Here was Fianna Fáil back again as the largest party in government after looking to be on the verge of oblivion 15 years ago. Buttressed by the Regional Independent Group (RIG) providing a solid majority,

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael members have voted to ratify the draft Programme for Government that will see both parties form a coalition government

Fine Gael has held the first of five regional meetings with party members over the Programme for Government document.

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The new ministers of state have been announced after a Cabinet meeting this afternoon. The appointment of the 23 ministers of state is an increase of three on the last Coalition.

The guaranteed salary of the Ministers of State will be €159,525, rising to €172,670 for Super Junior Ministers who attend cabinet.

Murley is one of several changes to the last England side that faced Japan in the autumn, but the headline change is the use of a 6:2 split on the bench. Maro Itoje era begins as

Only three of the 15 Ministers are women: Helen McEntee, Jennier Carroll MacNeill and Norma Foley, which makes for a ratio of 80:20 of men to women. Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has said it is “deeply disappointing” that the number of women in cabinet has reduced by 25 per cent to just three.

In sweeping changes that saw former Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue dropped, several surprises saw six new senior ministers appointed. There was shock in some quarters as Darragh O’Brien was moved from the Department of Housing and James Browne was moved in.

Government leaders have accused the Opposition of engaging in a "subversion of the Constitution" by not electing a taoiseach, while Opposition politicians have said the Government is engaging in a "farce" by allowing TDs who support the Government to speak on Opposition time and resources.

Fianna Fáil leader Martin will become Taoiseach this afternoon for the second time as the new Government is formed

Micheál Martin and Simon Harris, in how they assembled their government of choice, are behaving as if they don’t give two figs about perceptions of low standards in high places