Oireachtas members mark anniversary of first Dáil

Members of the Oireachtas have held a special sitting at the Mansion House in Dublin today to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the first Dáil.

The first independent Irish parliament convened at the same building in January 1919 following the general election the previous year.

Today's commemoration was attended by members of the Dáil and Seanad, as well as a number of former Taoisigh and members of the international diplomatic corps.

Tributes were paid to the men and women who set up the first Dáil in defiance of "the might of the British empire".

The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, made a speech at the event calling for everybody to pull together to overcome the current economic crisis.