Full coverage: Fine Gael

If a state of high dudgeon can be reached in the current circumstances, how will the political parties cope when high-grade manure drops from the sky without warning as inevitably it will?

The next general election might be Leo Varadkar's one last chance to show that those who put their trust in voting for him as leader in 2017 knew what they were doing.

The government have reached the halfway point but, as Leo Varadkar returns as Taoiseach, the prospect of one of the most significant elections in modern Irish history will dominate everything before too long.

Leo Varadkar was seen as a once in a generation politician by many who voted for when he was elected Fine Gael leader in 2017. Five years later, after a bruising general election and a series of crises, Fine Gael no longer knows what it stands for.

Jim O'Callaghan entered politics later in life than some and has become a key figure in Fianna Fáil, despite being surprisingly left out of Cabinet for this government. He talks to Sam Smyth about his leadership aspirations, golfgate and why he wouldn't be opposed to going into government with Sinn Féin.

She may have lost her seat, but, as Minister for Social Protection in the caretaker government, Regina Doherty has played a crucial role in Covid-19 business supports and tackling mass unemployment. What does the future now hold for Doherty?

First elected to the Dáil at the age of 27, Lucinda Creighton was a rising star in Fine Gael – before she resigned from the party over her stance on abortion. Having left Irish politics for good, Creighton has entered the world of business through Vulcan Consulting.

The Irish economy is booming, and unemployment has flatlined. Yet, Fine Gael is getting little electoral credit for its stewardship of the economy. In his pre-election interview, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe defends his record and critiques the economic plans of the other parties.