The Fianna Fáil Chief Whip said that he made it clear to Micháel Martin that he was prepared to resign from the party if forced to vote in favour of the draft abortion legislation.

Government and the Opposition have agreed to delay any motion of censure against Independent TD Mick Wallace.

A motion of censure is to be tabled in the Dail today against the independent TD Mick Wallace.

The Fianna Fáil whip and Foreign Affairs spokesman Seán O'Fearghaíl has re-iterated the party's position over the referendum on the Fiscal Compact Treaty.

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).

Fine Gael councillor Martin Heydon looks set to top the poll in Kildare South and win back the seat lost by Alan Dukes in 2002.

Bertie Ahern appeared to be on course for a third term as Taoiseach this afternoon.

Ministers Willie O'Dea and Mary Hanafin became the latest high-profile Fianna Fáil candidates to be re-elected to the Dáil this afternoon as they were returned in Limerick East and Meath West respectively.

Fianna Fáil has swept two candidates to power in the Kildare South constituency.