Everyone’s talking about… 

The Taoiseach will have lots of nice things and lots of not so nice things said about him in the Dáil later today as TDs debate a motion of confidence in Enda Kenny and his government. The motion is a response to Sinn Féin’s attempts to table a motion of no confidence to coincide with tomorrow’s water protest.

Leah Farrell / Photocall Ireland Leah Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

Confidence motions generally have the effect of rallying the troops behind the person whose position is being called into question and that will no doubt happen today as Fine Gael and Labour backbenchers pile in behind Enda.

Although it’s worth noting that the only two members of government to have faced confidence motions during this Dáil term are Alan Shatter and James Reilly. One had to resign and the other was demoted in the Cabinet reshuffle.

The agenda

• The Cabinet meets this morning at Government Buildings.
• 12pm: Leo Varadkar is in front of the Health Committee to discuss his supplementary budget for 2014. Several other ministers are discussing their supplementary budgets with line committees today. Details here.
• 2pm: The Dáil debates a motion of confidence in the Taoiseach and the government for three hours. 
• 6.30pm: Enda Kenny takes Leaders’ Questions at this slightly unusual time.  
• 9.09pm: The Dáil debates a motion to recognise Palestine as an independent state.
• President Michael D Higgins’s state visit to China continues as he meets the country’s president Xi Jinping later today. Minister Charlie Flanagan and Michael Noonan are with him.

Shane O'Neill Fennell Photograph Shane O'Neill Fennell Photograph

• Communications Minister Alex White is at the International Climate Change Conference in Peru until Friday. 

Inside Leinster House

After last week’s traditional tree lighting ceremony was postponed in the wake of homeless man Jonathan Corrie’s death the lights on the big tree at the back of Leinster House were turned on without any fanfare yesterday.

What the others are saying…

• An unspecified loophole in new laws governing penalty points could see thousands of motorists’ points quashed, according to the Irish Independent.
• The same paper says TDs have been told not to bring their cars to Leinster House as thousands are expected to protest against water charges.
• The Irish Examiner says that the government will take emergency moves to block the repayment of junior bondholders in the former Anglo Irish Bank. 

In case you missed it… 

• The government announced plans to make it harder for one person to own too much of the Irish media. 
• Enda Kenny had a message for the water protesters who travelled from Detroit. 
• Ireland is getting ‘kicked around’ by bigger EU countries on tax, according to Brian Hayes. 
• Joan Burton accidentally posed with a giant spliff.
• Jackie Healy-Rae was laid to rest in his hometown of Kilgarvan. 

On the tweet machine… 

Who’s Santa?

Like Politics? Then ‘Like’ our dedicated Facebook page or follow our dedicated Twitter account