Gary Gannon says Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and The Greens should get on with forming a government.

The first television debate of the general election takes place tonight between the leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

The Social Democrats say the shocking events in Drogheda and Dublin this week highlight the failures of not investing in community policing.

There has been a great deal of outrage expressed at the treatment of former Garda Majella Moynihan.

Private hospitals can alleviate the huge pressure on public hospitals by taking their private patients.

It is unfortunate Roisin Shorthall questioned Simon Harris’ suitability as Minister for Health on the basis of his age, describing him as ‘young and inexperienced.’ 

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

Some of the new forces in Irish politics will hammer out their programmes this weekend for the looming general election.

Last week, women celebrated Nollaig na mBan, or Women’s Little Christmas, a day when Mná na hÉireann take a well-earned rest and let the men take over the housework.

It isn’t every day that Trinity College students get the pleasure of seeing their professor endure a head to toe drenching but, then, Orla Hardiman is not your everyday academic.

Ireland may be missing out on a global shift by multinationals to shift their intellectual property away from tax havens as the Government cannot afford to introduce a tax regime to compete with the UK and Luxembourg.

Last year, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said that Government would be cutting back next year on pension tax relief on contributions to pensions of over €60,000 a year.

Leading rebel Labour TDs have launched a stinging attack on Bono and his U2 bandmates, calling on them to give Irish tax authorities some “New Year’s Pay” during this unprecedented economic crisis by bringing their tax affairs back to Ireland and helping to rebuild the country which all four band members reside in.

MEP Nessa Childers has said she felt it would have been "morally corrupt" of her to stay in the Parliamentary Labour Party.

The deputy leader of the Labour Party has said she is sorry and saddened at the resignation of Roisín Shortall.

A motion of no confidence in the Health Minister is underway in the Dáil tonight.

Government parties may be on a collision course over plans to clamp down on the misuse of alcohol.

Junior Health Minister Roisin Shorthall has said that Ireland's new minimum alcohol pricing will be similar to Scotland's.

THE Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative (IBDI) was established in 1997 as a Catholic Church response to the growing problem of drug and alcohol misuse in Ireland.

A spokesperson for the National Parents Council has said parents should give children small amounts of alcohol when they are at home.

The cost of alcohol is set to go up in the coming months in order to curb its sale to teenagers and problem drinkers, according to a report in The Sunday Times.

The Government is to approve the appointment of a Labour Party minister to replace Willie Penrose at the Cabinet table today.

EXHORTING the people to throw away their auld cynicism about politics before the last general election, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore promised that, this time, it would be different.

The Government has announced a ban on 60 more head shop products.

Drugs Minister Roisin Shorthall said today that she wants to clampdown on supermarkets who sell cheap alcohol to attract consumers.

The Drugs Minister Roisin Shorthall has said she will be announcing a new strategy to deal with the alcohol problem in Ireland later this year.

A new website has been launched today to make it easier to complain about the health service.

Senior officials from the National Treasury Management Agency are briefing the Fine Gael and Labour Party negotiation teams, it emerged today.

The Labour Party says it remains to be seen if a deal can be done with Fine Gael.

Roisin Shorthall has been re-elected in Dublin North West on the first count.

The Dáil has passed legislation to cut the National Minimum Wage by €1 to €7.65.

The Social Welfare Bill, which will cut the dole, child benefit and other payments, has passed all stages in the Dáil this evening.

BRIAN COWEN’S denial he gave a radio interview while drunk provoked worldwide attention last night and raised questions over his leadership.

ESB workers have agreed to a three-year pay freeze.

The Carers’ Association invited ministers, Dáil deputies and senators on the new “Care Bus” to visit the home of family carer Alison McKim, a single mother who provides full-time care for her son Zack in Terenure. Seventeen-year-old Zack has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, asthma and is blind.

Three houses for the mentally ill refurbished to the tune of €500,000 are lying empty because of a staffing freeze, it emerged today.

FINANCIAL watchdogs expressed alarm yesterday that nearly €100m of taxpayers’ money was spent on prison facilities without being subjected to a proper tendering process.

THE Comptroller and Auditor General has outlined a wide-ranging investigation into the financial controls within the employment agency Fás.

The former head of FÁS who walked out amid a scandal of lavish expenses run up through first class travel today claimed he did not like flying.

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 slashing of 41 State agencies will be a “first installment” in a long term plan of reducing so-called quangos, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said last night.

THE opening of retail giant Ikea’s first Irish store could be delayed by up to a year because contractors for the National Roads Authority (NRA) will not finish access roads for customers on time.

MIGRANT workers claiming more than €90 million a year in child benefits for dependents living in other EU countries have been subjected to an anti-fraud crackdown.