Saturday/Sunday
THE Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, said that, on an RTE television programme, the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, seemed to suggest that Fianna Fail in Government would talk to Sinn Fein, without an IRA cease fire. Over the weekend, Mr Ahern's position was further clarified when he said a ceasefire would have "to be in place" if he were to talk to Sinn Fein as Taoiseach.
Ms Brid McCole, whose mother, Mrs Brigid McCole, died from hepatitis C called for the resignation of the Minister for Health, Mr Noonan.
She said he should resign because he had failed to explain why her mother had been "threatened" for pursuing her compensation claim through the courts.
In Northern Ireland, about 2,000 mourners attended the funeral of Mr Robert Ham ill, who was beaten to death by a loyalist gang in the town 12 days earlier.
Monday
A merger was announced between drinks giants, Guinness and Grand Metropolitan. The new company is due to be named GMG Brands.
The target of 7 per cent growth in tourism would be met, said the director-general of Bord Failte, Mr Matt McNulty.
He expressed surprise at the statement by Ms Liz Fahy, managing director of Holiday Ireland, that there was a high level of cancellations by overseas holidaymakers.
The Department of Justice published a new paper on crime, and urged greater emphasis on non-custodial sentencing.
The RUC blamed a dissident loyalist group, the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF), for the murder of a prominent GAA personality, Mr Sean Brown.
There was widespread political, religious and community condemnation of the murder.
Tuesday:
The GAA in Dublin was in disarray as a recommendation by a committee that an official, who allegedly spat at footballer Jason Sherlock, be suspended for two months, was rejected. Sherlock, who also plays soccer for UCD, attended training with the rest of the team and manager Mickey Whelan said he was confident the controversy would not affect the player.
Two men, Ivor Sweetman and Francis Palmer, were jailed for life in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of a Tipperary farmer, Mr Danny Fanning. The jury took just over four hours to deliver the verdict, by a majority of 10 to 2.
Wednesday
Mr James Guerin, brother of the murdered journalist, Veronica Guerin, said the Sunday Independent had taken "more care to protect the circulation of the newspaper than they did to protect Veronica".
Mr Aengus Fanning, editor of the paper, strongly denied the accusation.
Sinn Fein was said to be considering legal action following a decision by House of Commons speaker, Ms Betty Boothroyd, to ban their two MPs from using the facilities at Westminster unless they took their seats.
Mr Martin McGuinness said the British parliament was treating people who voted for him as "second-class citizens".
Gardai were asked to seek leave on general election polling day as part of their campaign for a commission on pay. The proposal was made in Ennis at the annual Garda Representative Association conference by the General Secretary, Mr P.J. Stone.
The Dail was told that for the first time Ireland would operate under a NATO-led command when 50 soldiers of all ranks participate in a United Nations operation in Bosnia.
Thursday
The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, dissolved the Dail and called a general election for June 6th. The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Ahern, welcomed the setting of a date and said the Taoiseach had taken everyone out of their misery".
Fianna Fail rejected the 21-point manifesto prepared by the Coalition saying they were "politics at its worst - all smoke and mirrors with no real substance".
The Government made an eve-of-election allocation of £7.8 million in National Lottery funds, telling Government deputies first, in order to allow them to claim credit in their constituencies.
Parts of the Employment Equality Bill were found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Friday
The first public opinion poll published since the election was called showed that Fianna Fail commands 42 per cent support, Fine Gael 26 per cent, Labour 12 per cent and the PDs 6 per cent.
The poll, published in the Irish Independent, placed Democratic Left on 2 per cent, the Greens on 4 per cent and the others, 8 per cent. The poll showed a 3 per cent drop in support for Fianna Fail since the last poll but this still places an FF/PD Coalition eight points ahead of the Rainbow Coalition Government.