Labour’s olive branch offer of support for like-minded opposition parties has been snubbed by the Social Democrats and Greens — despite an appeal to maximise “progressive” voices in the Dáil.

Smaller parties are getting much of the praise after last night's leaders debate.

ANGELA MERKEL took power yesterday as Germany’s eighth post-Second World War leader and its first female chancellor, heading an unwieldy alliance with the tough job of turning around Europe’s biggest economy after years of stagnation and six months of political turmoil.