Every afternoon, TheJournal.ie brings you 5 things you really need to know by 5pm.

1. #E-VOTING: After eight years and €54m, Brian Cowen has admitted the government cannot find a buyer for the 7,000 electronic voting machines, and that they’ll have to be disposed of.

The machines were used in three elections in 2002 on a trial basis but were shelved afterward over security fears and John Gormley finally put an end to the ill-fated scheme last year.

2. #BOND MARKETS: Agency worries about banking costs. Agency downgrades rating. Price of borrowing rises. Repeat ad nauseum. As ratings agency Fitch downgrades Ireland’s bonds, citing the cost of the banking bailout, the price to the government of borrowing increases yet again.

3. #SUPERNOVA: The Irishman who discovered a supernova in his home observatory two weeks ago has told TheJournal.ie that he celebrated by “dancing a little jig“.

“It was half eleven on Monday night when the International Astronomical Union issued an electronic telegram to astronomers all over the world announcing the discovery,” he said. There was no mention of champagne in his celebrations, though: instead, his wife Carol made him a nice cup of tea.

4. #SARGENT GARDA: The DPP has decided not to prosecute a Garda who leaked a letter that led to the resignation of junior minister Trevor Sargent in February. Sargent wrote to a Superintendent about the prosecution of a constituent, and the female officer leaked the letter to the media – earning an arrest for her efforts.

5. #NAMA: Lawyers for Paddy McKillen have told the Commercial Court that NAMA only wanted to take over his loans because of the money he owed the bank. McKillen, who owes €2bn to banks but argues that his loans are performing perfectly, says NAMA did not regard the performance of his loans when they decided he posed a risk to the banking system.