Brian Cowen says Irish parliament dissolved
Prime Minister Brian Cowen has announced that Ireland's parliament is being dissolved, more than a year before his term in office was due to expire.
The Irish Republic is to hold an early general election on 25 February.
Mr Cowen, who is not standing for re-election, was forced in November to accept an EU/IMF 85bn euro ($113bn; £72bn) bail-out.
01 Feb 2011
- From the section Europe