Saturday/Sunday: Government sources were accepting last weekend that Mr Ray Burke's future as Minister for Foreign Affairs was in serious doubt. "It is no longer a question of if, but when," one said.
The latest controversy to engulf the minister followed a report in Saturday's Irish Times of his role in granting 11 Irish passports in return for investment by a wealthy Arab banker in 1990. On Sunday, the Government sought a copy of an internal Department of Justice report, which was published in Monday's Irish Times.
Responding to a claim by Mr David Trimble that Sinn Fein's entry to the talks was a first step towards acknowledging the reality of partition, Mr Martin McGuinness said: "I think David Trimble should be aware that we have not struggled for the last 27 years against the might of the British government and the British military forces to take one step towards consolidating the partition of this island. Sinn Fein is not going to the negotiating table to strengthen the Union. We are going to smash the Union."
Ms Mary Banotti formally launched her campaign for the Presidency, stressing her political and legislative experience.
Monday
Government sources indicated that, in the absence of further disclosures, Mr Burke would not be asked to step down as co-chairman of the Northern talks, or to resign from the Cabinet. But the possibility that he would step down of his own volition at some point was not ruled out.
It was announced that a Dublin bakery company set up only eight years ago had been bought for £51 million by the agri-food group, IAWS. Cuisine de France, which popularised the baguette in Ireland, had grown to employ 150 people in distributing and marketing its partly-baked bread to 1,800 stores.
The North's political minister, Mr Paul Murphy, said the start of substantive negotiations offered "a great chance to build a better future for Northern Ireland".
Tuesday
Mr Burke announced his resignation both as minister and as a TD. He took the step, he said, because the "ongoing public controversy" prevented him giving his full attention to the Northern talks and important developments in Europe.
"I want to clearly restate I have done nothing wrong," he added. Mr Burke had earlier attended the funeral of his brother, Sean.
There were angry exchanges in the Dail, especially when the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, rose to express regret about the circumstances of the resignation "on a very sad day for him and his family". Mr David Andrews, shortly to succeed Mr Burke, left the chamber in protest.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, attributed Mr Burke's resignation to "the persistent hounding of an honourable man . . . on the basis of innuendo and unproven allegations". The loss of a Dail seat left the Government facing two byelections, following the recent death of Mr Jim Kemmy.
Substantive negotiations began at Stormont, with Sinn Fein speakers making their submissions and nobody walking out. Senior negotiators on both sides indicated that the core issues of the talks would be reached well before the deadline of next May.
Wednesday
Mr Andrews became the new Minister for Foreign Affairs, with Mr Michael Smith replacing him in the Defence brief. Mr Noel Treacy took over the junior ministry with responsibility for science and technology, vacated by Mr Smith.
Bitterness lingered during Wednesday's Dail session, with the Taoiseach saying Mr Burke's career was ended "by Mr Bruton and his likes, not by me. I hope he is proud of his handiwork and that he never comes to a similar untimely end".
The Fine Gael presidential candidate, Ms Mary Banotti, narrowly escaped injury in a car accident in which an elderly Tipperary woman died.
Thursday
It was reported that the last government approved the issue of three passports in return for investment a fortnight before it left office.
The Sisters of Mercy agreed to pay £20,000, without admission of liability, to the parents of a baby girl who died in hospital some days after being placed in the Goldenbridge orphanage in Dublin in 1955.
The Mayor of North Down, Ms Ruby Cooling (DUP), declared she would boycott Bushmills whiskey because of the distillery's sponsorship of the GAA.
