It was her action, or inaction while in Justice that finally led to Frances Fitzgerald’s downfall, writes Elaine Loughlin

Almost 1,000 “high-priority” cases involving at-risk children had not been assigned a social worker by the end of last year.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is writing to members in 14 make-or-break constituencies urging them to support weaker candidates in a last-ditch bid to save the party’s faltering election campaign.

Eamon Ryan and Eoghan Murphy mix-up could see interesting poll results, writes Caroline O’Doherty

Fine Gael’s fault-line on abortion rights is set to rock the party again as senior figures clash over whether to include a vote on repealing the Eighth Amendment in its general election manifesto.

Law to go before the Dáil ahead of summer recess

Brisk and early voting for the marriage referendum saw the probability of a yes vote increase, despite predictions one in four constituencies could oppose the amendment of the Constitution.

Two sister hospitals in neighbouring counties have emerged as having the country’s best and worst death rates for heart attack patients in their care.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is guilty of hoarding too much power and sidelining cabinet government, a Fine Gael TD has warned.

The appointment to a State board of a little known Donegal politician who failed to be elected in the local elections has creative cronyism written all over it, writes Political Editor Mary Regan

The Government is set to pass special legislation in the coming weeks in order to hold a by-election to replace former senator Deirdre Clune in the Upper House.

At the launch of Fine Gael’s local election campaign, Frances Fitzgerald sent the candidates out to do battle on the doorsteps with a speech beginning with the declaration that most people get into politics in order to change things.

A loosening of the party whip system and allowing individual TDs to vote with their conscience on laws would be bad for stability and therefore bad for investment, the Taoiseach told the Dáil.

A loosening of the party whip system and allowing individual TDs to vote with their conscience on laws would be bad for stability and therefore bad for investment, the Taoiseach told the Dáil.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has said the new Court of Appeal, approved by voters in the referendum, would be up and running next autumn and cost up to €3m annually.

The Taoiseach said he was "naturally, personally disappointed" by the defeat of the referendum to abolish the Seanad, as attention now turns to the need for political reform.

The No side has remained ahead throughout the afternoon in the referendum to abolish the Seanad - but with a very tight margin.

The president of the Irish Association of Suicidology has called on banks to train staff how to deal with struggling mortgage-holders and warned that more people are taking their lives because of debt.

Former Fianna Fáil TD Chris Andrews has joined Sinn Féin.

The final Dáil vote saw 31 TDs oppose the X case legislation as numbers were swelled by left-wing deputies protesting that the new law was not liberal enough.

Very few parents are prosecuted for criminal neglect despite coming to the attention of gardaí for drug and alcohol abuse, a report examining the management of neglect cases reveals.

Thanks to appalling levels of understaffing in the HSE, the problems facing troubled and neglected children in Roscommon continue to cause public concern.

Chronic under-staffing of psychology services in Co Roscommon left 180 children waiting one to two years to be seen and prevented psychologists from assessing parents ability to care for their children.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore suffered a fresh blow as an MEP quit the party and accused him of seeking to “hurt people”.

Vulnerable foster children are still being put at risk due to non-existent Garda vetting and chronic staff gaps — despite Government vows to ensure childcare scandals are not repeated.

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has said he will not depart from any of the recommendations made by the Constituency Commission, including those on new constituency names.

More than 20 Irish Rail train carriages bought from a Japanese company for €44m are sitting in storage and are unlikely to be used for years to come, it has emerged.

Pressure was piled on Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin to open up access to information for the public on bailed-out banks as well as semi-state bodies.

Coalition TDs have said the property tax is unfair and anti-urban, with Fine Gael politicians saying the planned levy was a danger to social cohesion and could lead to revolt.

Labour TDs and rebels within the party share a resigned view of the budget measures but some hold out hope for some type of U-turn on the more significant cuts unveiled.

Just three of the country’s 43 constituencies voted no.

A Labour Deputy is calling on Bank of Ireland to donate their iconic College Green building to the State.

SPARE a thought for the Andrews clan, whose next family get-together is bound to be a frosty affair after one of its disgruntled scions was revealed as the poison pen behind an anonymous Twitter account.

Foster children are being placed with families with criminal records, a history of alcohol abuse, and possible mental health or drug issues, and are not re-checked unless “something goes wrong”.

Dublin sees some of the most far-reaching changes of the shake-up which will provide re-election headaches for many sitting TDs.

A new HSE review of its child and family services shows the Tipperary South area had the highest level of child neglect in the country although Dublin South East had the highest percentage of sexual abuse.

Voters in just five of the country’s 43 constituencies rejected the referendum, with strong divisions between urban and rural areas.

Counting is continuing across the country in the EU Fiscal Treaty referendum, and the Yes side seems to be ahead according to early tallies.