Latest: The Dáil's disciplinary committee is to seek legal advice on whether Solidarity TD Paul Murphy abused Dail privilege today.

Politicians, rights campaigners, and commentators have joined forces to raise concern about the so-called Jobstown trial, claiming the court case is the “criminalising of political protest”.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone has revealed she was close to leaving the Government last week over the Apple tax ruling but that she now supports the decision to appeal the judgement.

The Government has been forced to increase preschool funding by €2.5m over concerns that not enough money was made available to cater for the sheer number of families set to benefit from its new free pre-school year plans.

Homeowners look set to escape from threatened bin charge hikes as a suspension of the new bin charge regime appears imminent, the Irish Examiner can reveal.

With the vote for Taoiseach called for today, attention has already swung as to who will occupy the 15 cabinet seats and what ministries they will occupy.

Anti Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy, who is paid a salary of €87,258, has been criticised for seeking legal aid in his pending trial for the false imprisonment of Tánaiste Joan Burton.

Sinn Féin TDs are in favour of scrapping the party’s industrial wage pay cap, which would more than double their pay overnight, saying there is no point in forcing politicians to stay in “poverty” in order to keep them “pure”.

Left-wing group the Anti-Austerity Alliance/People Before Profit will shun Sinn Féin calls to support Gerry Adams’ nomination for taoiseach and put forward their own protest candidate when the Dáil returns next Thursday.

Socialist Party TD Paul Murphy said he — along with 26 other anti-water charge protesters facing trial — will have to convince a jury that it is “ludicrous” to equate what they did to Tánaiste Joan Burton in Tallaght last November with false imprisonment.

Sinn Féin has insisted it will not refund those who have paid their water charges despite the party’s pledge to scrap the controversial utility if elected — telling bill payers “there is nothing we would be doing in government” to ensure they do not lose out.

Socialist Party TD Paul Murphy rejects the claim that the escalating row surrounding last November’s Jobstown controversy involving Tánaiste Joan Burton has effectively re-elected him to the Dáil.

Former Labour leader Pat Rabbitte has said he would have been obligated to contest the next general election if he was not dumped out of cabinet by Tánaiste Joan Burton.

Former Labour leader Pat Rabbitte could be set to follow Eamon Gilmore out of the Dáil gates after admitting he has yet to make his mind up on whether to run in the upcoming general election.

Thousands of anti-water charge protesters will descend on the Dáil later today to “bin the Irish Water bills” sent out by the utility.

Former communications minister Pat Rabbitte has accused RTÉ of acting as a “recruiting sergeant” for Sinn Féin and far left groups opposed to the Coalition’s water charges.

Gardaí have recommended that charges of false imprisonment and violent disorder be brought against Socialist Party TD Paul Murphy, two party colleagues, and five other people.

Anti Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy has tried to raise his claims of "political policing" in the Dáil.

A former government minister has laid the blame for the crisis facing the Government over the botched water charge regime with the troika.

Junior Finance Minister Brian Hayes has denied his decision to seek a Fine Gael nomination to run for the European Parliament is because he took part in the failed 2010 heave against party leader Enda Kenny.

Coalition leaders have warned defiant Oireachtas members not to campaign against the abolition of the Seanad ahead of a referendum later this year.

Orders of nuns involved in the operation of the Magdalene Laundries have been urged by TDs to make a contribution to a survivors’ compensation fund.

I find the debacle over TDs’ expenses frustrating considering the excessive wages they already earn.

The only TD not to claim expenses in 2011 has criticised the perks enjoyed by politicians as a review gets under way on the allowance system.

THE political pact struck between the two main opposition parties nearly three years ago is effectively dead in the water, according to a Fine Gael frontbench TD.

PARENTS and children in the Tallaght area will be the real victims of a political decision to relocate national paediatric services to the Taoiseach’s constituency, it was claimed yesterday.

Parents and children in the Tallaght area will be the real victims of a political decision to relocate national paediatric services to the Taoiseach’s constituency, it was claimed today.

The gardaí were today urged to launch a massive crackdown on pyramid schemes which have cost Irish people millions of euro.

Sinn Féin’s social affairs spokesperson Seán Crowe has called on the Government to prioritise a substantial increase in the fuel allowance in this year’s Budget following massive proposed increases in gas and electricity charges last week.

Some cash-strapped parents are being hit with school book bills that can run to several hundred euros, according to Fianna Fáil’s Charlie O’Connor.

A nationwide gun amnesty is to be held in the autumn, it was confirmed today after a spate of shootings in Dublin left five people injured.

The Labour Party could realistically lead a future government in the Irish Republic, its leader Pat Rabbitte claimed today.

The Dáil should hold a full debate on Saturday’s riots in central Dublin, it was claimed today.

Finance Minister Brian Cowen was today urged to double the Fuel Allowance to €18 per week in tomorrow’s budget.

The Government was today urged to make the Garda Síochana more accountable to the people it serves.

Gerry Adams received a cautious response to his call for the IRA to abandon arms, with opponents saying the Provisionals’ actions now need to match his words.

Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said the IRA’s statement on Robert McCartney was welcome if it truly removed obstacles to the murder investigation.

THE Government was accused yesterday of abandoning a commitment to cut school class sizes according to international standards.

Sinn Féin could be part of a future coalition government if it clearly severs its links with terror, the party was told tonight.

FINANCE Minister Charlie McCreevy last night defended the 3% increase to the education budget next year and stressed the Government had given the sector €2.4bn extra over the years 1997-2003.

Fine Gael's Brian Hayes has called on Health Minister Micheal Martin to intervene in the industrial dispute at Tallaght Hospital.