It followed a meeting between party leaders in the wake of Wednesday’s chaotic scenes in the chamber.

Proceedings were suspended three times.

The row was triggered by a decision to allow independent TD’s who are supporting the government to sit on the opposition benches.

That provoked an angry response from Sinn Féin and other opposition parties who were blamed for disrupting the Dáil sitting and blocking the election of a Taoiseach.

This morning the Ceann Comhairle (speaker in the Irish Parliament) Verona Murphy ruled that those independent TDs supporting the government will not be given a status of an opposition technical group for todays sitting which comes with speaking rights.

The government has also committed to addressing some of the issues raised by the opposition parties

Welcoming the move Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said the government has now “finally acknowledged that there has to be differentiation between government and opposition and no TD can be in government and opposition”.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael emerged as the largest and third-largest parties respectively following November’s election and committed to returning to government together.

However after the Green Party – their coalition partner from 2020-2024 – was reduced to a single seat, they gathered the support of a small group of independent TDs.

This was necessary to give them a majority in the Dáil.

Controversy began after four of the independent TDs who had agreed to support the government wanted to form a “technical group” along with two other independent TDs which would allow them speaking time and other rights from the opposition benches.

This group would be known as the Regional Independent Group.

Ceann Comhairle (Speaker) Verona Murphy said she would consider submissions opposing the plan, but permitted the group to “provisionally” take their original seats for now.

All other opposition groups are against the idea, saying the independents who were supporting the government wanted to be in government and opposition at the same time and were taking time away from those who wish to scrutinise the government.

Discussions took place throughout Wednesday to try to find a solution but the talks failed.

There were bitter exchanges across the chamber on a number of occasions before Murphy said proceedings would resume on Thursday morning as she was shouted down by opposition TDs.

As Murphy returned to the chamber at 16:00 after a number of suspensions, opposition TDs rose to their feet.

The ceann comhairle then abandoned plans to elect a taoiseach, with proceedings ending in shouting between TDs.

Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said the disruption was utterly farcical, describing it as an effort to “obstruct and shout down, to disrespect the Ceann Comhairle and the constitutional office”.

Martin said the delays were a “premeditated, coordinated and a choreographed position by the opposition, in particular the Sinn Féin party”.

However Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald claimed the government had “demonstrated incredible arrogance”.

McDonald said she and other opposition party leaders had written to the leaders of the incoming coalition to request a meeting about the issues relating to the status of independent politicians who would support the government.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported that coalition and opposition leaders are due to meet at 08:30 local time to try to overcome the issues which led to the Dáil being suspended.

The 34th Dáil will see Martin elected as taoiseach for the second time, replacing Fine Gael leader Simon Harris who will return as tánaiste (deputy prime minister).

Fianna Fáil – the largest party – has formed a government with Fine Gael and a range of independent regional TDs after November’s election.

Sinn Féin remains the largest opposition party after winning 39 seats.

Fianna Fáil won 48 seats while Fine Gael was third with 38 seats.

Martin and Harris confirmed the new draft programme for government earlier this month.

The deal paved the way for the next government and was successfully endorsed by both parties in recent days.

Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael ruled out Sinn Féin as a coalition partner, which party leader Mary Lou McDonald called “bad practice”.

John O’Connor, 58, was pronounced dead at a residence in Cluain Fada, New Ross, shortly after 11:00 on Tuesday.

Wayne Roche, 34, formerly of Dominic’s Place in Waterford and currently of no fixed abode, appeared at a late sitting of special sitting of Wexford District Court, RTÉ reported.

A Detective Garda (Irish police officer) told the court that he arrested Mr Roche on Thursday morning and charged him with murder that night.

The police officer said that after caution Mr Roche replied: “I didn’t murder anyone.”

The judge granted a legal aid request and assigned a solicitor.

He also recommended that Mr Roche receive such medical and psychiatric attention as he may require while in custody.

There was no application for bail.The District Court cannot grant bail where an accused is charged with murder.

The judge remanded Mr Roche in custody to appear in Wexford District court again on 6 January via video link.

The body of Mirjana Pap, who was in her 50s, was found on lands at Curraghaleen on Monday.

A house in Athlone was sealed off on Tuesday, and two cars were seized as part of the investigation.Gardaí (Irish police) said investigations are ongoing.

The body of Mirjana Pap, 58, was found in a bog close to Clonark in County Roscommon on Monday.

Police believe she was killed at her home in Athlone, County Westmeath, on Saturday 28 December.

Nebojsa Pap appeared at a special late sitting of Mullingar District Court on Friday evening.

Det Sgt Kevin Craig told the court that Mr Pap, who has an address at Beechville in Athlone, did not reply when he was charged.

The accused’s solicitor made an application for legal aid, which was granted.

The judge remanded Mr Pap in custody with an order that he receives medical and psychiatric attention.

Mr Pap will appear before Athlone District Court by videolink on Wednesday.

Israel said it will close its embassy in Dublin over “the extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government”. Its foreign minister Gideon Saar said the Republic of Ireland had crossed “every red line”.

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Simon Harris said that he did not regret the Irish government’s intervention in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case in relation to Israel.

It had previously indicated its support for South Africa’s legal action against Israel in the ICJ, saying it would ask the court “to broaden its interpretation of what constitutes the commission of genocide by a state”.

He has also rejected that Ireland is anti-Israel.Harris said his “priority is to shine a spotlight on what is happening in the Middle East and we should not allow anything to distract from what is happening”.

He said although he regretted the actions of the Israeli government regarding the embassy closure, he emphasised the importance of diplomatic relations and that Ireland would continue to engage with Israel.

“I’m very proud of the decision Ireland has taken, we are pro human rights and international law,” he added.

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said the Irish government must “hold firm” on its stance with regard to Israel and Gaza.

McDonald described the move by Israel over its embassy in Dublin as an attempt to test the will of the Irish government.

“We need to work with others to bring as much pressure as possible on the [Benjamin] Netanyahu regime,” she said.

Ireland’s Jewish Representative Council chairperson said that the Irish government’s intervention in the ICJ risks “oversimplifying a highly complex and tragic conflict, unfairly isolating Israel, and undermining the integrity of the term ‘genocide’.

“Mr Cohen said that for the Jewish community in Ireland, “the closure of the embassy represents not only a symbolic blow but also a practical disadvantage”.

“Consular services provided by the embassy are vital for those maintaining connections with family, culture, and heritage in Israel,” he added.

“Losing this resource will leave many feeling unsupported and aggrieved.

“Closing the embassy risks alienating a significant segment of Irish society and sends a message that dialogue is being replaced by disengagement.

“He said that the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland reaffirmed its commitment to peace and the protection of innocent lives “on all sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”, while also supporting Israel’s right to defend itself from “terrorism and existential threats”.

Mr Cohen called on both the Irish and Israeli governments to seek pathways to rebuild trust and to ensure avenues for diplomatic engagement remain open.

Daniel Epstein-O’Dowd, from the Ireland Israel Alliance, told BBC News NI that it was a “predictable” decision by Israel to close its embassy in Dublin and that “post October 7th there has just been provocation after provocation by the Irish government”.

He said it is a “very symbolic move by Israel and showing that they ultimately don’t see any value in retaining any diplomatic presence” in the Republic of Ireland and “deeply sad”.

“There are many Israelis who are in the tech industry here in Dublin who are a little bit stranded and isolated quite frankly, they feel the Israeli embassy was very much there for them, particularly in the dark days immediately post October 7th, the embassy really shone through in the sense of that community,” he added.

“So I think it is wondering where do they go next?

“I don’t think that detail has yet been released, but I think it is ultimately going to be somewhere else other than Ireland, it’s a very sad day for anybody in Ireland or Israel.”

Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Micheál Martin said there are no plans to close its embassy in Israel.

On 7 October last year, Hamas launched an attack in southern Israel killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.

In retaliation, Israel launched a massive operation inside the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of eliminating Hamas.

So far, at least 44,875 people have been killed and more than 100,000 injured – mostly civilians, the Hamas-run health ministry says. The UN regards these figures as reliable.

Dublin-born Coulson, who also played for Connacht and French side Stade Français, was one of two former Irish international rugby players sentenced on Friday at Bordeaux’s Cour d’Asisses.

Chris Farrell, who was a member of Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning 2018 Six Nations squad, was handed a four-year sentence with two years suspended for failure to prevent a crime.

The court was told he would not be sent to prison but would have to wear an electronic tag for two years and remain in France.

The two men were on trial with three other rugby players, two of whom were also found guilty of rape on Friday.

All five men were once teammates together at FC Grenoble.

Loick Jammes, 30, from France, was found guilty of rape and given a 14-year sentence.

Rory Grice, 34, from New Zealand, was found guilty of rape and given a 12-year sentence.

Fellow New Zealander 30-year-old Dylan Hayes was given a two-year suspended sentence for failure to prevent a crime.

All five defendants had denied the charges against them.

She is being questioned at a station in the east of the Republic of Ireland.

Kyran, who was six years old when last seen alive, was reported missing from his home in Drogheda in August.

In October, Gardai launched a murder investigation, saying they were treating Kyran as missing, presumed dead.

Kyran was a pupil at the national [primary] school near his home in Dundalk in 2022.It is understood authorities were told he would be moving to Northern Ireland and attending a new school in Newry.

School officials in Dundalk, where Kyran lived with his mother, were reportedly told at the end of the 2022 summer term that he would be attending school over the border – but that claim was not confirmed.

It said 15 customers still require more complex repairs but that “generators have been provided to ensure they have electricity until permanent fixes are completed”.

About 95,000 homes in Northern Ireland were without power at the height of the storm over the weekend due to the strong winds.

Several community assistance centres opened on Monday to help those still without power.

In the Republic of Ireland, about 15,000 homes, farms and businesses remain without electricity on Tuesday morning.

NIE Networks said that after power restoration efforts in Northern Ireland, it was able to “provide assistance to colleagues in ESB Networks by sending approximately 60 staff to help” with repairs.

“The energy network in the UK and Ireland have mutual arrangements in place to provide assistance in such incidents,” a spokesperson added.

“We understand the importance of mutual aid and are keen to help when possible.”

A team of 60 technicians from French power provider Enedis has also arrived in the Republic of Ireland to assist in the repair of power outages following Storm Darragh.

ESB Networks Regional Manager Brian Tapley told Irish broadcaster RTÉ that most of its affected customers will have power restored on Tuesday, but some will be without electricity for the rest of the week.

Mr Tapley said that a lot of the customers who remain without power are in more remote areas, but not all.

Stena Line and Irish Ferries cancelled several ferry crossings between Dublin and Holyhead on Monday and Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Holyhead port said that on Saturday morning during Storm Darragh, “an incident occurred at Holyhead Port causing damage to port infrastructure”.

“As a result, Holyhead Port is currently closed to marine traffic and, at this time, it is expected that the port will remain closed until 18:00 Tuesday at the earliest, while a thorough assessment is conducted,” the spokesperson added.

Rates are a tax paid by households and businesses, based on property values.Archibald detailed the plans to the Assembly after being unable to get agreement among Executive ministers.

Last week she said it was “regrettable” that the executive had not yet discussed proposals which she finalised in October.

She told MLA’s she had asked for her paper to be considered at four meetings of the Executive and had cross-party support to table it from her own party, Sinn Féin, as well as Alliance and the Ulster Unionists.

One of Archibald’s proposals is to increase the cap on the rateable value of houses.Currently, no houses are assumed to be worth more than £400,000 at a 2005 valuation.

That means that large homes in affluent areas like North Down currently pay the same rates as much more modest detached houses.

Archibald’s proposal is to raise the cap to £485,000 which would impact the 8,000 most valuable houses.That would mean bills increasing by up to between £740 and £943 per year, depending on the council area in which they are located.

It would generate an additional £2m a year in recurring revenue for the Executive.The minister described the proposal as “proportionate and measured”, adding that means-tested and other forms of support are in place for those on low incomes, regardless of a property’s capital value.

The other near term changes she is proposing is to cut the early repayment discount to 2% from 4%.

That discount is available to people who pay their rates in full at the start of the year.Public consultations on the valuation cap and the repayment discount will start in January.

The minister’s longer term aim is to review all the different rates supports and discounts which are available to households and businesses.

She said that process is about ensuring those supports are properly targeted and meet their objectives.

“To be clear, review does not mean removal,” she added.

“The process I have announced is about ensuring the support we have in place is achieving the desired policy outcome.”

That review will happen over the next decade with the initial focus on small business rate relief and the rating treatment of vacant commercial property.

The minister said rating policy could be used to “help tackle the blight of vacant properties in our towns and cities”.

Currently some vacant commercial properties get a 50% rates discount.

There have been calls for that discount to be reduced to force landlords to either use the property or sell it to someone who can.The minister said: “My aim is to work in a concerted and co-ordinated way to get property stock back into use or properly redeveloped or repurposed.”

About 95,000 homes in Northern Ireland were without power at some point over the weekend due to the strong winds.Several community assistance centres will be opened on Monday afternoon and evening to help those still without power.

Desi Houston, a farmer in Lisburn, has been using a generator to keep his farm running since Saturday.

The assistance centres are due to open between 12:00 GMT and 14:00 and then again between 17:00 and 19:00.

NIE Networks estimates that the vast majority of customers will be restored by Monday evening, though small pockets could remain off supply into Tuesday.

Contractors from Scotland are due to arrive in Northern Ireland on Monday afternoon to help with the restoration works.

The Energy Networks Association, which represents energy networks in the UK, said as of 08:00 GMT on Monday about 66,000 customers were without power.In the Republic of Ireland, 35,000 homes and businesses remained without power on Monday morning.

Desi Houston, who owns a farm on the Ballinderry Road, has been without power over the weekend.

He said he saw a “flash of light” when trees fell on an electricity pole shortly after 01:00GMT on Saturday.

He has been using a generator to keep the freezers, which are full of Christmas food, running and to put on lights to feed the cattle.

He said he was hopeful that power would be restored on Monday.

Stena Line and Irish Ferries have cancelled several ferry crossings between Dublin and Holyhead on Monday and Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Holyhead port said that on Saturday morning during Storm Darragh, “an incident occurred at Holyhead Port causing damage to port infrastructure”.

“As a result, Holyhead Port is currently closed to marine traffic and, at this time, it is expected that the port will remain closed until 18:00 Tuesday at the earliest, while a thorough assessment is conducted,” the spokesperson added.

Six Irish Premiership football matches were cancelled on Saturday due to the storm.Northern Ireland Football League chief executive Gerard Lawlor apologised to fans for the short-notice announcements.

Mr Lawlor told Good Morning Ulster: “If people are out of pocket as supporters clubs, we will look as seeing can we help in some way as a gesture of goodwill.”Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said on Monday: “The frustration comes from the fact that many people felt with the weather the way it was, there was an inevitability to all this happening and it could have been done earlier.

“It’s especially important that there was a recognition that there was a financial cost to fans and to clubs.”