The Independents look likely to form an alliance with Fianna Fáil to take control of Cork County Council when newly elected councillors meet for the first time on June 7.

Ex-Fine Gael TD Áine Collins lost out on the final seat in the Macroom area as two party colleagues, Eileen Lynch and Ted Lucey completed a FG hatrick in the six-seater.

The population of the Macroom electoral area is 36,844 and, despite the removal of Blarney from the district into the city jurisdiction, the number of seats up for grabs there will remain at six.

Here are all the latest headlines this lunchtime.

An internal war has broken out in Fine Gael over election selection for Cork North West, with former TD Áine Collins declaring she feels “betrayed” by a party decision to woo an independent politician onto the ticket.

He is not a gambler, he is a mathematician. He plots three, four steps ahead. He will not risk a Theresa May calamity on the basis of two or three polls. He genuinely wants this to go on, writes Daniel McConnell

The Black Friday phenomenon, which rolls around again on November 24, has exploded in popularity in Ireland in recent years, writes Gráinne McGuinness

A number of government ministers who lost their seats last weekend are planning to run for Seanad Éireann in next month's elections.

A three-seat constituency that has only ever returned Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs stayed true to form, despite a dramatic late twist which nearly provided a Lazarus-like comeback for an Independent candidate.

Two ageing HSE-run nursing homes whose facilities have been strongly criticised by the health watchdog are in line for a €9m boost.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Allegations that people with severe intellectual disabilities suffered rape and extreme physical abuse in a state-backed foster care home over two decades are set to be referred to the Garda Commissioner and Taoiseach Enda Kenny amid disputed claims HSE officials tried to “cover it up”.

Enhanced powers for officials to govern the disclosure of interests and other ethical obligations of politicians have been delayed — after first being mooted by the Coalition over three years ago.

The mayor of County Cork has announced his plans to contest the forthcoming general election in the Cork North-West constituency.

The Dáil’s money watchdog has called Finance Minister Michael Noonan to give evidence to it regarding the highly controversial €1.6bn sale of Nama’s Northern property empire.

The Cork Local Government Review (CLGR) committee has been invited to appear before a Dáil committee on environment and local government to discuss its controversial merger report which has split the region.

The chief executive of Munster Rugby has criticised the Government for failing to fund the most urgently needed road connection in the country, and says the oversight will damage the regional economy.

A TD has called on Environment Minister Alan Kelly to commission an independent expert review of the Cork council merger proposal.

An anti-austerity councillor has linked the slow progress in tackling the spiralling rental and accommodation crisis to the fact that almost a quarter of all TDs are landlords.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny hailed small businesses as the backbone of the Irish economy, during a tour of Cork yesterday.

The student grants system that caused “chaos” when set up four years ago has lost so much money it would risk being closed down if it was a private company, the chair of a Dáil group has claimed.

The head of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has agreed to attend a crisis summit on Cork Airport with Fine Gael TDs this week.

A number of credit unions have not held annual general meetings due to “matters of supervisory concern”, the Public Accounts Committee has been told.

Changes to the contributory pension which disproportionately impact on women have been criticised by a Government TD who said they “contradict” the Coalition’s promises of equality and to protect welfare payments. 

A woman who lost her husband, son, and unborn daughter when their car was rammed by a suicidal taxi driver is to help gardaí to train to deal with suicidal people.

Private debt collectors are to be employed on an “ongoing basis” to chase up unpaid Dáil bar tabs running into tens of thousands of euro.

Efforts to encourage more women to enter politics have suffered a setback as a result of the failure of the Taoiseach to include any female TDs in his junior ministerial appointments, it has been claimed.

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

The new Junior Minister with responsibility for the Gaeltacht will take a refresher course in the Irish language after it emerged his proficiency in the language was not enough to conduct an interview on TG4.

"We want to see as many of them as possible." This was the one-line response from Enda Kenny when he was asked — at the launch of his party’s election campaign in 2011 — if female representation would increase under a Fine Gael government.

Talks between Tánaiste and new Labour leader Joan Burton and Taoiseach Enda Kenny will resume this morning, ahead of an expected announcement of a re-focused Government agenda and Cabinet reshuffle.

The Taoiseach is expected to opt for a wide-ranging reshuffle of his Cabinet today in an effort to present a "new-look" coalition ahead of the next Dáil term and reverse his own party’s sagging fortunes.

The religious orders involved in the mother-and-baby homes scandal should be made to pay for an inquiry into what went on, TDs have demanded.

Thirsty TDs and visitors to the Dáil bar drank their way through almost €7,000 worth of stock on the night of the infamous “lapgate” incident as they voted through the abortion legislation.