Mr Ó Fearghaíl received 130 votes against 28 delivered for Denis Naughten, beating the quota by 50 votes.

Both candidates for the role of Ceann Comhairle in the new Dáil have made their pitch speeches for election.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl as Ceann Comhairle will leave Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin neck and neck with voting TD numbers in the race to lead the next government.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl is on track to win a second term as Ceann Comhairle when deputies meet for the new Dáil tomorrow and as parties struggle to find a consensus on forming the next government.

Independent TD and former minister Denis Naughten said he will only support the Government on a case-by-case basis, should a vote of confidence be called.

Last night, all parties in the Dáil passed a Sinn Féin amendment to the Gaming and Lotteries Bill.

Tabling the motion against the minister tonight in the Dáil, Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy outlined how high rents, unaffordable homes and homelessness were at an all-time high.

The European Commission has officially approved Ireland’s controversial National Broadband Plan (NBP) under EU state aid rules, at a value of €2.6 billion.

The commission announced that in its opinion the potential benefits to competition in the Irish broadband sector outweigh the negatives represented by the intervention of the State.

Paying three times for a single asset is “unethical, unconstitutional and unfair," Independent TD, Denis Naughten, told a meeting of the Oireachtas health committee when it discussed what farm families wanted in the new Fair Deal Scheme.

Credit unions should not be charged for the cost of Central Bank oversight the same way commercial banks are, independent TD Denis Naughten has said.

Virgin Media Ireland says it may cut 65 jobs across all areas of the company over the next month.

On Brexit, the commissioner told members that he “entirely refuted” suggestions that there was no Garda planning for Brexit, saying there was a “high state of preparation”.

Latest: Attempts to reconvene talks on the beef crisis would be a waste of time if the issue of pricing is not addressed, according to the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).

The Lanesboro facility shut in early July because of concerns over hot water discharges into the Shannon.

Ex-Government Minister Denis Naughten has condemned the meat industry for lack of transparency on their profit margin, or the price they can secure for beef on export markets.

There are serious environmental concerns about the EU's trade deal with South American countries.

Former Minister for Communications Denis Naughten has expressed surprise at claims by Eir that it could complete the National Broadband Plan for less than €1bn.

Tomorrow marks two years since Leo Varadkar was elected Taoiseach. From Brexit to fan letters, Political Editor Daniel McConnell looks back at the highs and lows of Varadkar's time in office

There are calls for the Dáil to suspend business next week and hold an urgent debate on HSE plans to cut home help hours for carers for the rest of the summer.

The Dáil must hold an urgent debate on HSE plans to slash new home help hours when it returns on Tuesday amid fears families will be left with "no choice" other than to send their elderly relatives to nursing homes.

Former Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten is calling on the Government to “pause” the approval of gas and oil exploration licences.

The consortium developing the State’s multibillion-euro national broadband project has been accused of “bringing nothing” to the plan amid claims a separate company is part-funding its investment.

Former Minister for Communications Denis Naughten has warned that if the proposed National Broadband Plan falters between now and the signing of the contract he does not believe that there will ever be high-speed broadband in rural Ireland.

We have been waiting seven years for it and will be waiting at least seven more for it to be finished.

Some of the greatest nonsense ever spouted can be found on YouTube. No, I don’t have a scientific study to back this up, but I’ve enough domestic eavesdropping experience to realise the home truth of this.

Electric car owners could be asked to pay to charge up their vehicles in public places under plans being considered by the Government.

The departure of Denis Naughten in controversial circumstances forced Leo Varadkar to move Education Minister Richard Bruton over to Naughten's embattled Department of Communications, to salvage the National Broadband Plan, writes Daniel McConnell

Here's your morning bulletin.

The Government’s report into the broadband lobbying fiasco will face immediate “whitewash” claims if it says the project has not been damaged by Denis Naughten’s serial meetings with the only bidder in the process.

Fianna Fáil must agree to a full confidence and supply deal or bring on a general election, Fine Gael has demanded.

After a dramatic week the Government will face another challenge to secure a vote to appoint a successor to former minister Denis Naughten.

The Health Minister has strongly defended junior minister Pat Breen over his role in the broadband tender controversy which led to the resignation of Denis Naughten.

How did this all come about?

JUST how long can this farce continue? This is a Government struggling for life and no longer able to guarantee the passage of its legislation.

The Government is on a knife-edge after the resignation of Communications Minister Denis Naughten, with serious doubts over whether it can pass the budget.

Born in Drum, Athlone, in June 1973, Denis Naughten grew up in a staunch Fine Gael house.

Communications Minister Denis Naughten is refusing to resign over revelations that he met three times this year with the only remaining bidder for the State’s lucrative national broadband plan amid growing fears of a snap Christmas election.

Communications Minister Denis Naughten has been accused of “contaminating” the tendering process for the State’s multimillion-euro national broadband contract.

Communications Minister Denis Naughten is set to be grilled over the planned closure of rural post offices as TDs threaten to pull support for the Government.

Areas in rural Cork and Kerry left facing 20km-plus round trips