An emergency freeze on rent increases across the country is needed, as well as a ban on landlords demanding three months’ rent up front, junior jobs minister John Halligan has declared.

Junior jobs minister John Halligan wants tax breaks for middle-income workers on salaries up to €80,000.

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

Without doubt he damaged the party further by staying on too long in an act of self indulgence, writes Alison O’Connor

The Higher Education Authority is to appoint an international expert to validate an internal review of processes within Waterford Institute of Technology, following a request by the president of the college.

Independent ministers have warned that the Fine Gael leadership should not interfere with Government and have called for a seamless transition.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has confirmed that two reports into the ‘Grace’ foster home sex abuse scandal will be published this month.

Junior Minister John Halligan is due to be married to his long-term partner in Cork next week.

Junior Jobs Minister John Halligan has launched an all-out attack on US president-elect Donald Trump, calling him a brute, a misogynist and a headbanger and is urging Irish people to oppose him.

Independent Alliance ministers have dropped demands to abolish prescription charges and increase the fuel allowance in the budget, writes Juno McEnroe of the Irish Examiner.

Junior Minister John Halligan does not wish to resign from Government but said he may be forced to do so if promises over services at University Hospital Waterford are not fulfilled.

John Halligan is simply not suited to the job of being in government, writes Michael Clifford

Super Junior Minister Finian McGrath has said Government is “not an easy place for me to be” referring to escalating tensions in Cabinet between Fine Gael and Independent ministers.

Independent Alliance TD John Halligan has denied Government colleagues ordered him to back out of plans to support an opposition motion scrapping water charges, despite performing a sudden U-turn last night.

Two issues — water charges and the O’Higgins report — have illustrated again why Enda Kenny was his party’s greatest impediment to electoral success, writes Daniel McConnell, Political Editor.

A defiant John Halligan has told “arrogant” Fine Gael ministers to “shut their mouths” and leave him and his fellow independent minister Finian McGrath alone over their refusal to pay water charges.

Latest: Outgoing Junior Minister Simon Harris and Meath East TD Regina Doherty look set to be promoted to the senior Cabinet tomorrow by Enda Kenny, writes Daniel Mc Connell.

Like the tide, the prospect of Fine Gael forming a minority government by Thursday, a deadline set more in hope than in stone by Simon Coveney, receded before talks had even begun yesterday morning between Fine Gael ministers and a group of six Independent TDs whose votes are vital to prop up the tottering party. 

Enda Kenny will have to concede four Cabinet seats to secure the support of Independent TDs in his bid to be re-elected Taoiseach.

Independent Alliance member John Halligan has pulled out of government formation talks, saying he will not back Enda Kenny or Micheal Martin's bids to become Taoiseach, writes Fiachra O Cionnaith of the Irish Examiner.

A record number of women will form part of the new Dáil as gender quotas put more females on the ballot papers.

A Waterford TD has said it is “far more proportionately damaging” for every job lost in the county compared to a job lost in Dublin.

Junior Environment Minister Paudie Coffey has slammed Kildare County Council in a row over pylons, claiming he had to block proposals from the local authority “in the national interest”.

Oireachtas members can no longer be trusted to make international phonecalls without permission after one TD or senator cost the taxpayer €2,000 by repeatedly ringing a mobile phone number in Kenya, a Dáil deputy has warned.

A failed Fine Gael election candidate has resigned as a director of Irish Water after criticism over his second job as a paid personal driver for one of the party’s ministers.

As ever, Enda Kenny managed to find a rose in the dirt.

The Taoiseach’s holiday from difficult questions on policing and justice is unlikely to last long, writes Political Editor Mary Regan

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is facing a backlash from backbenchers after his decision not to promote any female Fine Gael TDs to junior ministerial posts.

A Waterford TD has criticised the IDA and the Government for not doing more to create jobs in the south east region.

Former Labour deputy leader Barry Desmond has backed Joan Burton to head the party, while also saying the Coalition needs to survive its full term.

The Waterford TD Ciara Conway is set to join three other Munster-based candidates to contest the deputy leadership of the Labour Party, but will not take a ministerial position if elected.

Ongoing payments and access to services could replace lump-sum legal payouts for children who suffer as a result of medical misadventure at birth, under plans being considered by Health Minister James Reilly.

The Department of Social Protection has been urged to stop dragging its heels over the Waterford Crystal workers pension row, after it emerged 30 of the firm’s ex-employees have died without any resolution.