Two more long-standing Fianna Fáil TDs have announced that they are quitting politics.

There are fresh calls with Fianna Fáil for Taoiseach Brian Cowen to resign after Cork TD Ned O'Keeffe said he has lost the confidence of the public.

Fianna Fáil TD Ned O'Keeffe said last night that Government officials do not have the 'skills, experience or the confidence of the Irish people' to negotiate on our behalf with the ECB and IMF.

A Fianna Fáil TD has lashed out at the Government and accused it of "poor decision-making" and of having "a total lack of vision" in the management of the nation’s finances.

A Fianna Fáil backbencher - and former junior Minister - has today launched another stinging attack on the new Financial Regulator.

Fianna Fáil's Ned O'Keeffe has been named as the top expenses earner in the Dáil in some of today's newspapers.

Ned O'Keeffe has been eliminated after the third count of the votes in the European elections of the Ireland South constituency.

Cork East TD Ned O'Keeffe has been re-admitted to the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.

Former Fianna Fáil TD Ned O'Keeffe is reportedly seeking to rejoin the party just over two months after resigning in protest at the Government's health policies.

Fianna Fáil backbencher Ned O'Keeffe has resigned the party whip in protest over the health controversy.

The crisis surrounding breast cancer services in the state was tonight branded one of the blackest chapters in the recent history of the country's health system.

NON-GOVERNMENT foreign travel by TDs and senators has cost the taxpayer at least €1.25 million since June 2002, figures compiled by the Oireachtas have revealed.

THE difficulties caused by the 9pm ban on children in pubs were predicted by the opposition when the law was introduced last year, Fine Gael tourism spokesman Jimmy Deenihan said yesterday.

It's high time for Fianna Fáil to do some soul-searching as they assess what went wrong in the recent elections, writes Political Editor Harry McGee.

A SENIOR Fianna Fáil TD last night came out strongly in favour of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern taking the job of President of the European Commission — if he were offered it.

AN Oireachtas Committee is considering the use of special legislation to force AIB representatives to meet with it to discuss the recent overcharging controversies.

DAIRYGOLD shareholders yesterday gave their board of directors a massive vote of confidence and adopted a new rulebook for the near €1 billion turnover co-op.

FORMER Junior Minister Ned O’Keeffe said over the weekend that he would have no difficulty with Fianna Fáil sharing power with Sinn Féin after the next election.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern issued a rallying call to Fianna Fáil members last night as several Cork TDs denied there was a conspiracy to overthrow him as party leader.

IN the fall-out from the Laffoy Commission debacle, Minister for Education Noel Dempsey has come up with what can only be described as an inspiration on how to cut down on costs, numbers and delays.

For nearly an hour yesterday afternoon Noel Dempsey paced up and down the garden of the Sligo Park hotel with a mobile glued to his ear.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday delivered a defiant message to his Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, telling TDs to keep their “heads up” because the economy was performing exceptionally well despite the global downturn.

THE Government is facing a massive revolt among its own backbenches over plans to re-introduce college fees and ban smoking in pubs.

Agriculture Correspondent

Justice Minister John O'Donoghue has been elected on the first count in Kerry South. He polled 25.77% of the vote.

The controversy over the resignation of Fianna Fail deputy Ned O'Keeffe is continuing today.

The Fine Gael party are seeking an adjournment in the Dáil today to discuss the Ned O'Keeffe affair.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has denied suggestions that he forced Junior Agriculture Minister Ned O'Keeffe to resign from his post.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has insisted he has no dispute with former Minister of State, Ned O'Keeffe.

Ned O'Keeffe's resignation is the "inevitable outcome of his own misjudgement" in voting on a motion without declaring he had a beneficial interest in the subject matter, according to Labour.

Ned O'Keeffe, a junior minister at the Department of Agriculture, quit after the Public Offices Commission opened an investigation involving him for an alleged breach of the Ethics in Public Office Act.

The Taoiseach said he accepted the resignation of Junior Agriculture Minister Ned O'Keeffe with regret.

Ned O'Keeffe has resigned as Junior Agriculture Minister over the furore surrounding his non-disclosure of family business interests to the Dail.

Fine Gael has criticised the Taoiseach for failing to take action against Junior Agriculture Minister Ned O'Keeffe.