A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Donegal ballot papers to be without usual Blaney name
A Blaney name will not be on ballot papers in north Donegal for the forthcoming general election for the first time since 1927, writes . TD Niall Blaney’s brother Councillor Liam Blaney confirmed yesterday he would not be contesting the forthcoming election.
He called on Blaney supporters and constituents to support party colleague and councillor Dessie Larkin who yesterday declared his intention to seek the party nomination to run as a second candidate alongside Councillor Charlie McConalogue.
Bondholders 'laughing at Ireland'
A six-point plan to manage the State's debt and foster economic recovery was outlined by an economist and international management consultant at a public meeting in Greystones, Co Wicklow, last night, writes
Tim O'Brien.
Stephen Donnelly (35), who plans to stand as an Independent in the Wicklow constituency in the election, said bondholders "must be laughing at Ireland". In lending to Anglo Irish Bank they had bet on an "old sick horse" which had died during the race. But now the Irish were not just giving them their money back but adding Anglo's promised 7 per cent interest, which was akin to giving the bondholders the money they would have got if their horse had won.
Fianna Fáil targets two seats in Wexford
Fianna Fáil will bid to retain its two seats in the five-seater Wexford constituency in the general election. Minister of State Seán Connick and John Browne, the two sitting TDs, were selected unopposed on Sunday night to run again, after Senator Lisa McDonald and Cllr Malcolm Byrne withdrew.
Mr Connick and Mr Browne, neither of whom has made the new Fianna Fáil frontbench, urged the 300 delegates in attendance to get out and support them on the campaign trail.
Mr Connick said the many "difficult decisions" the Government had to make "weigh very heavily on us" but that "everything we did we did in the best interests of the country" and "we are turning it around".