DUBLIN, July 11 (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 decision by Tom Parlan, the Progressive Democrats' president, to leave politics has raised questions about the party's future. Parlan is to become director general of the Construction Industry Federation. The decision follows a disastrous general election in which the PDs lost six of its eight seats including that of party leader Michael McDowell.

- Finance Minister Brian Cowen has dismissed fears of a housing slump in the property market and said public finances remain on a sound footing. Cowen said mortgage payers' disposable income was running at similar levels to that found a decade ago.

IRISH INDEPENDENT

- A man who caused Dublin airport to be evacuated, because he wanted to "make a point", has been jailed for three years. John McHugh caused almost 150 flights to be cancelled or delayed on July 4 2006 when he placed a backpack over his head saying he had a bomb. McHugh was disappointed people did not respond to a T-shirt he wore, which said: "I salute the Iraqis' right to bear arms", days earlier in the city.

- Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to pursue a Cork developer for costs and damages of almost 40,000 euros he was awarded in a libel case six years ago. The move came two days before the expiry of the deadline for action against Denis O'Brien.

IRISH EXAMINER

- Juries in criminal trials are over-represented by students, retired people and the unemployed, a former Supreme Court judge said. Justice Catherine McGuinesss said juries were unrepresentative of society, adding that changes to their role were expected over the next few years.

- The huge growth in air travel in and out of Ireland continued this year with an extra 6,000 people a day passing through Dublin airport. The number of passengers flying in and out of the capital has doubled in the past 10 years, with more than 10.8 million people already recorded this year.

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