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”.

At a meeting of Fine Gael Ministers this morning Leo Varadkar said he won't go to the polls before Christmas.

Reducing income tax for the squeezed middle will be a key Fine Gael policy ahead of the next General Election, the Finance Minister has said.

Top government advisers have been warned to dampen down talk of a November general election.

17 of them will get at least €70,000 each.

Meanwhile the Healy-Raes now see a gap and may well go for the chance of a third seat, it is strongly rumoured.

They agreed the end of November would be the best time for the elections to replace TDs who had been elected to the European Parliament last May.

Fianna Fáil’s finance spokesperson Michael McGrath has said that the four by-elections for the seats of TDs elected to the European Parliament, should be held before Christmas and that the next general election should not be held until Spring 2020.

A women’s rights group will today launch a €35,000 crowdfunding plan to help female candidates in future elections after accusing the Government of failing to do enough to address the issue.

Sinn Féin's national governing body (ard chomhairle) is meeting in Dublin this morning to discuss the party's disastrous local and European election results.

A zero-carbon city would produce no more greenhouse gas emissions than it could off-set, for example by planting carbon-absorbing trees. Cities account for about 70% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and senior party officials from both sides of the border will meet in private tomorrow in a bid to explain their disastrous local and European election results.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's power to call four Dáil by-elections is likely to be taken from him, under rules which allow the Opposition have a say.

According to the National Women's Council of Ireland, that is a slight increase from 21% in the last elections.

The Green Party’s Grace O’Sullivan has secured the fourth seat in Ireland South, with Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune taking the fifth, so-called Brexit seat.

The 20th count in the Ireland South constituency has seen the Green Party's Grace O'Sullivan secure the fourth seat while Deirdre Clune from Fine Gael claimed the fifth seat.

Outgoing Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada said she her party needs to engage better with voters after a disappointing local and European election campaign.

Sinn Féin’s Liadh Ní Riada has conceded in the Ireland South constituency in the European Elections.

Teams of experienced counters from Cork's City and County Halls have been drafted in to speed up the recount in Ireland South.

A full recount of European Election ballot papers in the Ireland South constituency is to get underway this morning.

Additional staff from outside Cork are set to be drafted in to ensure as speedy a conclusion to the full recount in Ireland South which begins tomorrow.

The European Union phobia virus has spread through the Tory party via infectious members such as Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg.

After its poor showing in the recent elections, Sinn Féin faces a tough task to make up ground before the next general election, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

The election results are almost all in and political anoraks have been digesting the information gleaned from the ballot boxes like famished goats.

A prominent Donegal county councillor has resigned from the Fine Gael party just days after winning them a seat on the local council.

Sinn Féin will pull the plug on the Ireland South recount if it becomes clear they are not making up the gap in votes, Mary Lou McDonald has said.

Ireland South will be without any representation in Europe for almost two months as a marathon €1m recount gets under way.

The first shots have been fired in the political battle for the Dáil seat of MEP-elect Billy Kelleher.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s progressive-versus-populist narrative helped to re-mobilise France’s — and perhaps Europe’s — pro-European electorate, says Zaki Laïdi.

Sinn Féin has defended the decision to call a recount in the Ireland South European elections - claiming a price cannot be put on democracy.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the State may need to introduce electronic voting following the marathon European election stand-off in Ireland South.

The Defence Forces are carrying out an investigation into claims that a number of its personnel were denied their constitutional right to vote in the local or European elections, because they didn't receive postal votes in time.

Ireland's two 'second-tier' MEPs will have no salary, status or function in the EU Parliament until after Brexit occurs, it has been confirmed.

A full recount has been called in Ireland South which is expected to leave the constituency without representation in Europe until mid-July.

Be Bold. Two words plastered across a black and white image of Mick Wallace on a few sparsely dispersed billboards certainly made for a bold statement.

A full recheck and recount has been called in the Ireland South election.

Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher has vowed to act as a strong voice on Brexit after becoming the second elected MEP in the Ireland South constituency.

Independent MEP Luke Ming Flanagan, Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy and former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh have taken the final three MEP seats in Midlands-North-West — while runner-up Peter Casey has vowed to run for the Dáil.

A dogfight to the last is expected in Ireland South with three seats yet to be filled.

Counting staff will begin the process of rechecking tomorrow morning at 9am and, if required, a full recount will begin next Tuesday.

Fine Gael’s Mairead McGuinness was elected to the first of the four seats on Monday.

Fine Gael's Deirdre Clune has made an incredible comeback in the Ireland South constituency and is now in contention to take the fourth seat.

The race for seats in Ireland South has heated up as Labour candidate Shelia Nunan and Fine Gael's Andrew Doyle have both been eliminated in the 15th count.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has insisted her position is not under threat despite her party losing almost half its local council seats and potentially two of its three MEPs in this week's elections.