RTÉ - Your Politics

President Higgins slams a "slander against Ireland" over its criticism of Israel. Simon Harris slams the Opposition over deploying "brickbats" and "moral superiority". The Coalition majority looks less robust as pro-Govt TDs support Sinn Féin. Housing delivery remains dire, and may worsen further. And the fox's fate hangs on a bill at second stage.

The National Children's Hospital saga rumbles on, with Simon Harris squarely in the Opposition's crosshairs. Have lessons been learned, or will costly errors be repeated with the new National Maternity Hospital? Cara Darmody's Dáil protest puts assessment of need at the top of the agenda. Tánaiste says Occupied Territories Bill is moving forward.

The report into the Oireachtas bike shed names no-one and, quelle surprise, vows that lessons will be learned. While the minister in charge has - boldly - promised to cut driving test times in 10 weeks, one person felt they had no option but to go to Georgia to get theirs. The hip surgery crisis gathers pace as another health scandal looms.

The new PAC chief alleges 'massive profiteering' in housing asylum seekers, and vows action. RTÉ's DG seems calm ahead of a tricky committee appearance. Pressure on Gov over Gaza rises, with demands to pass Occupied Territories Bill. And a TD no-show in the hard-won Other Members' Dáil time leaves the Govt red-faced.

There's fresh developments over the housing czar, with the front runner ruling himself out. But like the housing market, the debate stays very heated. After massive expenditure, the Farrelly Commission fails to answer crucial questions. Turnout in elections might be higher than we thought. And it turns out dandelions were good guys all along.

Donald Trump steps back from the brink...for now. The 90-day pause is nowhere near long enough to hammer out trade deals. So, what happens on 9 July? We may get a housing tsar, but will they be hobbled by water supplies and planning blockages? More grim revelations at CHI, and the Soc Dems ditch the high ground to pull an old fashioned stroke.

Donald Trump has unleashed a crisis which may prompt a recession. Irish officials are all on message - negotiations are needed, not tit-for-tat trade warfare. But the usually upbeat Pascal Donohoe warns of 'dark and more damaging' scenarios. Will the EU bring out the big guns? Or the US blink first? The world is being pulled into terra incognita.

A remarkable, arguably unprecedented, week in Irish politics. Verona Murphy remains in situ, and Micheál Martin is doubling down. Given the ('Lowry') Government majority, is it all over bar the shouting? That double digital meme is bad for brand Martin, already damaged by this controversy. But how's it all faring on Paul's bus route?

The seasons may change, but the speaking rights row rumbles on. Expect high drama next Tuesday as it all comes to a head in the Dáil. "Not a red cent" has been paid out of a multi-million "game-changing fund" for children with special needs. Radical steps promised on housing, as figures again plummet. Plenty of talk - where's the action?

Micheál Martin got out of the Oval Office intact, only for Donald Trump to hit Irish alcohol with a 200% tariff. The 'emperor' and his deputy clearly have fondness for Éire, but how to leverage it? While the Taoiseach's one blunder was on housing, with many asking how that problem could be good. Market jitters greet Trump's recession remark.

Germany stuns as it ditches fiscal rectitude for tanks and guns. France thumbs its nose at the US, rallies a coalition of the willing and offers to extend its nuclear umbrella. Gorilla handshakes and golf links beckon as Micheál Martin prepares to greet Donald Trump in Washington. Amid the turmoil, the Dáil is knocking off - again - until the 19th.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanks Ireland as he fights for a just peace with Russia. The EU is on the outer orbit of the talks, but will be picking up the tab. Simon Harris struggles to get a clear message on the triple lock. And the speaking rights row has gone toxic, fueling instability when our political system least needs it.

US President Donald Trump is causing mayhem in liberal democracies. The speed and focus of his offensive has surprised many, not least Volodymyr Zelensky. As EU heavyweights convene, Ireland is very much at the edge of the table. Back home, the housing minister faces charges of being MIA. And Linda Martin for the Áras?

The latest fracas between Sinn Féin and the Gov has our correspondent reaching for Marcus Aurelius. Micheál Martin's irked remarks got the Ceann Comhairle's attention: is a walk-back imminent? Then he's got that tricky Paddy's Day visit to the White House. Housing continues to dominate, briefly eclipsed by the Arts Council blowing millions of euro.

Demand continues to soar as delivery stumbles, landing the Govt in a serious jam over housing. Planning reforms face legal challenges, so who can deliver the Big Bang that is clearly needed? And were voters sold a pup? Micheál Martin has a pop at the Soc Dems, who pop right back as wrangling over Storm Éowyn fallout continues.

A Government proposal to break the logjam over speaking rights has been met with another barrage of fury from Opposition ranks. It's shaping up to be a repeat Dáil row next week over the Goverment-supporting technical group. Meanwhile, gender imbalance continues to keep the Cabinet off kilter. And the Seanad count ploughs on.

It was a good day, ministerially speaking, for male barristers named James. Women fared far worse in Cabinet appointments. There's the freshness of new new faces, but also a lack of experience. How much scope does James Browne have at Housing, after Darragh O'Brien's struggle? Paul's bus chats provide crucial intelligence.

Are the Regional Indos in or out? A bit of both, maybe. There's not much passionate support for the Prog for Govt, but not much criticism either. FF and FG got it over the line, which was far from given. No timelines or costings as the new govt waits for the impact of Trump 2.0 on our open economy. And parliamentary party rooms are up for grabs.

It's all go, if a bit slow. Will we have a new government by the 22 January deadline, or is after St Brigid's Day more likely? And don't forget the Seanad elections. A DPP file, 14 years after the final Moriarty report, may spell tribunal trouble for Michael Lowry, arguably not a great look for new generation political avatar, Simon Harris.

After fierce speculation and passionate appeals from the candidates, the Dáil has its first female Ceann Comhairle. Michael Lowry emerges as a key player and kingmaker, if a controversial one, overseeing Verona Murphy's historic appointment. And now the Healy-Raes look set to give the new administration a half-leg up.

Things are shaping up in the process of government formation. Labour and the Soc Dems are out, and the Regionals might be in. Will Verona be the first female Ceann? Or might Sinn Féin cause an upset? Speculation is rife over who'll get a ministerial role. With the realignment of the independents, and the end of the Rurals, where will Mattie end up?

Micheál Martin has a bounce in his step, like he knows he'll be leading the next administreation, but with whom? The tortuous choreography of the government formation waltz is slowly getting underway. Slim chance of it being done by Christmas. Who'll be Ceann? Seán Ó Fearghaíl isn't a lock. Then there's the tug of war over the justice portfolio.

There's a hefty deficit of clarity as the election campaign winds down. Has the die has been cast, or are there still a raft of undecideds? Few pundits are willing to forecast with the ground having shifted in recent days. After all the plans and costings, did any of it change anyone's mind?

The weather is lousy and everyone's wrecked, so perhaps a bit of agro is to be expected. Sparks are flying on the campaign trail. Claims and counterclaims on what was or wasn't in which manifesto. As the final week approaches, the shortest campaign in memory feels likes its been underway a long time. All eyes on Saturday's opinion polls...

We're nearing the end of week one, but things have yet to catch fire on the campaign trail. Is the sparring between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil a sham or serious agro brewing? Either way, it's good news for Sinn Féin. But there's no doubt that on a constituency level, the ground war is very real (just ask Stephen Donnelly).

And they're (almost) off! A three week sprint and then we'll vote. Micheál Martin's neat footwork kept him centre-stage while Simon Harris made up his mind. Seán Ó Fearghaíl appealed for more diversity in the next Dáil. But across the pond, it's back to the future with Trump 2.0. And we bid fond farewell to a bona fide journalistic giant, DDP.

A quite day next Thursday has tongues wagging in the corridors of Leinster House. Might it be the day we get our election date? Deputies are ready to go and already wearing out the shoe leather to get a running start. Things get spicy with FF and FG ready to pivot from partners to rivals for votes.

Is the dog about to get a glimpse of the rabbit? As the election looms the Dáil has signed off on a raft of bills as the Government clears the decks. Ex-MEP Clare Daly throws her hat in the ring for a seat in Dublin Central. Sinn Féin struggles on as Darragh O'Brien grapples with falling house construction.

Mairéad Farrell is the woman of the moment, apparently on the cusp on taking the helm of the powerful PAC, following the shock departure of Brian Stanley. But how many meetings will the Galway TD get to chair before an election is called? 29 November, anyone? Sinn Féin slogged through the week from hell, but it hasn't managed to turn the page.

The Dáil guillotine comes out for the Planning Bill as parliament grinds on amid growing election speculation. Hollywood eco-star Mark Ruffalo gives the Green Party a slap over LNG, Sinn Féin's child protection scandal escalates and the intensifying war in the Middle East engulfs UN peacekeepers.

The Gov splashed the cash, and for all the billions of largesse, it's getting grief over €9m for phone pouches - or 'magnetic holders'. Will the 'wasters' tag loom larger the longer Simon Harris holds off calling an election? Political insiders say it'll be in November, but who really knows? And we bid farewell to the redoubtable Mary O'Rourke.

It's all over bar the shouting. And there's been plenty of that. With each governing party having something to take to the electorate, the Opposition are concerned about the scale of spending in Budget 2025, claim that it lacks substance and warn that once-off spends will soon be forgotten 'like snow off the ditch'

Bike shelter costs in the ha'penny place after reports on the security shelter emerge. The Budget days away, and spending choices to be made. The runaway costs for the NCH puts the Taoisesach in the cross hairs, and his comments on immigration add to the heat. And then there's that New York trip by President, Taoiseach and Tánaiste...

Leinster House lockdown keeps protestors at arm's length as the Dáil resumes, but with pre-election buzz continuing politicians made prompt exits to hit the campaign trail. Speculation as to when we will be going to the polls has hit fever pitch. And then there's the surplus of budgetary kites...

Childcare, housing, migration are dominating this pre-election cycle, and with €14bn of Apple's cash on the way, the stakes just climbed even higher. Across the pond, Donald Trump went off message and straight into the ditch, while Kamala Harris kept her campaign on track. And Pat Finucane's family finally get a public inquiry into his murder.

The furore over the inflated cost of an Oireachtas bike shelter gave way to stunned outrage as the scale of abuse at Irish schools was laid bare. Parties clashed over who can sort the housing crisis, and Barnier's back as Macron finally gets his PM.

A busy summer for Taoiseach Simon Harris, meeting, greeting and literally wearing the green jersey at the Paralympics. Meanwhile, as election speculation intensifies, all parties are scrambling to get candidates in place, with a few celebrities in the mix. A hectic autumn political season beckons.

Warnings to avoid a Budget bonanza are being batted away by the Government. 'Impeccable manners and a steely edge'...Simon Coveney is to depart the political stage. And can Roderic O'Gorman can wash away the Green Party's toxic reputation in rural Ireland?

Sir Keir's all set for No. 10. Pundits are speculating on the size of Labour's majority, and who will (be left to) lead the Opposition. Might a change in Whitehall deliver an opportunity to reset relations with our nearest neighbour? More importantly, when we will go to the polls here? The team have a few potential dates.

He's into his sport, but - unlike his Budget partner Paschal Donohoe - you won't see him at Taylor Swift. Who is Jack Chambers? Áine and the team consider the steep learning curve ahead of the 33 year old, the vote on the Migration Pact, Giorgia Meloni's ire and Natasha O'Brien's standing ovation.

Will Eamon Ryan's departure speed the 'green reset' needed to restore the party's fortunes? Áine and the team also consider the prospects of a Cabinet reshuffle, whether the Budget will come early, the "strange carry-on" over the Dáil vote on the Migration Pact and Ed Davey's impressive performance on the UK campaign trail.

This was to have been the aftermath podcast, but counting continues nationwide after voting last Friday. Áine and the team get the latest developments, and ponder some puzzling transfer patterns.