Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin has warned that any party refusing to talk to his and others to form a government will be "punished" by voters if they force a second election on the country.

Fianna Fáil has said that it remains the only credible alternative to Fine Gael as a governing party despite last night’s bombshell poll which showed Sinn Féin is now the most popular party in the country.

A lobby group fighting for better pay and conditions for the Defence Forces is considering mounting an assault on the Dáil — through the ballot box.

Seven Fine Gael selection conventions are being brought forward from September to July.

A number of TD's have been venting their anger at the latest constituency changes.

The Dáil is set to gain two more TDs from the next election as Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is a major winner in the redraw of constituency boundaries announced tonight, writes Daniel McConnell.

Fifteen private solicitors’ practices received fees in excess of €200,000 last year for carrying out work on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Fianna Fáil TD Seán Ó Fearghaíl has promised to deliver substantial reform of how the Dáil is run now he has been elected ceann comhairle. He is the first to be elected by secret ballot.

Fianna Fáil TD Sean O Fearghail has been elected to become the new Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil.

A record number of women will form part of the new Dáil as gender quotas put more females on the ballot papers.

Lucinda Creighton saw fledgling party fail to return a single seat, writes Political Reporter Elaine Loughlin.

Renua Ireland has ruled out running finance guru Eddie Hobbs in Kildare South after children’s charity boss Jonathan Irwin announced his decision to opt out of competing there at the next general election.

The first eight candidates to run for Renua Ireland in the upcoming general election have been confirmed.

The founder of the Jack and Jill Foundation Jonathan Irwin has announced his intention to contest the next general election as an Independent.

Private solicitors working for the Director of Public Prosecutions were paid almost €6.5m last year.

With election fever in the air and polling day only four weeks away, Fine Gael and Labour ministers were producing political carrots like rabbits from the proverbial magician’s hat yesterday — precisely what the vanquished Soldiers of Destiny did when Fianna Fáil was in power.

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.

More than 1,000 allowances paid to public sector staff will be examined by the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) after the Government abandoned plans to abolish them for existing workers.

ENDA KENNY has steered his party to its best election result in history, more than doubling the number of Fine Gael seats since he became party leader after the 2002 general election.

Fianna Fáil TD Sean O'Fearghaill is re-elected to the Dáil in Kildare South.

Fianna Fáil's Sean Power has lost his seat in Kildare South.

Labour's Jack Wall has been elected in Kildare South.

Fine Gael and Labour have taken a seat apiece in Kildare South. There is just one seat remaining in the constituency.

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.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen clung on to power against the wishes of many of his Fianna Fáil colleagues who he told if they want him gone they can come and get him.

OUR politicians are so self indulgent. It’s always about them. Dithering over the timing of the election date reminds me of similar political paralysis in 2008.

THE last vestige of credibility evaporated from the Progressive Democrats from the moment Michael McDowell hoist the petard that the PDs were exiting government — only to subsequently change their minds.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen today rejected claims he intends to resign after Budget 2011 is unveiled.

BRIAN COWEN was forced to defend his leadership once again last night, insisting he would not just “walk away” from his party following criticism at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting.

BY exploiting economic fears, the Yes side changed tack emphatically in 16 months.

It has been revealed that more than a quarter of boys in Tánaiste Mary Coughlan’s constituency, Donegal South West, leave school before turning 15 - the highest level in the state.

Hundreds of Irish troops may have to remain in war-torn Chad after the March 2009 end-date of the €57m mission, the Defence Minister told the Dáil today.

MORE than half of the country’s 43 constituencies will undergo extensive changes in electoral registers and county boundaries under the raft of recommendations by the Constituency Commission.

Labour's Jack Wall has been elected to the third seat in the Kildare South constituency.

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.