HERE IS THEJOURNAL.IE’s comprehensive guide to what’s happening in the political world this morning.

Everyone’s talking about

The Government’s plan to help curb waiting lists.

Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

The HSE is set to announce its service plan for 2015 today, which is thought to include €130 million in cuts. The body is expected to overrun its budget by €550 million this year.

Some €25 million has been set aside to tackle the problem of patients waiting on hospital trolleys.

To reverse the fall in the number of nurses working in the health service, Health Minister Leo Varadkar intends to advertise about 200 consultant jobs.

The Irish Times reports that the plan also foresees €25 million in spending on free GP care for under-6s and €12 million on free GP care for all over-70s. Additional funding for mental health and cancer services is also expected to be announced.

The agenda

• 9.30am: The Health Committee will discuss advances in testing opportunities for HIV (Room 2).
• 10am: The Public Accounts Committee will examine public spending waste at Limerick Greyhound Stadium (Room 1).
• 11am: As outlined above,  the HSE will launch its service plan for 2015.
• 12pm: The Tánaiste will be answering Leaders’ Questions today.
• This afternoon the Government will debate the Health Insurance Bill and and new legislation that seeks to give additional powers to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission.
• New legislation criminalising the purchasing of sex is also set to be published.

What the others are saying 

• The grooming of children or minors for sex will be made a criminal offence by a draft Bill set to be published today, the Irish Examiner reports. 
• Planned reforms will make 2,000 children eligible for domestic adoption, according to the Irish Times.
• The same paper reports that Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has urged the Taoiseach to make a decision on re-opening the case of the ‘Hooded Men’ with the European Court of Human Rights. 
• Parents will be entitled to ‘a report card’ on how their child’s school is performing under new rules being drawn up by the Department of Education, according to the Irish Independent.

In case you missed it

• The Government published its social housing plan.
• Joan Burton said that the coalition will see out its term in office. 
• Enda Kenny criticised Sinn Féin’s expenses north of the border. 
• Mick Wallace is not happy Nóirín O’Sullivan has been appointed the new Garda Commissioner.

On the Twitter machine

Here’s a voter’s response to being called a “moron” by a Fine Gael TD in a Twitter row over a graph.

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