Politics

Despite two 'seiges' since the Barr report on John Carthy's death at Abbeylara was published in July, the government has no plans to discuss it in the Dáil. By Justine McCarthy

Dublin TDs feel vulnerable due to damage done to government over Bertie payments

Michael McDowell has dealt what may transpire to be a death blow to the Progressive Democrats by his conduct over the Bertie Ahern payments saga. On Wednesday 27 September, he gave Ahern a clean bill of rectitude. He said: "I think it fair to say in the light of what the Taoiseach has stated that accepting such help was an honest error of judgment and was neither dishonest nor corrupt."

Gaelscoil na Camóige in Clondalkin has been housed in a substandard prefab for 13 years. This summer, a child collapsed from heat exhaustion due to the poor conditions. Seven years ago, the Department of Education promised a new site in 'in months rather than years', but still they wait. Emma Browne reports

Despite Enda Kenny and Pat Rabbitte's united public front, the Fine Gael and Labour frontbenches have clashed on most of the key portfolios. By Justine McCarthy

The average of opinion polls since the last election shows: a substantial decline in support for Fianna Fáil; a failure by Fine Gael to make substantial gains; and gains for Labour and Sinn Féin. By Colin Murphy

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

Bertie Ahern has questions to answer about his dealings with Owen O'Callaghan in 1993 and 1994. It seems that guarantees were given to Owen O'Callaghan, who was then about to commence the development of Liffey Valley/Quarryvale (pictured) that another potentially competing development at Blanchardstown would not be afforded tax designation status. Had that happened, the viability of the Liffey Valley/Quarryvale project would have been in doubt. There is a suggestion that Bertie Ahern personally gave this assurance to Owen O'Callaghan.

The government has failed to implement three major recommendations on adult literacy contained in its white paper in 2000, and now they have been
re-recommended in an Oireachtas report.
By Emma Browne

The chairman of the charity which acquired the car park is now developing it. He denies any conflict of interest. By Marese McDonagh.