Saturday/Sunday
As the new year began, politicians said the State's economic prosperity would be the "key issue" for the future. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said the "guiding concern" for future years should be the "dignity and rights of individuals".
Fifty-nine asylum-seekers, the largest single group to come to the State, arrived in Rosslare, Co Wexford, from Cherbourg. Of various nationalities, they stowed away on lorry containers on the Irish Ferries vessel, while others boarded as foot passengers with false passports.
State papers in London and Dublin were released. They disclosed that in 1969 the former prime minister of Northern Ireland, Capt Terence O'Neill, warned that if unionists resisted the "molehill of reform" demanded by civil rights activists, there would be terrible consequences.
When violence erupted in 1969 the Irish government expressed serious worries about the IRA, which was then being derided on the streets of Belfast. The Department of Justice stated that the IRA was an "unlawful treasonable organisation committed to the establishment of a workers' Republic". It recommended fomenting a split in the organisation.
Eight people died in car accidents on the first two days of the new year. In Dublin two brothers and a friend were killed when the stolen car they were driving plunged into the Grand Canal.
It was reported that files relating to the Arms Crisis of 1969 were missing from archives released under the 30-year rule to the public. The leader of Fine Gael, Mr John Bruton, called for a Garda investigation.
Monday
Details of the first major piece of legislation dealing with corruption were released by the Government. TDs, senators and members of the judiciary would be covered by the wide-ranging legislation, which would increase the current maximum jail term for corruption from seven to 10 years.
As most companies expressed relief about the limited effects of the millennium bug, Eircom customers were brought on a time trip. Subscribers who phoned the company's automated dial-in service had their account balances dated 1900.
It was disclosed that almost 8,000 people claimed asylum in the Republic last year, almost double the total for the year previously. More than 900 people have been granted asylum, it was revealed, and many applications were under appeal. The Church of Ireland Primate, Dr Robin Eames, said peace posed greater challenges to the churches in Ireland than the "tribal" years of the Troubles. The last Peanuts comic strip cartoon appeared, and millions of fans around the world were reported to be mourning. Its creator, Charles Schulz, decided to retire because of severe ill-health.
Tuesday
Fears of interest-rate rises caused share prices around the world to plummet. The increasing strength of the US economy raised expectations that interest rates would be increased. Meanwhile, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Mr Alan Greenspan, was reappointed by President Clinton for a fourth term.
Doctors, chemists and hospital casualty wards were "inundated" by patients with serious colds and flu-like symptoms. Some chemists ran out of medicine while many companies said their staff numbers had been decimated.
Up to four out of five cars failed to pass the new national car test inspection on its first day. Faulty breaks and sub-standard emissions emerged as among the leading reasons for failure.
Files relating to the Arms Crisis of 1969, believed to be missing, were found by staff of the National Archives. A Government spokesman said the files needed to be examined first before they could be released under the 30-year rule.
New US research suggested women were at much greater risk of smoking-related lung cancer than men because of their genetic make-up.
More than 300 ground handlers at Dublin and Cork Airports said they would go on strike if no progress on pay issues was made with their employer, Servisair.
Wednesday
In documents disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act, it was revealed that the Government proceeded with its controversial back-to-work tax plan despite advice from senior civil servants and political advisers.
A District Court judge, Ms Mary Devins, ordered a psychological or psychiatric report on Ms Audrey Flynn, the daughter of the former EU commissioner, Mr Padraig Flynn, after a hearing in which Ms Flynn faced 22 motoring offences. Judge Devins described Ms Flynn's evidence as "so breathtakingly arrogant".
The clothing company, Hawkeseye, announced it was closing its plant in Ardee, Co Louth, with the loss of 300 jobs. A further 160 workers would be made redundant at its plants in Derry and Newtownards, Co Down, the company said.
A dispute involving up to 800 An Post workers which disrupted postal services in Dublin were resolved and normal deliveries resumed. The dispute centred on overtime payments to staff.
A prison officer's throat was slashed during a horrific attack at Limerick Prison. Three prisoners in the new D wing held the prison officer, while one prisoner slashed his throat with a weapon consisting of two blades embedded in a toothbrush handle.
Thursday
The Government insisted that it was not advised by its Tax Strategy Group against proceeding with the controversial individualisation proposals in the Budget.
A Government spokesman said the group had not advised the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, or the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, not to proceed with individualisation.
A spokeswoman for Mr McCreevy said many of the comments attributed to the Tax Strategy Group should have been attributed to a review of a report prepared by a committee within the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.
Legal moneylenders were charging interest rates up to 197 per cent (APR) per annum to low-income families unable to borrow from banks and other financial institutions, figures from the Director of Consumer Affairs showed.
There were angry scenes outside the Four Courts when Sinn Fein protestors clashed with gardai after a former IRA prisoner, Angelo Fusco, was granted a judicial review against an order for his return to RUC custody, to serve a sentence for his part in the 1980 murder of Capt Herbert Westmacott of the SAS.