Fianna Fáil has ratified the Programme for Government at a special Ard Fheis in Dublin. 812 members voted in favour of going back into Government to 62 against. The Fianna Fáil leader hit out at the negativity in some quarters around the formation of the incoming government.

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

Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin South Central, Catherine Ardagh, has welcomed the publication of monthly data by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the number of Commencements Notices (residential construction starts) for 2024.

Mary Butler (58) has been appointed Government Chief Whip and Super Junior Minister.

Zahir Mathis is another big target that is still out there in the 2025 class. Mathis is another player that was originally committed elsewhere as he was an Ohio State pledge, but he decided to reopen his recruitment back in November. Now, Alabama is in the mix, but they have some stiff competition as Mathis is considering some other elite programs.

The arrangements underpinning the support of the Regional Independent Group (RIG) and the Healy-Raes for the incoming Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition government seem to be in a political grey zone of constructive ambiguity.

Historian and political commentator Brian Feeney has been a columnist with The Irish News for three decades. He is a former SDLP councillor in Belfast and co-author of the award-winning book Lost Lives At Fianna Fáil’s weekend mini-ard fheis, the atmosphere was euphoric, the mood nostalgic. Just like old times.

Two red weather warnings are in place as winds of up to 100mph are forecast to hit Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Last week’s chaotic scenes demonstrated that there is an opportunity for Opposition parties to come together and win public support in doing so

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

Don Avery served Dublin as CEO of Fairview Park Hospital for 17 years. His impact was felt inside and outside the hospital.

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.