The Government was tonight accused of doing nothing to stem the tide of emigration as unemployment reached a 16-year high.

The Government is introducing new measures to improve the standard of teacher training.

The Taoiseach Brian Cowen has said he hopes as many jobs as possible can be saved following the appointment of an administrator to Quinn Insurance.

SOCIALIST MEP Joe Higgins led a small group of protesters outside Anglo Irish Bank yesterday calling for political party leaders to be “put in the dock” alongside the troubled bank’s shamed former bosses.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen will today lead a major Irish trade mission in California to push Ireland’s new smart economy.

An Irish company unveiled plans today to tackle the dramatic decline of the bee population.

Environment Minister John Gormley today warned the Taoiseach must take a tougher line in talks with unions as time ticks down to Wednesday’s Budget.

IFA President Padraig Walshe said Taoiseach Brian Cowen has agreed to closely examine IFA’s plan for maintaining funding for vital farm schemes, while cutting 27% of the Department of Agriculture’s budget.

Opponents of controversial blasphemy and anti-gangland laws warned of pitfalls in the legislation today signed into law by President Mary McAleese.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has said today that a Cabinet reshuffle is not on the cards in the immediate future.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan is due to officially open an IDA office in the US state of California today.

MORE than €2,000 of taxpayers’ money was spent on jetting the Taoiseach, Ceann Comhairle and two ministers from Dublin to Thomond Park in Limerick to see Munster take on the All Blacks.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen will give the Government’s backing today to a controversial research collaboration between two universities which has already created major divisions within the third-level sector.

GRASSROOTS activists have risen up against Fianna Fáil headquarters to demand greater input into candidate selections.

VALENTIA and Malin Head coastguard stations have been saved from threatened closure, it was revealed last night.

Burgmann Packings Ltd’s research is to expand its development and innovation operation, with an investment in excess of €500,000 at the company’s manufacturing plant at Tallaght in Dublin.

The board of FÁS is due to report to Tanaiste Mary Coughlan later today.

The Government was today tight-lipped on whether the traditional Christmas bonus for social-welfare recipients will be paid this year.

The work of the longest garda corruption inquiry in the history of the state will wind to a close next week when its final reports are published.

More than 320 jobs were today axed at an electronics plant in Cork.

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan got in a muddle yesterday over how many EU commissioners each country is entitled to.

Tanáiste Mary Coughlan has told the Dáil that the Government has yet to consider proposals for 1,000 administrative job cuts in the HSE.

Outgoing Agriculture Minister Mary Couglan landed a major promotion tonight by being appointed Tánaiste and Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister in Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s new-look Cabinet.