Saturday/Sunday
Government members were concerned that information about a senior political figure, likely to come before the Flood and Moriarty tribunals, could further destabilise relations between the two Coalition parties, The Irish Times reported.
A Progressive Democrats spokesman, however, denied reports of worsening relations between the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Tanaiste, Ms Harney. It also emerged that the Taoiseach had given an undertaking to the Tanaiste that henceforth the "utmost transparency" would apply to granting telecommunications licences and to the sale of State assets.
A £40 million investment package aimed at renewing the Irish whitefishing fleet is to be announced by the Minister for the Marine, Dr Woods. The package comprises £9 million in EU and State grants and £30 million of investments through tax incentives.
A spokesman for TEAM Aer Lingus workers confirmed they did not want to give up their status as Aer Lingus employees, with only 10 days left to the deadline on the takeover of the troubled aircraft maintenance subsidiary by the Danish-owned conglomerate, FLS Industries.
Monday
The contract for building the National Convention Centre in the Dublin docklands is to be awarded to Treasury Holdings with construction work on the project scheduled to begin in October.
Louise Woodward (20), the former British au pair convicted of the manslaughter of the American infant, Matthew Eappen, denied in a BBC Panorama interview that she was responsible for the infant's death.
Sinead Kelly, the young Dublin prostitute stabbed to death beside the Grand Canal, was raped and badly beaten in a previous attack in the same area two months before her death, it emerged. Gardai said young women were prepared to take risks which older prostitutes would not consider.
Tuesday
The Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, gave his parliamentary party the "correct version of events" surrounding an Irish Independent opinion poll conducted last November, four days before the party's leadership election. The opinion poll indicated 52 per cent support for Mr Quinn and 30 per cent for Mr Brendan Howlin, with 18 per cent undecided. High levels of radioactivity at Sellafield were "one of the world's most dangerous concentrations" and should be immediately suspended, according to a report from the Massachusetts Institute for Resource and Security Studies.
Wednesday
An unpublished report compiled by Price Waterhouse for the Government's Efficiency Audit Group recommended that some £235 million should be invested in the Naval Service and on Air Corps equipment over the next decade. The report also recommended greater independence for the naval and air services from the Army.
There was widespread condemnation of a 200lb bomb attack in Newtownhamilton, Co Armagh, which left six people injured and devastated the town centre.
The Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, emphatically denied requesting an opinion poll from Independent Newspapers.
Thursday
An exit poll conducted throughout Northern Ireland during the Assembly elections indicated a rise in SDLP support while the Ulster Unionist Party fell back significantly. The poll was conducted at 124 polling stations throughout the 18 constituencies for The Irish Times and RTE's Prime Time. The fall in the UUP vote was seen as a source of concern for the party leader, Mr David Trimble.
The IRA was preparing to identify the secret burial sites of about 12 people it abducted and killed between 1972 and 1980. Senior sources confirmed that a decision had been made that the graves should be identified so that the remains could be returned to the families concerned.
Victims of a Co Cork school principal sentenced on 21 charges of sexual abuse out of a total of 386 before the Circuit Criminal Court gave details of the trauma they had suffered. The 58-year-old teacher was sentenced to three years in prison for abusing young girls, aged eight to 12. The abuse came to light when a past pupil made a complaint to gardai and 21 of the victims volunteered to give evidence.