Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore will finalise the make-up of the Cabinet today and tomorrow following yesterday's endorsement of the Programme for Government by both Fine Gael and Labour.

With all bar four of the 43 constituencies in the General Election finished counting, the country’s political scene has undergone a sea change.

Former Minister for Tourism Mary Hanafin has failed to retain her seat in Dun Laoghaire. Richard Boyd Barrett won the seat, bringing the haul of seats for Independents and others to 17.

The election of Fine Gael's Mary Mitchell O'Connor in Dun Laoghaire brings to 141 the total number of seats filled so far (from a total of 166).

There are 70 seats filled so far.

Sinn Féin has criticised the Government for excluding the party from talks on achieving all-party consensus on economic issues.

Sinn Féin's Dáil leader said he has seen a HSE memo which states out-patient departments at both Monaghan and Cavan Hospital will close for two two-week periods.

Politicians in the Dáil have united today to pay tribute to former Ombudsman Michael Mills, who died at the age of 80 over the weekend.

Responding to the election this morning of Brian Cowen as the leader of the Fianna Fáil party, Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has urged a new direction in Government policy.

The Government was today forced to extend a Dáil debate on cancer care services amid mounting Opposition anger over the botched diagnoses of at least seven women.

Sinn Féin's leader in the Dáil, Caoimhghin O'Caolain, was reportedly rushed to hospital last night after falling ill in his office at Leinster House.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) today insisted patient care improved last year even though it admitted failing to spend nearly a fifth of its €555m budget.

Sinn Féin have gained their first seat in the General Election.

Voters will not be duped by election promises to abolish stamp duty for first time house buyers, it was claimed today.

Opposition parties tonight hit out at Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, accusing him of breaking his pledge not to go into government with Sinn Féin.

An independent watchdog should be set up to protect nursing home patients against abuses, the Dáil heard today.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has mounted a further defence of Justice Minister Michael McDowell over his controversial remarks about Frank Connolly.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has said that a Sinn Féin-Fianna Fail coalition in the Republic is out of the question unless the party changes its economic policies.

Sinn Féin is attempting to play down the Bush administration's decision not to invite the North's political parties to the White House's annual St Patrick's Day celebration this year.

The Dáil has passed a motion condemning the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney and expressing solidarity with his family's campaign for justice.

A leading figure in the arms trial that rocked Ireland soon after the start of the Northern Ireland disturbances has died less than two months after receiving €30,000 in libel damages.

Sinn Fein has launched a scathing attack on Fine Gael, accusing it of arranging voting deals with Fianna Fail to allow the Government to pass motions and legislation.

A second judge has apologised for comments made against non-nationals.

Sinn Fein TD Caoimhghin O'Caolain has said the euro should replace the British pound as the official currency in the North of Ireland.

More than 5,000 students from throughout Ireland have marched on Leinster House in Dublin to protest at the possible re-introduction of third-level fees.

Sinn Fein has urged Health Minister Micheál Martin to stand up to hospital consultants.

Sinn Fein's Caoimhghin O'Caolain is calling for the full restoration of obstetric services to Monaghan General hospital.

Sinn Fein, who won an unprecedented five of the 166 Dail seats in the May election, tonight claimed they had still to be given proper accommodation in the Dublin headquarters of the parliament.

The counts are coming in slowly from the Cavan-Monaghan constituency.

Sinn Fein looks set to make electoral history after their Dublin South West candidate Sean Crowe captured a Dail seat.

Fianna Fail looks set to hold onto its two seats in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency, with the latest figures showing FF polling strongly.

Sinn Fein’s chief negotiator Martin McGuinness was today in contact with senior Irish government officials after a party member tipped to win a seat in the Republic’s parliament was arrested as part of an investigation into a vigilante attack.

An electronic voting system may be introduced in the forthcoming general election in areas where Sinn Fein support is at its strongest.

Sinn Fein claimed today that the Government had ‘‘scandalously squandered’’ the benefits gained by the Celtic Tiger.

A councillor’s decision to quit Sinn Fein has shown that many republicans face a dilemma of conscience over IRA weapons decommissioning, Sinn Fein’s member of the southern Parliament said today.

Sinn Fein used a CND conference in Britain today to demand the closure of the Sellafield nuclear waste disposal plant.

Four young Irishmen who were thought to have perished in the World Trade Centre terror attack have been found alive in a New York hospital, it emerged tonight.