Arguing the way to Times final

Three weeks of nail-biting tension ended for some last week with the completion of semi-finals of the Irish Times Debates. For the chosen finalists, the pressure continues to mount. Semi-finals were ably hosted this year by law societies from UCD and UCC, the TCD Hist and the DCU Debating Society. Teams and individuals will represent UL, the King's Inns, the Hist and the Law Society at TCD and the UCC Philosophical Society in the final at UCD on February 23rd. The motion is: "This house agrees Sinn Fein has a place in the Republic's Government", and chairperson Martin McGuinness may be expected to hold strong views.