Saturday/Sunday
An abortion controversy dominated the week's news as it emerged that the case of a 13-yearold girl, pregnant after a rape, was to be referred to a court as to whether she could have an abortion. The girl, who is a member of the travelling community, was taken into care by the Eastern Health Board shortly after the incident.
IRA units in Northern Ireland were told by their leadership that the ceasefire is "temporary", hinting that the organisation may return to a campaign of violence rather than face an internal split.
A couple, Deborah and Jody McCauley, and their eight-year-old son Ryan died in a house fire at Rosemount in Derry early on Sunday. Two other children, aged 11 and four, were critically injured; the 11-year-old boy died 24 hours later.
Monday
The man gardai want to question about the rape of the 13-year-old girl in the care of the Eastern Health Board is from Dundalk, Co Louth. He has not been seen in the Border town since the assault. The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child said that the State would be acting as an "executioner" if it helped the girl to get an abortion.
One of the State's biggest construction companies, Zoe Developments, was told by a High Court judge that it was "not entitled to make profits on the blood and lives of its workers".
Mr Justice Kelly described the firm as a "recidivist criminal". A building worker, Mr James Masterson (24), had been killed on a Zoe site at Charlotte Quay, Ringsend Road, Dublin, two weeks earlier and 13 breaches of safety had been noted on the site.
Heavy rains, gale-force winds and high tides resulted in widespread flooding, particularly in the south and south-west.
Tuesday
It emerged that the Eastern Health Board was advised by its lawyers that as a State agency it could not assist in the procurement of an abortion for the 13-year-old pregnant rape victim in its care. The Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, told the Dail that the Government planned to hold a new abortion referendum. He said that two options were being considered: to hold a referendum with the heads of an abortion Bill published alongside it, or to use Article 27 of the Constitution to refer a full Bill to the people in a referendum.
A garda told the Special Criminal Court that she arrested a Dublin man in April because she believed he had murdered the journalist Veronica Guerin. Mr Patrick Holland (58), a native of Dublin, was charged with possession of cannabis for supply.
Wednesday
Legal proceedings which had looked likely to remove the 13-year-old pregnant rape victim from the care of the Eastern Health Board proved unsuccessful in the Children's Court. A voluntary agreement between the EHB and the victim's parents unravelled.
The girl's father is believed to have changed his mind about the best way to protect his daughter's welfare. He told the court that he did not want her to have an abortion. His change of mind coincided with the appearance in court of prominent anti-abortion campaigners, who sat with the family during proceedings.
The former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds, is to attend a conference in Washington during a festival organised by the Unification Church, the "Moonies", amid concern about his Dail attendance record. ail presidential nomination. His absence was lampooned in the Dail when Democratic Left TD Mr Pat Rabbitte remarked: "I would like to say to Albert `If he's out there, would he phone home.' "
In the first High Court civil action alleging sexual harassment, a 22-year-old woman, Ms Monica Reilly, was awarded £140,000 damages plus legal costs against a former Dublin publican, Mr William Bonny (52).
Thursday
After a meeting between the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, in London, both claimed a "better understanding" of the other's position and said they would hold further meetings.
The Government announced that the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, would make a full statement to the Dail about a controversy surrounding the District Court decision to release five men questioned about a £3 million cannabis seizure in Dublin. This followed a decision by opposition whips to withdraw co-operation in the conduct of Dail business.
The dispute involving the Irish Permanent and its former managing director, Dr Edmund Farrell, was settled in the High Court after just two days. It had been expected to last up to three months. Mr Farrell is to pay the Irish Permanent £50,000 soon and £100,000 within five years. The bank also gets ownership of a £100,000 condominium in Boston, but Dr Farrell and his wife Zora retain ownership of their Foxrock, Co Dublin, home.
