The Green Party's bright young star, Saoirse McHugh, has revealed some pretty radical ideas as to her ideal vision of how Ireland should be run.

His announcement marks the second high-profile retirement of a sitting TD from the intensely competitive constituency after the decision of Independent Minister Finian McGrath to stand down.

After three full days of campaigning, it is time to look back and examine what we have learned about General Election 2020 so far:

The Junior Minister had been a partner in government as part of the Independent Alliance.

Mr Halligan has yet to give any indication of whether or not he would be putting his name on the February 8 ballot.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed that the country will go to the polls for a general election on Saturday, February 8.

The 66-year-old Independent TD made the announcement as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar prepares to meet the President to formally ask that the 32nd Dáil be dissolved

The Independent Alliance has all been ended as Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) has announced he is leaving the group.

Minister of State for Disability issues, Finian McGrath has described the motion of no confidence in the Minister for Health Simon Harris as a “political stunt”.

Health Minister Simon Harris has said he is pressing ahead with plans to introduce exclusion zones around maternity hospitals after tweeting that he was “appalled” at new video images of a New Year’s Day protest outside the National Maternity Hospital.

A Cabinet member has called for reform of the Dáil rules and for an end to TDs double-jobbing in the wake of controversy around Fine Gael's Dara Murphy.

Finian McGrath made the comments after Minister Michael Ring called for a national debate on immigration and asylum-seekers.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has ruled out calling a snap pre-Christmas general election warning it would "not be in the country's interests", despite a number of Fine Gael ministers insisting he should go to the polls now.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has ruled out calling a pre-Christmas snap general election despite a number of Fine Gael ministers insisting he should go to the polls now.

Fianna Fáil’s finance spokesperson Michael McGrath has claimed that “some Fine Gael ministers” want a general election so they can get out of their portfolios “because they are failing”.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have declared war on each other after both parties made a series of formal complaints alleging their general election opponents have repeatedly broken rules in the Dáil votes saga.

TDs and senators had to refund almost €10,000 in expenses this year after an audit found they could not provide supporting evidence to justify claiming such allowances.

A furious budget row broke out between OPW Minister Kevin 'Boxer' Moran and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe over carbon tax.

The finance minister has been put under pressure to dramatically increase the amount spent on tourism marketing to counter the Brexit threat.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s suggestion of tax cuts in Tuesday week’s budget has left many of his own ministers “furious”, as they are being told there is no money for their pet projects.

Independent Alliance ministers meet today to agree on pre-budget demands including a new levy on insurance companies, pension rises, and more funds for disability services.

The Cork Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association condemns unreservedly the decision by the HSE to end the payment of the rehabilitative training allowance to new entrants. It is a mean and merciless action.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has refused to ask people mentioned in the Fine Gael investigation into Maria Bailey's injury claim to waive their right to confidentiality so that the report can be published.

A wave of Independents were swept into power in the last general election. The country was in recovery mode.

Dublin was late to the anti-Trump party but the crowds who gathered on day two of the US president’s visit made their presence felt.

A senior Government minister has severely criticised US President Donald Trump for being “unprofessional” and “un-Presidential” in his comments about Brexit yesterday.

President Michael D Higgins has lashed out at Donald Trump’s “regressive and pernicious” record on climate change as he arrives in Ireland today.

Enda Kenny resigned as taoiseach on June 13, 2017 having been Fine Gael’s most successful leader ever.

The Health Minister has warned hospital managers that they cannot recruit staff "willy-nilly" and must stay under budget.

Minister for Disabilities Finian McGrath would be happy to have a drug injection centre in his own constituency.

The Rehab Group has put a temporary stay on its plan to notify the HSE of its intention to pull the plug on vital care services to see if a solution to its funding crisis can be found.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his Cabinet will undoubtedly have expected some soft focus PR during their trip to Cork City, with political strategists eyeing up the chance to win over some badly needed rural support when the visit plans were first unveiled.

A voluntary national training programme for special needs assistants is to be introduced, trade union Fórsa has confirmed.

So that’s Wednesday nearly wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

Finian McGrath is an able cynic, not an amiable fool, writes Gerard Howlin

So that’s nearly Tuesday wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

Independent Alliance TDs often operate as though they are not part of the Government, even though they are at the heart of it, writes Special Correspondent Michael Clifford.

Road safety campaigner Aisling Reid of PARC has said that Independent Alliance Minister of State Finian McGrath should resign.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has demanded cabinet colleague and Independent Alliance TD Finian McGrath withdraw his "bizarre" comments

The two other worst-hit hospitals were Cork University Hospital that had 41 patients waiting and University Hospital Galway that had 34.