The media has taken over the role of opposition to the Coalition due to the country’s “bizarre crisis”, a Fine Gael TD has warned.

In a political system where dissent in the Dáil is stamped out by a dictatorial government with an overwhelming majority, the media has increasingly become the main opposition.

TD Simon Harris has claimed the media is this country’s real opposition. Somebody has to be, because those in the Dáil aren’t up to the task, writes Political Correspondent Shaun Connolly.