The first cracks in the newly formed minority government arrangement have appeared just three days after it was formed due to disagreements on water charges, health, and variable mortgage reforms.

People refusing to pay their water bills are to escape any legal punishment after Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil said they will not introduce new laws to prosecute debts under €500.

Independent Alliance leader Shane Ross has strongly defended calling Enda Kenny a potential “political corpse”.