Guidelines state the then Taoiseach should have been consulted about the payment. By Frank Connolly

Loyalists have no reason to threaten official, who has worked closely with President's husband, Martin McAleese. By Frank Connolly and Justine McCarthy

Questions arise for Bertie Ahern about favours done for a developer who gave huge donations to Fianna Fáil in 1994, when Bertie was Minister for Finance. By Frank Connolly

Mayo residents say they were 'hung up' on during a phone survey after expressing opposition to the Shell pipeline in Rossport. By Frank Connolly

Bertie's backbenchers have softened their attitude to Michael McDowell since his elevation, but some are not convinced that he will be able to 'behave properly' in his new position. By Frank Connolly

Minister for Health Mary Harney is to meet with representatives of Crumlin hospital to discuss a report into the proposed site for a new national paediatric hospital at the Mater in Dublin. The report is expected to raise serious questions about the suitability of the site. By Frank Connolly

The Dean Lyons report shows that the homeless drug addict did not commit the Grangegorman murders and that he fabricated his confession, based on details he learned from gardaí during his interrogation. Frank Connolly reports

Twenty years since Bray, Co Wicklow was devastated by floods during Hurricane Charley, Bray Town Council has approved plans for a town centre on its flood plain. By Frank Connolly

Irish Press plc is still haunted by the ongoing row between its controlling editor, Eamon de Valera, grandson of the former president and taoiseach, and the company's shareholders. Frank Connolly attended this year's highly-charged AGM

An Irish consortium has threatened to sue the Government after licences to explore for oil and gas off the coast of Donegal were awarded to Statoil, Shell and other foreign companies. By Frank Connolly