One of the most disturbing aspects of the ongoing general election campaign is that thousands of the younger generation may vote for Sinn Féin while being in absolute and complete ignorance of the true nature of this party

The Sinn Féin surge looks set to claim a major scalp in Kerry in the form of Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae, according to the latest TG4/Ipsos MRBI poll.

For almost 30 years, in terms of Kerry politics, we have spoken of the Spring dynasty, and it is a real reflection of the low ebb in which Labour finds itself when it cannot even stand a candidate in the Kingdom.

Announcing Sinn Féin policy on CervicalCheck, smear testing should never have been sent abroad and should be brought back and analysed and tested in Ireland

Outlining his party's financial pledges for voters, deputy leader Pearse Doherty admitted that none of the funding promises were "red line" issues in any post-election negotiations.

A question mark hangs over Labour's participation in the general election in Kerry after an announcement by Cllr Terry O’Brien, former mayor of Tralee and Kerry that he has decided he will not run.

Labour has not ruled out working with Sinn Fein in government, calling on left-leaning parties to join forces in voting pacts as the general election campaign gets underway.

Inshore fishermen in Kerry are calling for an immediate cull of the seal population of the Blaskets and surrounding coastal areas, claiming that the damage to fish stocks and nets is now simply “unsustainable”.

TDs and senators had to refund almost €10,000 in expenses this year after an audit found they could not provide supporting evidence to justify claiming such allowances.

In what will be a major blow to Sinn Féin in Kerry, local councillor and general election candidate Toireasa Ferris, daughter of the TD Martin Ferris, told a meeting of the party last night, she will be withdrawing her name from the general election for personal reasons.

From one kingdom to another, the Prince of Wales hailed his visit to Kerry yesterday as “remarkable”, after fulfilling a long-time ambition to see what is considered to be Ireland’s most beautiful county.

Patients in West Cork can wait five years for cataract surgery, with the average waiting time nationwide at 28 months, according to a survey by optometrists.

Sinn Féin will elect a new leader of the party in the Spring of next year.

Disgraced solicitor Michael Lynn used around €3m belonging to his Kendar Holdings foreign property company to fund his personal lifestyle, the High Court heard.

Seán O’Callaghan was never brought to account for the murder of John Corcoran, most likely because the State may well have found itself in the dock beside him, says Michael Clifford

A new forum is looking into whether TDs should be curtailed in what they are allowed to say in the Dáil.

Calls have been made for Agriculture Minister Michael Creed to appear before an Oireachtas committee to address the detrimental implications of Britain’s withdrawal from the London Fisheries Convention.

A total of 42 public representatives have disclosed donations to Standards in Public Office totaling €72,969.

Members of the public have donated more than €70,000 in a bid to save the family home of a widowed father of five from repossession.

Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell has been cleared of allegedly breaching Dáil rules on the use of privilege over comments he made regarding two Sinn Féin TDs.

As the Dail breaks for the Christmas period, the TDs are let loose spreading festive cheer throughout their constituencies.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams may refuse to help other families of Troubles murder victims due to the fallout from his role in the Brian Stack controversy.

It was officially just a touch of bronchitis, but given the context of recent days, one could be forgiven for viewing it as a sign of things to come.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams is facing pressure to give gardaí the name of a senior IRA figure who knows the identity of the killers of murdered prison officer Brian Stack.

Two sitting Sinn Féin TDs have sensationally stated in the Dáil they were not involved in the 1983 killing of prison officer Brian Stack.

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The Defence Forces carried out the humane cull of five animals on Co Monaghan farm due to a significant concern for public safety.

The LÉ Aisling, which intercepted the IRA gun-running ship Marita Ann in 1984 and recovered bodies from Air India flight 182 in 1985, is being decommissioned, writes Sean O’Riordan.

Time is running out for pen-and-paper applicants for EU farm subsidies.

With the Cheltenham festival stabled and fed for another year, many of Ireland’s top jump jockeys will head to Youghal, Co Cork, on Friday for the next great challenge.

Trainer Stuart Crawford made the long journey from his Co Antrim stable worthwhile when taking the featured Imperial Call Chase with Fine Rightly at an extremely busy Mallow racecourse yesterday afternoon.

Arthur Spring — in his own words — is in a dogfight for North Kerry’s final seat but the nephew of the former Labour leader tells Tony Leen there is still everything to fight for