Taoiseach Leo Varadkar miscalculated by continuing to back his mentor Frances Fitzgerald, meaning the country was left on the brink of an election as he played a game of chicken with Fianna Fáil, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald’s position in Government was last night deemed to be “untenable” by the opposition and many of her own ministerial colleagues as talks to avoid a general election entered the 11th hour.