While the Government has been preaching frugality for all in response to the current recession, the Central Bank continued to pay for spouses to travel with its senior staff as they went on overseas visits. Over the past two years spouses have travelled on 52 occasions, attending 49 separate functions.

This news has been greeted with silence by the Government while Opposition politicians are expressing outrage. The outrage was linked to the claim that it was the Central Bank's failure to exercise proper control over the country's banks that contributed to our financial woes.

Robinson back in control

DUP leader Peter Robinson announced yesterday evening that he had resumed his responsibilities as First Minister. Three weeks ago he stood down temporarily to give him time to clear his name following allegations in a BBC programme. The Spotlight investigators claimed that he should have reported his wife when she failed, as a member of Parliament, to declare certain financial transactions.

Mr Robinson engaged senior counsel who concluded that he had no case to answer.

It is suggested that the First Minister now has more authority to persuade his parliamentary party to accept the agreement he has reached with Sinn Féin on the timetable for the devolution of policing and justice. Talks between the two parties concluded last night and the ball now appears to be firmly in the DUP court.

Some observers are forecasting that the agreement will be formally announced later today while others believe that Mr Robinson still has a mountain to climb when he meets some of his more extreme colleagues.

Incinerator row heats up

Senior executives at Covanta, the operators of the planned Poolbeg incinerator in Dublin, spoke to the media yesterday and also appeared before an Oireachtas committee. Covanta is intent on proceeding with the project despite the opposition of Environment Minister John Gormley.

Among the arguments which Covanta put for forward to justify the incinerator at its proposed size was the fact that more than 780,000 tonnes of waste went into landfill in the Dublin area in 2008; the incinerator has a capacity of 600,000 tonnes.

Mr Gormley remains unconvinced by Covanta's argument and also dismissed the study published yesterday by ESRI which criticised his waste management proposals and backed the incinerator.

Meteorite believed to have come down in Co. Cavan

There is a great deal of talk about a meteorite falling to earth in the Cavan area yesterday evening. Hundreds of people in different parts of the country reported seeing a bright fast-moving light flash across the sky at around 6:00pm. The sighting lasted for just a few seconds and there are no reports of it being caught on camera.

The consensus is that the meteorite hit Co. Cavan and a farmer in the county is convinced that it came down about a half mile from his home but so far he has been unable to find any evidence.

Woman dies in Mullingar fire

A post-mortem  is being carried on the body of a 34-year-old woman who died in a house fire in Mullingar yesterday evening. The emergency services were called to the house on O'Connell Street in the Co. Westmeath town at about 8:30pm.

Thursday's Papers

The Irish Examiner and the Irish Independent have different stories but a common theme this morning, with "Judge claimed €92k in expenses last year" and "Watchdog got it wrong on 52-spouse super-junket" respectively.

The Irish Times prefers to look to the North for its main story under the headline "Robinson set to press for deal as he resumes full duties".

The Irish News runs with "No retrial but ex-IRA prisoner is still in jail".

The Weather in Galway

It is wet and windy this morning but some change is expected during the day. Temperature 6C.

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