Lastest news on Ireland's General Election

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Enda Kenny and Micheal Martin

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Former teachers Enda Kenny and Micheal Martin are currently engaged in a right ding-dong battle over their pension entitlements and who is and isn’t going to take the money.

Kenny has already reneged on a $140,000 pension pay-out from his four and a half years in school after Martin piled on the political pressure.

Fine Gael leader Kenny has demanded that Martin resign his position as a secondary school teacher, traditionally held open for sitting TDs while they serve time in Dail Eireann.

And now Fine Gael rebel Michael Lowry, Independent TD for Tipperary, is in trouble for using students as a marketing tool at a secondary school he helped to fund in Borrisokane.

Lowry has caused uproar amongst angry parents after the school principal instructed two transition year teachers to distribute a letter looking for their support from the outgoing TD – in an Oireachtas headed envelope – to all students during assembly last Friday.

The begging letter included claims from Lowry that he had personally secured funding for the school and the former Fine Gael Minister has refused to apologise for his actions.

“The school facilitated me because they acknowledge the work, commitment, time and energy I have put in there to secure new facilities. I make no apology to anyone for this,” said Lowry.     

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A story that has nothing to do with the General Election but everything to do with one of the candidates is gripping the nation here in Ireland.

Libyan born Dublin South independent candidate Hussein Hamed has just discovered that his stepbrother Abdulkareem was killed by anti-aircraft fire during the riots in his native land on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Abdulkareem was one of the victims in the town of Benghazi when troops loyal to dictator Colonel Gadaffi opened fire with anti-aircaft guns on rioters protesting against the tyrannical rule in their country.

“My understanding is he was shot by anti-aircraft fire as he was about to throw a stone in front of the Republican Guards,” Hamed told the Irish Independent.

“My family is now is in a state of shock but at least we are proud that one of our family died fighting for Libya.”

Relatives of at least three members of the Irish Libyan community are believed to have died in the unrest in the North African state as the Department of Foreign Affairs continues in its efforts to repatriate some of the 40 Irish citizens living and working there.

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Glad to report that Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams hasn’t lost his sense of humor as he fights for the final seat in the Louth constituency.

Speaking to a farmer’s organization in the locality, Adams claimed: I am not and was not a member of the IFA.”

The Irish Farmers Association is a non-political organization by the way and in no way connected with the IRA whose links, or otherwise, with Adams have been a constant source of questions during this campaign.

Former MP Adams also provided a quick response to a journalist in Cork who wanted to know the difference between his campaigns for the Westminster parliament and Dail Eireann.

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