Micheál Martin

Fianna Fáil particularly keen on enticing Labour into a coalition rather than Independents, while main two negotiating parties have differing views on issues including VAT reform, new departments and overhaul of the Department of Public Expenditure

If you look at a map of Syria and reflect on other nations’ experiences, you might be concerned

Jim O’Callaghan talks up Independents option while Bacik expected to speak separately with Martin and Harris this week

How the veteran Fianna Fáil leader dragged his party into the 21st century and won his place as taoiseach

Miriam Lord: Scotland shows off its crown jewels to an Irish contingency, putting haggis, rather than government formation, on the menu

Farmers’ groups urge Micheál Martin and Simon Harris not to waver from their election stance on ‘sell-out’ pact

Taoiseach says his party’s mandate must be respected, while Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin also raises the issue of Rockall in Scotland, where both leaders were attending a British-Irish summit

Your essential end-of-week politics catch up: While the overwhelming likelihood is next government will be based on FF and FG, there are wheels within wheels

The programme for government should explicitly state that all commitments are contingent on the wider economic picture, which looks volatile

Labour and Social Democrats to hold first post-election meeting about how to proceed after increasing their Dáil numbers, as divisions between the parties emerge

The justice portfolio, VAT rates, the proposed department of infrastructure and savings account for newborns are among potential pinch points in negotiations

Reform of Act ‘must command the confidence of victims and survivors,’ says Martin

Fianna Fáil leader says there is an urgency to assembling a coalition because of ‘pressing issues internationally’ after general election

Final count finished in Cavan-Monaghan with the make up of the 34th Dáil now complete

Close-fought races and the tantalising prospect of power brought relief for the victorious but crushing lows for those rejected by the electorate

Electorate did not back Independents at level suggested by polling during the campaign but they could still play major role in 34th Dáil

It’s just 14 years since Fianna Fáil and Martin were being written off completely, and four since his leadership was being publicly challenged

Plus: no sign of the next laureate for fiction; the less-than-diverse membership of Aosdána; and Niall Blaney’s poor attendance record

Fianna Fáil leader says he sees clear path to government while Fine Gael leader expresses confidence that his party will play significant role in Coalition formation talks

Simon Harris’s encounter with care worker Charlotte Fallon stood out as a pivotal moment in a campaign for which the political parties seemed oddly unprepared