NEWBORN babies are not being screened for Ireland’s most common life-threatening inherited disease, unlike in the North and the rest of the EU.

GENEROUS tax breaks for Ireland’s “greedy” artists and super rich need to swept away, TDs yesterday told Finance Department officials carrying out a review into controversial avoidance schemes.

The Government must establish a national agency to co-ordinate radically-improved services for suicide – the biggest killer of 15 to 24 year-olds, it was claimed today.

ON the night after polling day in the 2002 general election, Bertie Ahern gave the traditional ‘victor’s interview’ to Brian Farrell in RTÉ’s election studio.

EIGHT politicians have flown to the Philippines to attend a global conference this week, costing the taxpayer €31,384.

Political Editor Harry McGee wonders how much of the €1.25 million spent by TDs and senators on foreign travel in the two years to August 2004 was a necessary expense.

A COMMON enough question from barmen at the end of a busy night is the well-known: “Have ye no homes to go to?”

The main story in Connacht-Ulster seems to be the success of Independent candidates at the expense of Fine Gael.