Politics

Jim Higgins (Fine Gael)

The changed terms of reference will have to be clear, specific and comprehensive. They must enable the tribunal to investigate all policy decisions by Mr Burke when he was Minister for Justice, Communications, Industry and Commerce and Energy between 1987 and 1992 in order to ascertain whether decisions taken by Mr Burke or Governments of which he was member could have been influenced in any way by payments he or the Fianna Fáil party received in that period.

ANALYSIS: Eoin Ó Mhurchú says the Government is vulnerable, but wild flailing by the Opposition has not been teamed with new ideas

How could it have come to this? President Clinton's in as tough a spot as he has ever been, teetering on the abyss since Monday August 17, when he became the first sitting US president to testify to a grand jury in a criminal proceeding in which he was the target.

Fitzwilton plc, which is controlled by Tony O'Reilly, paid £30,000 to Ray Burke—then Minister for Industry and Commerce—on June 7, 1989. The payment was made by way of a cheque made payable to “cash”, drawn on a subsidiary company of Fitzwilton plc.

A Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael merger is the only way to allow a new, truly social democratic force to emerge. But the grassroots will be slow to embrace change

When the Good Friday settlement was concluded there was a national exhalation of relief, as hope replaced foreboding, if not occasional despair. The announcement did much to restore the primacy of politics and to renovate the standing of politicians. However, in the boardrooms of the banks there was a rejoicing that had little enough to do with the birth of hope and a great deal to do with the media focus being elsewhere.

Noel Smyth interviewed by Ursula Halligan

Noel Smyth was paid legal fees in excess of £7,000,000 in the case that led to the humiliation of Charles Haughey. There was a half million pound tax dispute over those fees.

The recent political furore surrounding Ireland's offshore accounts is disingenuous, to say the least, according to Elaine Lafferty

It is hardly surprising that there is public confusion about the meaning and significance of Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution, given that the Supreme Court has given directly contradictory judgements on them. There is confusion also on several other related aspects of the Constitution.