Cowen delivers ... a blow to Parlon

BRIAN COWEN struck a blow in the FF-PD propaganda war against Tom Parlon yesterday by getting in first to claim credit for new schools coming to 'Parlon Country'.

In an escalation of the PR battle in the constituency previously known as Laois-Offaly, the Minister for Foreign Affairs sent press releases to local papers on Tuesday stamping his name to nine specific projects to be announced the next day.

This enabled the Tullamore Tribune, Offaly Express and Midland Tribune to feature prominent stories yesterday, giving credit to Mr Cowen for lobbying Education Minister Noel Dempsey for the