The spotlight is now firmly fixed on Taoiseach Enda Kenny as he finalises the shake-up of his junior government ranks, writes Political Correspondent Shaun Connolly

A break for working families with changed tax rates and more access to childcare are among renewed promises by the Coalition parties as they try to halt their sliding popularity with 18 months left to a general election.

The Cabinet reshuffle is, for the most part, just that - a reshuffle. But amid the familiar faces moved from one portfolio to another, a handful of politicians have made fresh space at the Cabinet table.

As senior Labour ministers took to the airwaves on Saturday to defend their party’s record and leader, conversations started taking place between its young turks on what to do about Eamon Gilmore.

Gardaí have been asked to investigate “serious allegations” surrounding “named individuals” at crisis-hit disability charity Rehab, after a detailed letter made claims which “potentially involve criminal wrongdoing”.

The Dáil’s powerful Public Accounts Committee is split on whether to release evidence given to it by Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe behind closed doors.

Irish Water’s woes have sparked infighting in government parties with TDs split between giving the agency the benefit of the doubt about its spend on consultants and demanding it explain itself.

The former chief executive of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) has launched a strong attack on its former chairwoman Niamh Brennan, saying he “watched aghast” as Ms Brennan issued a number of reports without the participants being able to defend themselves.

Anyone watching Monday night’s RTÉ 1 documentary on the Disappeared could not fail to be moved by the testimony of the families of those abducted and murdered by the IRA during the 1970s.

Buying chick-lit novels and flying first-class while a colleague was in steerage form part of a court claim by Waterford Institute of Technology for repayment of €120,000 from its ex-president.

The €250,000 kit-out of a minister’s office, including a lavish bathroom, was in line with public service guidelines and done without ministerial approval, the Oireachtas Public Accounts committee heard.

The Public Accounts Committee has heard that an office kitted out for the former Junior Minister John McGuinness was more akin to one on Wall Street than Kildare Street.

Pressure is increasing on the justice minister to explain how he obtained confidential garda information which he used to try and damage an Independent TD’s reputation.

A Labour TD has said the Tánaiste will talk further with the Taoiseach on the party's views over the issuing of an apology to the Magdalene survivors.

In Dundalk Garda Station, the one and only station he served in, his colleagues and friends, many of whom worked during the worst of the Troubles, are still coming to terms with the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.

The father of Ciara Pugsley, a schoolgirl who died by suicide after a campaign of online bullying, has warned lives will continue to be lost unless steps are taken to tackle the problem.

Eight Fine Gael TDs who controversially called for a review of Croke Park deal allowances and incremenets in yesterday’s Irish Examiner have been heavily criticised by Government.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore is expected to select a new chairperson for the Oireachtas finance committee at the weekend.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has once again insisted he was not a member of the IRA or a member of its Army Council.

Environment Minister Phil Hogan has confirmed that three property owners have each paid between €30,000 and €40,000 as a result of the controversial €100 household charge.

One landlord paid €80,000 to the exchequer for the €200 non-principal private residence tax last year.

Online payments company PayPal today announced the creation of 1,000 jobs in Dundalk over the next four years with the development of a new European Operations Centre.

A Fine Gael TD last night confirmed that he had been “physically assaulted” by a woman as he left the stage at a rally in support of retaining services for the elderly at a local hospital.

A cross-party group of TDs will today call for a full inquiry into allegations of abuse at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth.

ENDA Kenny had one bad moment in the Dáil — defending a six-figure salary for an adviser at a time of budget cuts — but otherwise Fine Gael had a good day.

THE father of teenager Phoebe Prince who died by suicide in January 2010 has urged Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to back plans for an anti-bullying programme in all schools from next year.

MORE than 100 Fás staff members have refused to give up their claim to 70 days-a-year of paid leave in an impasse that threatens to derail the Croke Park deal.

TÁNAISTE Eamon Gilmore has led tributes to former Labour TD Michael Bell, who died in the Mater Private Hospital yesterday, aged 74.

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).

Counting continues in seven constiuencies to decide the make-up of the 31st Dáil.

Counting continues in nine constituencies to decide the make-up of the 31st Dáil, with 30 seats left to fill.

Labour's Gerald Nash has been elected in Louth, bringing Labour's haul of seats nationally to 33.

The Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore is on the campaign trail in Co. Louth today.

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney’s refusal to allow a state inquiry into the alleged abuse of almost 200 people by former doctor Michael Shine has been unanimously rejected by a county council.

A MAJOR environmental row is about to re-ignite in Co Meath following the decision by Indaver Ireland to reapply for permission to increase the size of its waste incinerator just one month after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the original plan.