DUBLIN, Jan 2 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Ireland's newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy:

THE IRISH TIMES

- The Green Party will propose a special resolution to a crucial party convention on the Lisbon Treaty in Dublin this month to protect the position of ministers John Gormley and Eamon Ryan and the stability of the government in the event that party members fail to vote by a two-thirds majority for the treaty.

- Any dealings that might take place between the Taoiseach or any other public representative, on the one hand, and the Standards in Public Office Commission on the other, were confidential in nature, a spokesman for Bertie Ahern said.

- Ireland remains committed to its target of spending 0.7 per cent of gross national product on development assistance by 2012, Bertie Ahern said yesterday.

IRISH INDEPENDENT

- Waiting times at A&E hospital departments have worsened -- despite a high-profile government pledge to cut delays to a maximum of 12 hours. - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern obtained a tax clearance cert in 2002 at a time when the Revenue Commissioners were apparently unaware of his receipt of various "dig-outs", "gifts" and "loans".

IRISH EXAMINER

- The last national drug awareness campaign was riddled with problems and ultimately "fell short" of its objectives, according to an independent review.

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