was passed in the Seanad yesterday.

ALMOST one-in-five of Government TDs who voted for massive education cutbacks this week are serving or former teachers.

THE Government was warned yesterday that it may never be forgiven for ending the automatic entitlement to a medical card for everyone over 70.

The Minister of State for Older People has admitted that there are still a number of issues to be ironed out in relation to the over-70s medical-card scheme.

Junior Minister Maire Hoctor is set to face questions about the over-70s medical card scheme at a meeting of older people in Dublin today.

THE Government comfortably won a vote on its controversial medical card policy last night, after Fianna Fáil backbenchers and supporting Independent TDs put aside their strong concerns and cast their ballot in favour of the scheme.

THE driver of the sightseeing bus was conveying his collection of assorted tourists past the Mansion House — home of the first Dáil, he explained loudly so the two passengers on the open deck upstairs could hear — when suddenly he came across a sight not on his itinerary.

GROUPS representing older people are to converge at two major gatherings next week to voice their outrage at the decision to means-test the over 70s medical card.

THE Dáil is likely to witness further heated exchanges today when it debates the issue of the toxic waste at the former Irish Steel plant in Haulbowline, Co Cork.

Many community nurses do not intervene in cases of elderly abuse according to a new study.

BRIAN COWEN promoted five newcomers to junior ministerial posts last night as opposition parties accused him of indulging in “jobs for the boys” at taxpayers’ expense.

AN elderly couple caring for their 44-year-old quadriplegic daughter have pleaded for a long-term care plan to be put in place for her.

CYSTIC fibrosis (CF) sufferers in the Republic are condemned to die 10 years earlier than their counterparts in the North due to government indifference, opposition parties claim.

SPENDING cuts and staff embargoes have forced Nenagh General Hospital in Co Tipperary to close its elderly care unit over Christmas and the new year, said Labour’s Senator Alan Kelly.

Fresh calls were made today for an increase in social welfare in the upcoming budget despite less people being at risk of poverty.

The Government is fully committed to improving all aspects of the lives of older people, a support group was told today.

A LOOK through the latest batch of inspection reports of nursing homes reveals an appalling list of failures.

A number of groups are meeting the new Junior Minister for Older People, Máire Hoctor today to urge her to deliver on the Government's promises to senior citizens.

IRELAND’S first Centre of Excellence for Successful Ageing is to use pioneering technology to boost older people’s quality of life.

The new-look Dáil will begin its first full week of parliamentary business today.

Three-time Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will be grilled by Opposition leaders in the new 30th Dáil this week.

The newly-expanded group of 20 junior Government ministers was tonight revealed by the Taoiseach.

Ex Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry has topped the poll in Tipperary North.

A €3 MILLION Government grant, aimed at building a visitors’ centre in Nenagh Castle, remained secure — although the project will be temporarily halted due to archaeological excavations, which has led to the discovery of some important ruins.