Irish Times Inside Politics

Hugh, Pat and Ellen are joined by columnist Gerard Howlin to talk about a tumultuous day in Leinster House that capped a terrible week for the governing coalition:The Government faced down a confidence challenge, as expected. But the loss of now-former minister of state Michael Healy-Rae, along with the support of his backbencher brother Danny, cut its majority and underlined how the fuel protests have emerged as its biggest political challenge since the general election.The speed with which hundred of millions of euro were found to fix the problem has not been lost on every other interest group in the country. Further militant protests and renewed public sector pay demands are likely to follow. Is the Dáil lacking voices calling for fiscal restraint?Rural disillusionment is a slow-burning crisis for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, with rural voters feeling abandoned by the big parties. Jim O'Callaghan's stock has fallen within Fianna Fáil over his handling of the crisis.And with the Government lacking a clea