Housing spokesman Darragh O'Brien said that thousands of apartments had been bought by big funds and struggling first time buyers were left in limbo

Up to 30% of units in new housing developments should be set aside solely for first time buyers.

Mick Wallace was known as a straight talker in the Dáil and it will be a straight shootout between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to replace him.

There she stood in a largely empty Dail chamber. The day after the budget is the graveyard shift when it comes to contributions from opposition backbenchers.

It goes against all Irish political instinct — reining in the lolly when there is a general election coming down the tracks.

Speaking on the Today with Sean O'Rourke show on RTÉ Radio he said it is his "intention not to have an election this year... but it may not be my call".

The Dáil has voted to overhaul the National Development Plan to increase climate change measures and address massive overspending.

I am calling on the Fine Gael Government to withdraw from blocking the Climate Emergency Measures Bill which is being, once again held hostage by procedural trickery. It should go to the Oireachtas select committee where it could be debated and scrutinised by all parties.

The HSE has apologised for a letter that was sent to GPs telling them mental health services in parts of North Dublin were being suspended.

Speaking at the Social Justice Ireland event, Sinn Féin's Lynn Boylan claimed it is "only a matter of time" before the far-right gain traction in this country.

Couples struggling with infertility have been facing uncertainty after it emerged that financial and legal supports promised by Leo Varadkar three years ago still has not been put in place.

People Before Profit is hopeful of gaining enough cross-party support to forward its bill aimed at banning oil and gas drilling in Irish waters to select committee level this week.

The Confidence and Supply Agreement has been extended for one budget and an election will be held in early 2020 after deal reached between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil

“Ah, we are not doing much, only seeking to determine the future course of our country” — a quip from one senior politician when asked how the talks have been going, amid chatter that the two sides are simply sitting around drinking tea all day. The routine has become the same, writes Daniel McConnell.

“Ah, we are not doing much, only seeking to determine the future course of our country” — a quip from one senior politician when asked how the talks have been going, amid chatter that the two sides are simply sitting around drinking tea all day. The routine has become the same, writes Daniel McConnell.

These are good days for Ireland’s manufacturers as a resurgent economy driven by home-grown and foreign investment provide the biggest turnaround since the financial collapse 10 years ago, writes John Whelan 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has insisted tomorrow’s budget is “not an election budget” despite a flurry of leaks confirming it will focus on key voter groups Fine Gael needs to stay in power.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy will tomorrow attempt to address concerns by junior health minister Catherine Byrne after a warning that she may abstain or support a Dáil motion against him.

Women having to travel abroad for abortions should be facilitated by doctors here ahead of reforms on terminations being passed into law in the wake of the yes vote, according to Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone.

Institutional memory such as this, which carries the wisdom of reflection, is not valued as much as it should be in politics, writes Alison O’Connor.

Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran has won a fight to keep his ministerial post after a power struggle with Independent Alliance colleague Sean Canney over who should be the junior minister.

The likelihood of a snap general election has moved a step closer after Fianna Fáil dramatically withdrew its support for the embattled Tánaiste, effectively ending its backing for the Government, writes Juno McEnroe.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has rubbished a UK media report which claims that the Government is only now starting to fight against a hard border in Ireland.

From the backstreets of Walkinstown to the top legal bench in the land, the journey of new Chief Justice Frank Clarke has been a remarkable one.

Tensions are rising between the Fine Gael-led Government and Sinn Féin after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Mary Lou McDonald threw personal taunts at each other across the Dáil chamber.

Juno McEnroe talks to Junior Minister John Halligan about the potential of our space technology sector, the future of the Coalition, and his relationship with Leo Varadkar

The Government are under fire for holding back money for cash-starved services and instead plunging the unspent budgets into refunding households for the botched water charges regime, wrires Juno McEnroe.

The Government are under fire for holding back money for cash-starved services and instead plunging the unspent budgets into refunding households for the botched water charges regime.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has given his first signal about budgetary plans, promising that up to 2m workers will get money back in tax cuts.

Leo Varadkar has received a list of demands from opposition leaders on his first day as Taoiseach with warnings that, if they are not met, there will be calls for a general election.

From highpoints such as challenging the Vatican, to lows like being ensnared in Garda scandals, Political Correspondent Juno McEnroe looks at the career of Enda Kenny

There is disagreement on the make-up and numbers for a special Oireachtas committee that will now examine Ireland’s abortion laws and decide the terms for a possible referendum.

Simon Coveney is set to defy the water committee’s recommendations to scrap charges and instead attempt to railroad through his own legislation, which he claims will comply with EU laws.

An Oireachtas committee now looks set to recommend that the estimated 989,000 households who paid get some form of refund. 

Gerry Adams has said there is no possibility of his party propping up a Fine Gael government.

In a rare interview, Shane Ross tells Political Editor Daniel McConnell about a fractious Coalition with Fine Gael, Enda Kenny waving the Constitution in his face, Micheal Noonan as peacemaker, and the issues that may divide the Government

The Department of Finance was wrong to claim the European Commission misinterpreted Irish tax laws over the Apple tax scandal, a minister has conceded yesterday.

Former government partners Labour have left out income tax cuts and a first time buyers grant in their alternative budget proposals, writes Juno McEnroe of the Irish Examiner.

Ending homelessness is not achieved easily or quickly — that was the message from the Government as it announced an action plan to address the crisis.

A safe enough gambit is that Enda Kenny’s ego is telling him he is the only man for the job, writes Alison O’Connor.

A threat by a Fine Gael TD to leave the party, potentially throwing the Government into crisis, has forced Taoiseach Enda Kenny to accept proposals for an education ombudsman.

Housing support groups have broadly welcomed the Government’s housing plan, which has pledged to ramp up social housing supply, incentivise developers, and ease rental pressures.