Former junior minister Willie Penrose has applied to rejoin the Labour Parliamentary Party, 23 months after he resigned the whip over the closure of Mullingar barracks.

An overhaul of the repayment of billions of euro in loans used to bail out Anglo Irish Bank is the most urgent financial issue facing the Government, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said.

Sinn Féin’s ard fheis comes at a moment when support for the party is on the rise, as it leads the opposition to this week’s referendum.

WILLIE Penrose disputed figures provided by the Taoiseach on the cost savings associated with the closure of Columb Barracks, saying the numbers “don’t stand up”.