Saturday, Sunday
The Department of Health confirmed the Minister, Mr Cowen, had ordered the rewriting of a draft of the Government Green Paper on abortion some months ago without informing the Cabinet sub-committee supervising the preparation of the document. Sources in the Department insisted this was to eliminate "Civil Service jargon" rather than alter the substance of the document.
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, invited dissident MP Mr Jeffrey Donaldson to rejoin his talks team in preparation for a showdown with the British and Irish governments over the June 30th devolution deadline. The move seemed to dispel hopes in London and Dublin that the UUP leader might be persuaded to form the Northern Ireland executive without a hard and fast agreement on IRA decommissioning.
Ten men were arrested on both sides of the Border in connection with the bombing of Omagh last August. A further two were arrested on Monday.
Monday
A BBC programme alleged the RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, told a UN rapporteur that some lawyers in Ireland were "working for the paramilitaries". Sir Ronnie denied the claim.
Ms Mary Freehill of Labour and Mr Damian Wallace of Fianna Fail were elected Lord Mayor of Dublin and Cork respectively. Fine Gael, meanwhile, warned its councillors not to enter any voting pacts with Sinn Fein until there was a resolution of the decommissioning impasse.
Hotelier and property developer Mr Noel O'Callaghan said he would seek to rebuild Archer's Garage in Fenian Street, Dublin, which was demolished during the June bank holiday weekend. The developer said he was not aware it was a listed building and he regretted the demolition.
New official figures showed the number of one-parent families claiming assistance had increased by almost 9 per cent in the past 1 1/2 years. Ardagh, Co Longford, was named Ireland's best-kept town.
Tuesday
The Taoiseach said the Northern Ireland executive must be established before paramilitary weapons were disposed of, adding to the pressure on Mr Trimble to soften his stance before the talks deadline. Mr Ahern said it would be possible to persuade paramilitaries to disarm only "in the context of a confidence in functioning democratic institutions".
The Brighton bomber, Mr Patrick Magee, was freed under the terms of the Belfast Agreement after serving only a third of his sentence.
The former Fine Gael minister, Mr Michael Lowry, appeared before the Moriarty tribunal to face questions about his financial affairs, including a £35,000 cash payment from a property developer for antiques. The tribunal also revealed that it was investigating bank accounts belonging to Mr Charles Haughey to which more than £1.5 million was lodged between 1979 and 1987.
The Government purchased the Guinness estate, Farmleigh, in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, for £23 million.
Ireland's biggest snackfood manufacturer, Tayto, was purchased by the drinks group Cantrell & Cochrane for £68 million.
Wednesday
The British Prime Minister turned the spotlight back on the paramilitaries in the peace talks by demanding "an absolute commitment to decommissioning". Mr Blair's comments followed confirmation that the head of the International Commission, Gen John de Chastelain, had been asked to produce a report on the arms issue by Tuesday.
Dublin Corporation and traders in O'Connell Street reacted angrily to the news that a UK chain of sex shops, Ann Summers, was planning to open an outlet opposite the GPO.
At the Moriarty tribunal, an AIB official contradicted Mr Michael Lowry's version of the circumstances in which he was able to open an offshore bank account.
The recorded rate of suicide in the Republic reached its highest level last year, with 504 people taking their lives, figures from the Central Statistics Office revealed. More people died this way than in road accidents.
A new Intoxicating Liquor Bill, allowing for bar extensions after midnight on Saturdays and the abolition of the Sunday "holy hour", was published by the Government. The Vintners' Federation of Ireland expressed "bitter disappointment" that the proposed legislation did not include a general extension to 12.30 a.m. with a half-hour drinking-up time all year round.
State witness Charles Bowden told the Special Criminal Court that Mr Brian Meehan who is accused of murdering journalist Veronica Guerin was a leading member of a drugs gang that imported huge quantities of cannabis over a two-year period. It was the 11th day of Mr Meehan's trial.
Thursday
Traffic Branch gardai intercepted 300lb of explosives in a car outside Letterkenny. The find coincided with the start of the Orange Order's 10-day Long March from Derry to Drumcree.
A former UDR soldier was charged with the murder 10 years ago of the Belfast solicitor Mr Pat Finucane. Mr William Alfred Stobie (48), of Forthriver Road, Belfast, who served in the British army, was remanded in custody to the Maze Court on July 14th.
The Minister for Education announced that second-level teachers who do not use Irish in their everyday work need no longer pass an oral examination in the language. Bord na Gaeilge said it was dismayed at the change.
The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, announced a new US investment in Galway which should result in the creation of 1,000 jobs over the next five years.
