Irish political leaders have expressed shock and heartbreak at the sudden death of the musician and actor.

Hansard, 56, appeared in The Commitments, was the frontman for the Irish band The Frames and was part of various protests over the years.

Could Mary Lou McDonald's "extremely constructive" talks with Simon Harris open the doors to a future coalition?

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has emerged as the frontrunner to be the next leader of Fine Gael when the time comes

The Tánaiste joined Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers as they jointly published the Government’s Summer Economic Statement on Wednesday.

Simon Harris said the British Prime Minister ‘knows Ireland well, and Ireland knows him well’.

The Tánaiste, who is also the Finance Minister, was speaking ahead of the publication of the summer economic statement.

Here, we take a look at the issues likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come

Harris said the wealthy did not need his help and that people are "getting screwed over at the moment by the system that's too complex"

It is designed to support the Irish screen industry by making Ireland more competitive.

Simon Harris addressed a Dáíl debate on the fiscal implications of a united Ireland.

It comes as Mary Lou McDonald said she was ‘begging’ Simon Harris to ensure a drug for a rare neurological condition is approved in Ireland quickly.

The measure has been welcomed by both sides of government and will introduce statutory leave for pregnancy loss before 23 weeks.

A Government report about the Limerick refinery is expected within days.

Simon Harris has said he would like to set 16 as the minimum age for which social media access.

Simon Harris said that language is ‘an important part of integration’ for people coming to the country.

There is a need to ‘understand’ the impact of any potential sanctions on alumina, the Tánaiste has said.

Simon Harris has said the Government is prepared for ‘all scenarios’ if the renewed conflict affects energy prices.

Excise duty tax receipts have dropped by more than one-fifth, as a result of the Government's fuel support scheme.

New rules are coming into effect giving someone the legal right to request a human spokesperson, rather than a chatbot, when shopping over the phone

President of the European Council António Costa made the comment during his address at the event at Dublin Castle on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian president called for fresh European sanctions.

The Ukrainian president addressed the opening ceremony of Ireland’s EU presidency on Wednesday afternoon.

Meetings with Zelenskiy are also due to take place after he attends the formal opening ceremony.

The Ukrainian President is due to attend the opening ceremony of Ireland’s EU presidency in Dublin Castle

At present, the reductions in excise of 32 cent a litre on diesel and 27 cent for petrol are due to expire at the end of July.

Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Drug Use Gary Gannon said there would be 'no gardaí standing outside the toilets of rugby clubs or pubs all over Ireland this week', and 'middle Ireland' was not facing criminal retribution for taking drugs

There were ‘certainly learnings’ from the policing of fuel protests, Simon Harris added.

Simon Harris said the practice is not something the Government or HSE would condone.

Budget 2027 will be Simon Harris’s first as Minister for Finance.

Free vote for Government TDs as legislation advances to remove mandatory delay before accessing abortion care.

The opposition criticised the Government’s housing policy after the Tánaiste outlined plans for a tax on dereliction.

There has been no Cabinet infighting over a register, Simon Harris said.

Fine Gael leader Simon Harris was speaking after announcing at the weekend that his party will develop a blueprint for a unified island.

Simon Harris indicated Ireland would follow the European Union in terms of action on the issue.

The latest estimates indicate there were about 19,438 residential derelict properties across the State at the end of 2025.

Fine Gael will develop a new ‘blueprint for a unified island’ by November, the Tánaiste has announced.

The figures show a large spike in activity during the first five months of this year, with 169 seizures valued at just under €300,000 recorded between January and May.

There are suggestions the football authorities in Ireland may seek to get the October game scheduled for Dublin moved to a neutral venue.

Simon Harris described his former colleague in Government Michael Healy-Rae as a ‘very good’ minister.

Speaking at the turning of the sod on 410 houses in Bishopstown in Cork city on Friday, the Fine Gael leader stated that he hadn’t seen Irene Tinagli's 'exact comments'.

Simon Harris was responding to questions on a report linking data centre consumption with rising wholesale electricity prices in Ireland.

Here, we take a look at the topics likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come