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

Everyone’s talking about 

The government is to unveil what is being widely flagged as a ‘more sympathetic’ scheme for people seeking discretionary medical cards today with a person’s financial situation and personal circumstances to be given more weight.

Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

The scheme, to be announced by Leo Varadkar, comes on foot of a report by an expert panel which was tasked with coming up with a list of conditions that would automatically qualify for a medical card. The panel said that such a system would be “neither feasible nor desirable”.

You may remember that medical cards was a huge political issue at the local elections and damaged the coalition’s standing though perhaps not as much as the Irish Water debacle. Meanwhile, the Health Minister has been voted Ireland’s most kissable politician.

The agenda

• The Cabinet holds its usual weekly meeting this morning. 
• 3.15pm: Enda Kenny takes Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil. 
• 3.30pm: Varadkar and Minister of State Kathleen Lynch are due to announce changes to the medical card system.
• 9pm: The Dáil will consider and vote on the banking inquiry proposals with TDs hoping it can get under way before Christmas. 

What the others are saying

• The Irish Daily Mail leads on an image of two drug users injecting themselves near Leinster House last Thursday: 

• The government will unveil a major social housing plan that will aim to deliver 10,000 units by 2018, the Irish Independent reports. The Irish Times says 30,000 new and refurbished houses will be delivered over the next four to five years. 
• The Irish Independent also says that gardaí are planning 10 arrests as part of their investigation into the Jobstown protest over a week ago. 
• The Irish Times says that Fianna Fáil and Sinn Fein are both planning for a general election in late 2015. 

In case you missed it

• Frances Fitzgerald thinks that women often feel they have more to prove.
• The government’s budget watchdog is not pleased.
• Gardaí have been given the names of more than 30 IRA abusers.
• A Labour senator said Ireland has become a lawless utopia.
• Gregory Campbell, of ‘curry my yoghurt’ fame, says he received a death threat.
• A power surge prompted an evacuation of Leinster House. 
• Another county council passed a motion to abolish water charges. 

On the Twitter machine

The lads, talking about Saturday no doubt… 

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