The housing market is likely to see continued “significant” pressure for the next couple of years, despite ambitious promises by the major political parties during the general election.

"In doing our work, the people expect from us a sacrifice of time and sacrifice, perhaps, of personal interest."

Women carry out 70% of the family care work in the houses in Ireland, while 70% of the candidates for the governing house of our country are men, writes Joyce Fegan

The climate strike will get undeway outside the Dáil at lunchtime.

The Taoiseach is to apologise to all the women and their families who have been impacted by the CervicalCheck scandal in the Dáil next week.

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.

Speaking at the party's pre-Dail think-in gathering in Cork, Mr Howlin outlined how the party will target inequality in the new political term, particularly for workers' incomes.

Health Minister Simon Harris is facing showdown talks with TDs over the ongoing failure to publish the multi-billion euro capital plan amid fears the delay is proof the surging children’s hospital costs have forced other projects to be scrapped.

The HSE’s budget plan for its biggest projects this year has been delayed again and will not now be published until the start of August, due in part to the surging spend on the children’s hospital.

Six seats next general election could see the Greens in government again, even if some party members are still bruised by their previous experience of coalition.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has rejected the Taoiseach’s claim that the Dáil debate during which Leo Varadkar compared him to a sinning priest was “bitter and “personal”.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has painted himself into a corner over the report on the Maria Bailey compensation claims controversy.

The head of the new board of the HSE says “the challenge” will be to ensure they deliver the best healthcare for the money available.

Fianna Fáil has hit back at Fine Gael for trying to claim Billy Kelleher's seat before it has even been vacated.

Former FAI CEO John Delaney has said that his new position in the governing body was created due to the impossible workload.

Tipperary councillor David Doran is the latest public representative to quit Sinn Féin, describing the party as “an affront to democracy”.

They say changes to their pathway to qualification will leave them €25,000 worse off over the course of their degree in comparison with their predecessors.

The Government will not fast-track a compensation scheme for hundreds of women affected by the cervical cancer scandal despite 17 women dying.

Communications Minister Denis Naughten should remove himself from any media merger decisions unless he issues a public statement accepting he was wrong to discuss Independent News and Media’s (INM) bid for Celtic Media with a lobbyist.

Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed that they can make it through to the summer, writes Stephen Cadogan.

A bill which would reduce the voting age for local and European elections to 16 is due before the Seanad today.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has admitted the planned May date for the abortion referendum is in jeopardy unless the Dáil sits on Friday to ensure the timeline remains on track.

The exact wording of the referendum on the Eighth Amendment will be officially signed off on by the Cabinet next week, paving the way for the straight repeal or retain question to be ratified by the Dáil and Seanad.

The speed at which 82,000 people are transferred into Cork City Council’s jurisdiction through its boundary extension will depend on how quickly the Department of Local Government agrees to provide additional staff to the county council to handle the changeover.

A standard bottle of gas (11kg or 13kg) which for many people provides either heating or cooking energy or both retails for approximately €14.50 to €18 in Spain.

Websites which advertise sub-standard, dangerous or excessively overpriced rental properties could face criminal sanctions in a bid to clamp down on questionable units flooding the market.

The Taoiseach is now under mounting pressure to reveal his views on abortion after Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin backed the recommendations of the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment.

The Transport minister Shane Ross has denied allegations from some TDs that his drink driving legislation is "an attack on rural Ireland".

The abortion referendum battle for middle Ireland has begun, with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil members split on whether to allow unrestricted access to terminations up to the 12th week of pregnancy if the Eighth Amendment is repealed.

Agriculture Minister Michael Creed has said he supports the plan for a referendum on abortion but has yet to make up his mind on recommendations to liberalise the law on terminations.

Education Minister Richard Bruton has admitted the Cabinet is divided on plans to potentially allow unrestricted access to abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, saying ministers’ views “reflect the people at large”.

The majority of Cabinet members want to repeal the Eighth Amendment and allow abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.

There was a giddy atmosphere around the Dáil.

Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald is fighting for her political life as the Government’s handling of garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe has yet again engulfed the coalition in controversy.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin has insisted his party will not go into government with Sinn Féin, who he said were “strong apologists” for the IRA and “very cult-like”.

The Government is planning to announce a 10-year capital spending plan worth in excess of €20bn, or €2bn a year, which is set to deliver major projects like the long-awaited Cork to Limerick motorway.

The president of the Law Society has accused the insurance industry of using the Setanta Insurance fallout to “excuse their egregious increase in premiums”, claiming the sector will soon find another way to keep customer payments high in the future.

The Central Bank has been asked to intervene in the Garda college financial scandal by opening a fresh examination into the St Raphael’s Garda credit union.

The first debate on the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017 which is designed to overhaul current nomination system and sets up a new body with a majority of lay people to nominate new judges is being held in the Dáil tonight.

The Government is to press ahead with controversial reforms of the judicial appointments system despite an unprecedented warning from the country’s top judges that the move will have “serious implications for the administration of justice”.

The frontrunners to replace Enda Kenny as Taoiseach have failed to disclose whether they would retain Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald in the Cabinet.

LATEST: A left-wing TD says she will not stand up during the Dail prayer - now that the rules are being changed to require it.