Timmy Dooley's comments came hours before the Taoiseach and Mr Johnson finally spoke on the phone this afternoon, six days after the new British PM was selected.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he cannot commit to publishing the awaited report into the Maria Bailey 'swing-gate' controversy.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney says he is “frustrated” that much of the discussion about a directly elected Mayor for Cork, Limerick, and Waterford has focussed on the salary that would come with the position, and asked the public to inform themselves on the responsibilities of the role.

Taoiseach Leo Varadakar tried to Zombie-fy people, on the streets of The Cranberries native Limerick, into voting for Fine Gael in the upcoming European and local elections.

If Donald Trump has achieved anything that could be described as constructive it’s been to help create a political climate that has produced no fewer than 25 declared and likely Democrat contenders for the 2020 election, the opening primaries for which are scheduled for June in Florida.

A privately-funded rapid transport network is being proposed for Dublin. Jed van de Poll, Dublin Metro CEO, explains an alternative to the Government-supported project Metrolink Metro Dublin has a grand vision for the capital city’s public transport.

Struggling mortgage holders must be offered debt write-downs instead of so-called foreign vulture funds, Paschal Donohoe has been told.

A host of female Democratic senators have called on colleague Al Franken to resign amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

A lawyer for White House adviser Jared Kushner has pushed back after a Senate committee said he had not been fully forthcoming in its probe into Russian election interference.

Fine Gael senators have warned that the introduction of minimum alcohol pricing will see job losses and floods of shoppers crossing the border if changes are not enacted in the North at the same time.

Donald Trump has lashed out at two Republican senators who condemned him for "debasing" US politics.

Former US president George W. Bush has denounced bigotry in Trump-era American politics, warning that the rise of "nativism", isolationism and conspiracy theories have clouded the nation's true identity.

The US government has announced it will not list the Pacific walrus as a threatened species based on diminished Arctic Ocean sea ice, concluding that the marine mammals have adapted to the loss.

Fine Gael senators and TDs who blocked plans to limit the sale and promotion of alcohol earlier this year have demanded a meeting with Health Minister Simon Harris over his plans to force through the law change.

Latest: President Donald Trump has offered reassurances to Texans who felt the wrath of Storm Harvey, promising residents during a visit to the state: "We are going to get you back and operating immediately."

The new Lord Mayor of Cork says he is confident that a “fair compensation package” for the county council can be worked out to secure a city boundary extension.

Here's your morning news bulletin.

Two Fianna Fáil deputies are today putting a motion to the party, opposing plans to build the new National Children's Hospital at St James in Dublin.

Here's your evening update.

Fine Gael remain split over whether TDs should accept a pay increase which would see their salary jump by €5,400 over two years.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Presidential hopeful refuses to condemn supremacist’s backing

As the US president prepares to make his final State of the Union address, Bette Browne says the widespread optimism that greeted his election has given way to division and acrimony.

Politicians have been warned to stop using Oireachtas envelopes paid for by taxpayers to send out general election leaflets after "a number" of TDs and Senators were caught misusing the service.

The first same-sex civil marriages should take place by November after the Cabinet approved legislation enabling the reform.

FUNNY thing about Enda Kenny is that the attempt to take him out in 2010 was the making of him. Till then, for eight years since his election as party leader in 2002, he endured slights, put-downs and was at best just patronised by some of his own colleagues in Fine Gael. 

Join the Oireachtas and see the world… new figures show that the spend by TDs and senators on overseas travel last year increased from €218,799 to €230,313.

A new bill which aims to regulate clamping on private property is being discussed by TDs and Senators this afternoon,

Direct Provision centres are under scrutiny again today as delegation of TDs and Senators visit two complexes in Galway and Limerick.

Sinn Féin will ask the President not to sign the Water Services Bill if it passes the legislative process this week.

Senators debated the Water Services Bill into the early hours of this morning.

Senators Averial Power, Jillian Van Turnhout and Fidelma Healy Eames have published legislation they say would guarantee all adopted people a right to their original birth cert.

John McNulty will consider taking a seat in the Seanad if he wins next week's by-election, despite pulling out of the race.

John McNulty has been asked to reconsider his decision to withdraw from the Seanad by-election.

TDs and Senators are being asked to consider passing a law which would create a specific offence of child grooming for sexual exploitation.

Members of Congress are falling over one another to show their support for Israel.

The Reform Alliance will host their public conference this afternoon in the RDS and you can follow live updates here from 10am.

The HSE will start grilling specific voluntary hospitals and agencies embroiled in the top-ups controversy today over why they believe senior managers should be paid second salaries.

It is never easy trying to put a bad marriage back together — especially when one half of it has so recently tried to kill the other.

ABOLISH the Seanad and shut down the best chance we have of making politics truly representative. A reformed Seanad could offer a door to public office for the dark side of the moon of Irish life: the people who don’t have jobs.

The chairman of Fine Gael said the party's rebel TDs and Senators are free to apply to rejoin the parliamentary party.

Barack Obama worked yesterday to persuade sceptical politicians to endorse a US military intervention in Syria.