Clare Daly believes that the EU is a neo-liberal body protecting big business — her bid for Europe intends to change all that. Juno McEnroe follows her on the campaign trail in Inchicore.

The colourful, unconventional Wexford TD, a former construction firm owner, tells Juno McEnroe he wants to become an MEP so that he can stand up for the less-well-off.

Cast your mind back to 2009, writes Daniel McConnell.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe’s newly appointed special adviser has been described as “slime” by a constituency rival in a bitter online spat.

The Government has been urged to direct that a full forensic excavation, exhumation, and DNA testing of the remains at the Tuam site be commenced immediately.

Punters can now enjoy a legal Good Friday drink in their local pub as politicians finally lifted a controversial ban after 91 years.

A four-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee has called on developed countries to ban paedophiles and suspected sex offenders from foreign travel in the same way as suspected terrorists.

Ireland is on course to become the first country in Europe to cancel the passports of convicted paedophiles in a bid to prevent them travelling overseas to offend again.

There is no evidence to show that the illnesses and syndromes highlighted in Ireland by concerned parents were caused by the HPV vaccine, writes Victoria White

Gerry Adams’ claim was a startling contribution, writes Michael Clifford.

This week Paul Rouse tackles a subject dividing people for a number of reasons - hare coursing.

INDEPENDENT TD Maureen O’Sullivan has sought to defend a courtroom testimonial she wrote on behalf of a man convicted of IRA membership.

The Government is open to doing deals with other Independents if existing ministers jump ship or the minority administration collapses, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed has said.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams says he intends to lead his party into the next general election.

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Heritage Minister Heather Humphreys has rejected calls to shut down hare coursing on the grounds there are strict controls for the sport and such a ban would hit rural areas.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is expected to visit Dublin’s inner city next week to meet community leaders as gardaí attempt to stop a murderous feud which has so far seen seven people killed.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has been re-elected as Taoiseach by the most slender of margins, gaining just one vote more than the minimum needed to regain power. Mr Kenny won the fourth and final nomination vote by 59 votes to 49 after 11th-hour talks with Independents.

Enda Kenny has admitted that his party has learnt lessons from the general election as Fine Gael managed to break a deadlock and get their minority government elected yesterday.

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.

Will the independents support Fine Gael?

Divisions are emerging among Independent TDs over cabinet positions in a minority government.

Community activists in Dublin’s north inner city are to hold a meeting and press conference tomorrow to demand action to prevent further feud murders in the locality.

Independents have ruled out any government-formation deal being struck this week.

Fine Gael are now narrowing their focus onto just eight Independent TDs to hammer out a minority government deal.

Independent TDs have put it up to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to form a government or go back to the country for a second election.

Potential kingmakers the Independent Alliance met with Fine Gael negotiator Simon Coveney and junior minister Simon Harris for 90 minutes last night as pressure builds over talks to form a government.

A senior Fianna Fáil figure believes his party needs at least 12 Independents to vote with them in order to lead a minority government and oust Fine Gael from power.

If the current political drama was a movie, it would be if not Back To The Future then at least Back To The Past.

Enda Kenny has ignored a request for a roundtable meeting on forming a minority government and instead issued fresh invitations to talks, insisting a partnership coalition is the only option.

Furious Independent TDs may now not engage in any more talks with either Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil.

Deeply frustrated Independent TDs will decide this morning whether to vote against Enda Kenny and Micheál Martin’s bids to become taoiseach rather than abstain as previously expected.

Department of Health officials have told Independents attending a Fianna Fáil negotiations briefing a €300m health service overspend risks taking up the majority of the fiscal space available to the country this year.

Fianna Fáil negotiators last night told Independents they will draft a new bill to scrap Irish Water and delay water charges for five years within 18 months if they are part of the next government.

The complexity of civil-service structures is being dangerously underestimated by independent TDs, who have no experience of it, writes Gerard Howlin

Independents are set to come under mounting pressure over the coming days to decide who they will support to form a government, after Micheál Martin and Enda Kenny finally agreed to hold talks after the next Dáil taoiseach nomination vote.

Fine Gael will today tell Independent TDs and smaller parties it will consider struggling family mortgage reforms, levies for vacant property ‘hoarders’, and a new rural towns and villages development scheme if they support Enda Kenny’s bid for power.

The second round-table talks between Fine Gael and 15 Independents, and smaller parties, are to take place tomorrow.

With no prospect of a government being formed any time soon, yesterday marked the 50th day since the Dáil was dissolved and a general election called. It might not be too surprising if another 50 days were to pass before any deal is agreed to bridge the current political impasse.

Acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny will today lead a brainstorming session with senior Fine Gael figures and 17 TDs from Independent and smaller political groups in the first multilateral talks to form a government.

Smaller parties and Independent TDs have rowed in behind calls for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to begin negotiating government formation options — warning it is otherwise difficult to support either party.