Irish minister faces renewed calls to quit

Ireland's justice minister, Nora Owen, was last night under growing pressure to quit as a scandal deepened over her department's failure to leave a judge hearing terrorist cases after he was technically retired and ineligible to sit on the bench.

Her position was further undermined when a series of prisoners, including suspected republicans facing explosives charges and extradition proceedings, were granted judicial review of the legality of their detention.

The Dail last night began a two-day confidence debate in the three-party coalition Government, forced by an Opposition no-confidence challenge to Ms Owen, the Attorney General, Dermot Glesson, and the Taoiseach, John Bruton. Alan Murdoch