Inside politics

There were plenty of ashen faces around Leinster House last Thursday morning as the latest opinion poll results were digested among the government parties.

The mood in Fine Gael and Labour is febrile. The combination of fewer Dáil seats to contest across the country, new constituencies (although they have been known since 2012), the 30 per cent minimum female candidate requirement and plummeting popularity do not predict a happy festive season for most ...