Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are set to add numbers to the Seanad election race from candidates who lost their Dáil seats.

Padraig MacLochlainn, Jerry Buttimer, and Michael McNamara are among the failed Dáil candidates putting their names forward for the Seanad. 

The fall of Mary Coughlan signalled not only the demise of a Government but also the end of a Fianna Fáil political dynasty.

The fall of Ireland’s former Tánaiste signalled not only the demise of a government but also the end of a Fianna Fáil political dynasty.

Fianna Fáil's Niall Blaney has become the latest TD to announce that he will not contest the General Election.

LEADING political analyst Sean Donnelly has predicted Fianna Fáil could lose all seats in the two Co Donegal constituencies, including Tánaiste Mary Coughlan’s.

THE sensational decision by former minister Jim McDaid to end his political career with a short letter to the Dáil has flummoxed his political peers.

THE exit of Jim McDaid was in keeping with his career, his public persona and his political path. It left a bitter taste.

IS there a silver lining in the economic storms at our doorstep? Now that we’re poorer, will we produce better teams?

THE Government made no effort to seek a pairing arrangement with the opposition before deciding to use the jet to allow a junior minister attend a Dáil vote, Fine Gael said last night.

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.

FIANNA FÁIL’S Frank Fahey has strenuously denied opposition claims his Lost at Sea scheme to help fishermen buy new trawlers was “tailor-made” to suit a handful of constituents in Galway West.

THE looming battle to get the budget through the Dáil became even more daunting for Brian Cowen last night as his knife-edge majority was shaken further.

Fianna Fáil was tonight making frantic efforts to mend a damaging rift with renegade ex-minister Jim McDaid after he withdrew his support for the Government.

A senior Government Minister has dismissed claims that Fianna Fáil is in trouble after one of the party's TDs withdrew his support for the Government.

A return to terrorism in the North will never be tolerated, British and Irish politicians vowed today.

Tánaiste and Enterprise Minister Mary Coughlan will discuss the economy with Irish and British politicians in Co Donegal tomorrow.

A major security operation is moving into place to protect dozens of senior British and Irish politicians meeting at a lakeside hotel in Co Donegal next week.

MINISTERS last night insisted TDs were “entitled” to take a €3,000 pay rise — despite deputies saying they did not want the increase because of the backlash it would provoke.

History was made today at a meeting of British-Irish body when it was attended by unionist politicians for the first time.

A forum of politicians is to call on the British government to release secret files on the Real IRA suspects behind the Omagh bombing.

THE opposition parties are intent on misleading the public when they state that the Taoiseach is not tax compliant.

THE long-awaited announcement of the chairs of Oireachtas committees yesterday produced a surprise elevation for Cork North Central TD Bernard Allen.

The Government tonight announced the 17 Coalition TDs who will chair Oireachtas Committees and pick up €1.7m in extra pay over the next five years.

The director of elections for controversial Donegal TD James McDaid says Fianna Fáil cannot count on his support until he has met with local party members.

The outgoing Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, is almost certain to be facing into another five years in the job following Thursday's election.

Sinn Féin were today coming to terms with a disastrous end to their ambitious plan to secure major gains in the General Election.

Sinn Fein were grasping on to hope late into the night that a gain in Donegal North East might lessen the pain of the collapse of their ambitious plans for a major breakthrough.

Fianna Fáil could be on the verge of losing two of its five Dáil seats in Donegal, according to an opinion poll out this morning.

Gardaí have forwarded a file to the DPP in relation to claims that a property developer left a brown envelope of cash in the office of a Fianna Fáil TD.

FIANNA Fáil’s election guru PJ Mara travelled to Cork South West last night to reassure disgruntled local members about election strategy in the constituency.

FIANNA FÁIL is to run three candidates in the Donegal North East three-seat constituency, following weeks of internal disputes within the party organisation.

Former Independent TD Niall Blaney is to stand alongside his old political rivals Jim McDaid and Cecelia Keaveney on the Fianna Fáil ticket in Donegal at the next election, it emerged today.

A Donegal politician hopes to continue a 36-year unbroken family tradition of serving local constituents in the Dáil.

FIANNA Fáil TD Jim McDaid yesterday said “Donald Duck” could win a Dáil seat if based in his stronghold of Letterkenny.

Fianna Fáil TD Jim McDaid has reversed his decision to retire from politics in response to Niall Blaney's decision to rejoin the party.

Minister for Enterprise Micheál Martin has confirmed that Fianna Fáil is in talks with Donegal TD Niall Blaney with a view to his formally joining the party ahead of the next election.

SENIOR Fianna Fáil sources yesterday firmly dismissed suggestions that the party wants former junior minister Jim McDaid to stand as a candidate in Donegal North East.

A MOTION to censure the Government over “its many failures” descended into a rowdy slagging match in the Dáil last night, with both the Government and Opposition launching searing attacks on each other.

THE Taoiseach has downplayed the results of the latest opinion poll, which shows a considerably low level of support for Fianna Fáil.