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Former government minister Michael Lowry refuses to resign the seat he recently claimed back in Dáil Éireann in the aftermath of the Moriarty Tribunal's findings that he assisted billionaire businessman Denis O'Brien "beyond doubt" in gaining a mobile phone license for Esat Digifone, in actions judged "disgraceful and insidious" by the tribunal. Taoiseach Enda Kenny admits Fine Gael accepted a donation worth thousands of dollars from Esat at the time.
2011-03-24

Phil Hogan says Fine Gael and the Labour Party have agreed a draft of a proposed Programme for Government as talks between the political parties resume at Government Buildings in Dublin following the recent general election.
2011-03-5

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny receives international congratulations from Angela Merkel, David Cameron and José Manuel Barroso, with Cameron inviting him to 10 Downing Street.
2011-02-27

Outgoing Tánaiste Mary Coughlan becomes the biggest loser of the Fianna Fáil meltdown, as her seat in the Donegal South–West constituency goes to Independent Thomas Pringle.
2011-02-26

Independent long-serving outgoing Senator Shane Ross tops the poll in the Dublin South constituency.
2011-02-26

The votes are counted, with exit polls predicting Fine Gael and the Labour Party to do well while the ruling Fianna Fáil is expected to do poorly.
2011-02-26

Seanad Éireann, Ireland's upper house, passes the significant Finance Bill, effectively imposing harsh austerity measures on the Irish public. It is the last act carried out by the government before a general election is called.
2011-01-29

Taoiseach Brian Cowen promises to dissolve Dáil Éireann next Tuesday and to announce the date of the Irish general election, 2011.
2011-01-28

Bertie Ahern, the former taoiseach who led the stricken Fianna Fáil political party from 1994 until 2008, announces he is to resign from Dáil Éireann at the forthcoming general election.
2010-12-30

A candidate in Thursday's by-election withdraws calling it a complete farce with a general election now due to occur in January. Some islands voted in the by-election yesterday.
2010-11-23