Fine Gael

The latest news, analysis and comment on Irish political party Fine Gael

Speaking rights row set to reignite as opposition insists those who support Government must not speak on their Dáil time

Government Chief Whip Mary Butler set a deadline of Wednesday for submissions from political parties about Dáil reform and speaking rights

Fianna Fáil interventions on housing prompt puzzlement in Fine Gael

Mood ahead of first Cabinet housing subcommittee more taut than might have been expected, following interventions by Taoiseach Micheál Martin

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil divided over proposed tax breaks for developers to boost supply of homes

Simon Harris warns over failed policies of the past, but Micheál Martin’s party wants drastic action to meet housing targets

Call for urgent investigation into ‘alarming surge’ in accommodation booking scams

Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty says there has been a 900% increase in scams related to booking.com in last two years

Owning its own home pays for Fine Gael when it comes to funding elections

Plus: Rose of Tralee’s ongoing financial troubles; Dermot Desmond’s club advocacy; and rugby publicans’ qualified grand slam

Department of Transport strongly backs Dublin Airport expansion and easing of passenger gap

Transport docs

Greens to lose €850,000 a year, Social Democrats and Aontú to gain in new funding allocation

Exchequer funding given to nine parties obtaining at least 2 per cent of first preferences

Evanne Ní Chuilinn tells Seanad that brother’s struggle with addiction led her to politics

Making her maiden Seanad speech, former sports broadcaster says brother would be ‘very proud’

Five Sinn Féin TDs write to Tánaiste demanding Dáil statement on Senator Martin Conway

Five female politicians ask Simon Harris to explain why Senator Conway paid €10,000 to charity after allegedly acting inappropriately to female colleague

Legislation to increase number of Ministers rushed through Dáil, passing by 92 votes to 72

Labour finance spokesman Ged Nash describes the legislation as a ‘jobs for the boys Bill’ and says the new posts will cost State €7.5 million over five years

Tánaiste says it was ‘appropriate’ that senator resigned Fine Gael whip after arrest

Circumstances that led to Martin Conway’s resignation were distressing and there will be ‘a full investigation’, Simon Harris says

New senators set out stalls as Mark Daly of FF elected unopposed as Cathaoirleach

Almost all 60 senators spoke on first day of new Seanad as Irish unity, disability and housing among platforms for future debate

Call for Tánaiste to address Dáil on controversy over Martin Conway

Government also criticised over time for debate on law to increase number of ‘baby Ministers’ from 20 to 23

Tax breaks for developers back on table as pressure grows over housing goals

Housing, crime and public spending are set to feature in political exchanges as the Taoiseach talks AI in Paris

Disciplinary process against arrested Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway could take months

Martin Conway resigned from parliamentary party and apologised for incident

Fine Gael senator Martin Conway resigns from parliamentary party after being arrested while intoxicated

Taoiseach says he only learned of the incident involving visually impaired senator on Sunday morning

When your chance of owning a home depends on whether your parents do, the system is rigged

A third of first-time buyers receive help from their home-owning parents, so it feels like the system perpetuates privilege

Who is Evanne Ní Chuilinn? From RTÉ sports broadcaster to Fine Gael Senator

The former RTÉ sports broadcaster is one of Fine Gael’s five nominees for the Seanad

Southerners and northern nationalists dislike Commonwealth more than Nato

North’s Protestants strongly favour membership of the Europe-North America military alliance in event of Irish unity

Jim O’Callaghan and the new ministers out to make a good first impression

Inside Politics podcast with Hugh Linehan

Coalition confident shock 2020 defeat of its candidate for leas-cheann comhairle will not be repeated

John McGuinness expected to be elected, but secret ballot injects uncertainty

Just how big is the Government’s majority? TDs from Lowry group muddy the waters

Coalition may be about to find out there are limits to the usefulness of ambiguity

Coalition leaders ‘very annoyed’ at letters from TDs in Lowry group pledging ‘case-by-case’ support

Three TDs assumed to support the coalition after talks to fill ministerial roles write to Ceann Comhairle on their voting plans

Greater gender balance expected to feature in Taoiseach’s 11 nominees to Seanad

Former broadcasters Alison Comyn and Gráinne Seoige tipped as possible nominees

Danny Healy-Rae a lonely figure as Roaring Independents split

Danny Healy-Rae goes solo on Opposition benches after the old band breaks up, and watches his brother Michael hurry around the Government benches

Will Dáil speaking rights row explode again?

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy sought to end impasse but Michael Lowry is not ready to let matter rest

The public may not care who gets to speak in the Dáil, but they do care about being taken for fools

Problem ultimately wasn’t about low-stakes speaking time or terrible political nous: it was over a proposal that utterly failed to pass the bulls**t test

Seanad election finishes with 20 women among 49 winners

Focus on Taoiseach’s 11 nominations for more female representation

Ceann Comhairle rules Regional Independents cannot be viewed as members of the Opposition

Ruling appears to present a path to resolving the conflict about speaking time and allowing the Dáil to proceed this week

Death of Shane O’Farrell: Government MEP calls for public inquiry into killing of cyclist

Regina Doherty writes to Jim O’Callaghan, reminding him of Dáil motion he brought calling for full inquiry into cyclist’s killing

Marathon five-day Seanad count ends with women taking 20 of 49 seats

Full list of elected members includes 20 women before Taoiseach’s nominees are added

Dáil speaking rights for Michael Lowry group not ‘black and white issue’, Martin says

Taoiseach Micheál Martin points to precedent and possible future cases in call for compromise

Heather Humphreys: ‘If you’re a rural TD it’s very hard as you can’t be at home at night’

The former Fine Gael deputy leader learned a hard political lesson early in her career: ‘Prepare, prepare, prepare’

It normally takes a government a bit longer than this to look so out of touch

Preparing for the inevitable consequences of a heating world is an urgent task for governments everywhere. Ours hasn’t given it remotely enough attention

Emma Blain: ‘I don’t think my dad with dementia is fully aware that I’m the Lord Mayor of Dublin’

The new Fine Gael mayor has three big priorities: dementia awareness, getting more girls into sport, and a special St Patrick’s Day project

Seanad election: Aontú and Social Democrats win first seats in Seanad, Labour loses by tenth of a vote

Social Democrats set to win first Seanad seat; Fine Gael gains a seat as Fianna Fáil down two

‘Not worth dying in ditch for’: Government losing patience with Michael Lowry over speaking time row

Talks between Government and Opposition parties to defuse row break up amid recriminations

A good foreign policy is one that no one notices. Unfortunately that’s not Simon Harris’s style

Harris’s success or failure in his new role will mean success or failure for all of us

‘Another stroke’: Fresh plan to give Michael Lowry’s group Dáil speaking time criticised by Opposition

Government plan is ‘total arrogance’ on the back of a ‘grubby deal’, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald says

Ex-TDs, Seanad ‘lifers’ and well-known faces in election battle

Who to watch out for as counting begins to fill seats in Upper House

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