Latest: Vote for Taoiseach will go ahead, says Kenny

Latest: Fine Gael TDs and Senators have been told this evening that the vote for Taoiseach will go ahead as planned, despite wide speculation that it was to be deferred writes Irish Examiner Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

Update 6.53pm: Fine Gael TDs and Senators have been told this evening that the vote for Taoiseach will go ahead as planned, despite wide speculation that it was to be deferred writes Irish Examiner Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

At lunchtime, it was widely anticipated that the vote would not go ahead because of a lack of progress in the talks between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.