Saturday/Sunday
Mr Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein conceded that a renewed IRA ceasefire must be secured if "real and meaningful" all party negotiations were to be facilitated next month. He indicated that the Mitchell scheme for arms decommissioning would present no obstacle for Sinn Fein, but urged the British government to acknowledge that a resolution of the paramilitary arms issue must be linked to comprehensive agreement on the core political issues.
An inquiry was announced into the death of a Cork teenager, Ms Bernadette O'Brien, who was crushed in an 8,500 strong crowd during a rock concert by the US band The Smashing Pumpkins at the Point Theatre, Dublin.
The leader of Democratic Left, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, at his party's annual conference, effectively ruled out Irish membership of the Nato sponsored Partnership for Peace (PFP) despite a White Paper commitment to explore the issue.
The journalist and author Bill Graham (44) died suddenly at his home in Howth, north Dublin.
Monday
The Minister for Agriculture Mr Yates, warned that more than three million European cattle might have to be slaughtered unless there was an upsurge in beef consumption in the EU.
The Minister for Education, Ms Breathnach, ordered an investigation after Leaving Certificate examination work sent to her Department's examination branch was found by the roadside in a Co Roscommon village.
It emerged that tax relief will be introduced on fees paid for certain courses in private third level colleges from next autumn.
Tuesday
The British Home Secretary Mr Michael Howard, announced that an independent inquiry would be carried out into contamination at a government forensic laboratory which cast doubt on the sentences of at least a dozen IRA men convicted on the basis of Semtex traces.
Ms Nancy Soderberg, special adviser on Northern Ireland to President Clinton, said US contacts were continuing with Sinn Fein to try to get another ceasefire.
A 41 year old drug addict with full blown AIDS, Joseph Dwyer, was beaten to death by a vigilante gang near his home in Basin Street, in Dublin's south inner city.
The IRA prisoner, Patrick Kelly (43), who is seriously ill with skin cancer, was transferred to Portlaoise Prison. He is serving a 25 year sentence for conspiracy to cause explosions and attempted murder.
The US company Gateway 2000 announced the creation of 1,200 jobs at its European headquarters in Clonshaugh, north Dublin, over the next three years.
The developers of the controversial casino planned for the Phoenix Park Racecourse said they expected that most of its patrons would be high spending tourists.
Wednesday
The Government and the ICTU announced they had developed a framework to deal with problems in public service restructuring deals which had threatened to jeopardise the chances of another national agreement.
The Labour Party leader, Mr Spring, rejected suggestions that the resignation of his key adviser, Mr Fergus Finlay, from the Department of Foreign Affairs to take up the post of political director of the party was an act of desperation to stave off a disaster in next year's general election.
A major action plan for the west, which expects to create 15,000 jobs over 10 years through a £200 million investment fund, was announced by the Government.
Thursday
In an article in The Irish Times, Mr John Major reassured Sinn Fein that the all party negotiations on the North in June would not be blocked by disputes about the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons. The Prime Minister said decommissioning would need to be addressed at the beginning of the talks and agreement reached on how the recommendations made in the Mitchell report could be advanced "without blocking the negotiations".
The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, said the assurances given by Mr Major should be adequate to get the IRA ceasefire reinstated and he urged Sinn Fein to consider its position.
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, gave a mixed reaction to the article, but insisted that he would not go to the IRA "on the back" of it. The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, said there were ambiguities in the article, particularly on how decommissioning would be addressed.
The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, appealed to the IRA to call another ceasefire and seize the unrivalled opportunity that now existed to create a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Telecom Eireann announced price cuts on international calls estimated to bring savings of £65 million to business and residential customers.
The former Taoisigh Mr Charles Haughey and Mr Albert Reynolds joined the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, and 300 other party members in Dublin to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the party.
A painting by Jack Yeats, A Farewell to Mayo, went under the hammer for £804,500 at Sotheby's in London, a new world record for a work by the Irish artist.