Fianna Fáil has chosen a 26-year-old county councillor from Louth to contest a seat in next month's Seanad by-elections.

RELATIONS between the Coalition partners were close to breaking point last night over Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s failure to inform Tánaiste Michael McDowell about an Irish-born businessman who was present in a Manchester hotel when Mr Ahern received £8,000 (€12,000).