Politics watch: Ceann Comhairle vote will be indicator of how smooth government formation will be
James Cox
Here, we have a look at the topics likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.
Ceann Comhairle vote
The Dáil sits on Wednesday and the vote on who will be the next Ceann Comhairle will be the main business of the day.
The Regional Group of Independents’ nominee for Ceann Comhairle is Verona Murphy, and it looks like Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will back her for the role.
Fianna Fáil TDs have agreed to endorse Ms Murphy following a recommendation from party leader and Tánaiste Micheál Martin.
Fine Gael are meeting later this evening, but their endorsement seems all but certain as Taoiseach Simon Harris has also indicated he will back Ms Murphy.
Other candidates include two-term Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness and Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh.
Mr Ó Fearghaíl has been very criticial of the decision to back Ms Murphy from his party and Fine Gael.
Mr Ó Fearghaíl said the role shouldn't be used as a bargaining chip in government formation talks.
"These positions are, if you like, outside the remit of party politics. Therefore, the membership of the Dáil in its totality to decide upon."
He added: "They're the reforms that were introduced by [former taoiseach] Enda Kenny, they're the reforms that have been built on in the meantime, and we shouldn't be going back on them. In fact, there are far more reforms that we need to enact in order to modernise Dáil Éireann."
If all 48 Fianna Fáil TDs, 38 Fine Gael TDs and the nine Independents support Ms Murphy, she is all but certain to succeed.
Every TD gets a vote, however, it is conducted by secret ballot.
This means it is the first big test of the potential Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael/Regional Independents coalition.
If Ms Murphy is named Ceann Comhairle, that seems all but certain. If there is a hitch in the process, all bets are off.
Who are the Regional Independents?
The Regional Independent Group is made up of Michael Lowry, Sean Canney, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Noel Grealish, Marian Harkin, Barry Heneghan, Gillian Toole and Verona Murphy.
They have indicated they are open to joining government, and Ms Murphy's nomination would further the process.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have continued speaking with the Labour Party and Social Democrats, but the option of a government involving either of the left leaning parties now seems remote.
What happens after the Ceann Comhairle vote?
The new Ceann Comahairle will make remarks, before the Taoiseach and other party leaders speak.
Nominations for the position of Taoiseach will follow.
However, it is unlikely a government will be formed but formation talks will ramp up next week.
Abroad
The German parliament has backed a no-confidence motion in chancellor Olaf Scholz's government, paving the way for a snap election on February 23rd.
In the US, president-elect Donald Trump criticised Ukraine's use of US-supplied missiles for attacks deep into Russian territory in a Time magazine interview last week, comments that suggest he could alter US policy toward Ukraine.