Politics watch: Taoiseach looks for housing solutions, Sinn Féin White House boycott
James Cox
Here, we have a look at the issues likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.
Housing dominates agenda
Early on in his second spell as Taoiseach, Micheál Martin has identified housing as the key issue for this government.
Speaking on Friday, Mr Martin said the State will spend more than €6 billion on public housing this year.
“Housing is the number one issue facing the country – on that there is no doubt. I have said that repeatedly.
“The issue I am interested in is the ‘how’ to get from 30,000 houses to 50,000 [per year]. That is what politicians should focus – local authorities and all State agencies should focus on.”
Defending planning exemptions for log cabins after criticism from opposition politicians, he said: "We need to get into solution mode here in terms of housing."
Ministers are reportedly looking to a scheme in UK that gives large-scale developers tax back - but only after the homes are completed and occupied.
Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne branded the plan a "kite-flying exercise".
In criticism of the log cabin plan, he added: "Will these cabins be allowed to be rented out by private landlords? Will they be allowed to be used as Airbnbs?
"Of course there is a need to look at the use of temporary structures or what we might call modular type structures where people have space... but I think what is clear is this proposal is a kite-flying exercise to distract from its [government] failing policies."
Poll blow for Fianna Fáil
A quarter of Fianna Fáil voters admit they would have voted differently in the general election had they known the true level of housebuilding here last year.
The latest Business Post/Red C poll shows Sinn Féin is the most popular party.
The latest poll will come as a blow to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who in the lead up to the general election claimed there was close to 40,000 homes built last year.
However, just over 30,000 were actually built.
Now new findings from the Business Post and Red C found 25 per cent of his supporters say they wouldn't have voted for him or his party had they known the true figures, which were only released in January.
It is now understood the Government are looking to implement rapid cash-back and tax-back schemes to speed up the construction of housing here.
When the true figures first emerged, Micheál Martin admitted his party had "got it wrong" but denied claims the public had been misled.
Sinn Féin to boycott St Patrick's Day White House visit
Mary Lou McDonald has confirmed Sinn Féin will boycott Washington DC for St Patrick’s Day.
Speaking on Friday, Ms McDonald said: “I followed with growing concern what’s happening on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank and, like many other Irish people, have listened in horror to calls from the president of the United States for the mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from their homes and the permanent seizure of Palestinian lands.”
She added: “I’ve made the decision not to attend the event in the White House this year as a principled stance against the call for the mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza, something which I believe demands serious dissent and objection.”
Mr Martin has insisted he will not lecture US president Donald Trump on any issue during the annual visit. However, opposition politicians have said the Taoiseach should make Ireland's opposition to his plans for Gaza clear.
A formal invite has yet to be issued to the Taoiseach, but government sources insist the visit is not in doubt.
Abroad
UK prime minister Keir Starmer is set to visit US president Donald Trump this week, amid heightened tensions over Mr Trump's comments on Gaza and the threat of tariffs.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk has given US federal workers 48 hours to explain what they accomplished last week or risk losing their jobs
The move sparked confusion across key agencies as president Donald Trump’s cost-cutting chief expands his crusade to slash the size of the federal government.
Germany's opposition conservatives won the national election on Sunday, putting leader Friedrich Merz on track to be the next chancellor while the far-right Alternative for Germany came in second, its best ever result, exit polls showed.