Government back from brink - but FG parliamentary party told to prepare for vote in mid-January

The country may be facing a snap general election in January after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar refused to sack his Tánaiste, Frances Fitzgerald, over the Maurice McCabe email saga.

It came after Fianna Fáil decided to table a motion of no confidence in her, effectively ending the confidence and supply deal, which has underpinned the minority Government for 18 months.

Just four months into Mr Varadkar’s premiership, Fianna Fáil called for Ms Fitzgerald’s resignation after inaccurate information led the Taoiseach to inadvertently mislead the Dáil on several occasions.