The promises of the 2011 election were universally broken, so we should be sceptical about claims that the universal social charge will be cut and the social welfare Christmas bonus and carer grant will be restored, says Political Reporter Juno McEnroe

THE new political season kicked off in earnest yesterday, after Taoiseach Enda Kenny firmly rejected a stinging attack from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin who accused Mr Kenny of operating an “uno duce, una voce” dictatorial style of leadership.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has left the door open to switching to a more frontline economic role in the Cabinet reshuffle signalled by the Taoiseach.

Enda Kenny faces growing pressure to take part in a head-to-head debate over the future of the Seanad after he was accused of lacking courage.

Embattled minister for small business John Perry faces demands to make a full statement about his finances and his secret deal with a Danish bank in restructuring €2.47m in debt.

A FRESH crackdown on jobless people who refuse offers of work or training was signalled by Social Protection Minister Joan Burton as she warned that benefits would be cut off for nine weeks as punishment.

Enda Kenny is looking forward to his “little emotional moment”.

The Taoiseach said he hopes the referendum to abolish the Seanad will be “carried strongly”, as it became clear that he faces an uphill battle to convince his own parliamentary party to weigh in behind his proposition.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny raised the political tempo inside and outside his parliamentary party yesterday by announcing there will be a Cabinet reshuffle, although it won’t be until next year.

The Ballyhea group brought their battle to have Ireland’s massive debt cancelled to the European Parliament and today makes their case to the president of the member states’ Council.

The Coalition’s efforts to abolish the Seanad faces an embarrassing setback after Fine Gael’s Seanad leader, Maurice Cummins, said he opposed the campaign and insisted the upper house should be retained.

AT this time of year, that image of bothered pupils returning to school is always a common and humorous sight. Such was the look of some Fianna Fáil TDs and senators with bags slumped over their shoulders as they arrived for the party’s parliamentary think-in in Waterford city yesterday.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said voters have not switched in to the upcoming referendum on the abolition of the Seanad and that the final days of campaigning would ultimately decide the result.

The red carpet had been rolled out to greet Labour’s big guns, but a sudden storm saw it rolled back up and left looking soggy and forlorn — a fitting metaphor for the party’s experience in government really.

Horse-trading over the impending budget is set to intensify with the Coalition’s two money supremos meeting daily from now on to hammer out divisive details.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has given his clearest indication yet that Fine Gael will manage to “cut some rope” for their troubled coalition partners by reducing the expected budget adjustment figure by up to €500m.

The fallout between Taoiseach Enda Kenny the seven rebel “Reform Alliance” TDs and senators showed no sign of abating yesterday after Mr Kenny said he wasn’t interested in “superfluous conversations” which had nothing to do with the problems Ireland faces every day.

Free GP care for under-5s could feature in next month’s budget, a Labour health minister has strongly signalled.

The Government faces pressure to set up an independent mortgage arrears office to help struggling homeowners resolve loans as well as calls for enhanced rights for debt-ridden borrowers.

FINANCE Minister, Michael Noonan found a seldom-used and cryptic noun to describe his approach to the budget when he told reporters yesterday, he was “no martinet”.