The Sinn Fein president said her party may not have won the recent Irish election, but in some ways ‘won the campaign’.

Micheál Martin said his party had now mandated him to begin negotiations with others to form a government that ‘can last the full term’

The party, founded in 2015, look like they could be possible kingmakers in the next government.

Although applications to the scheme for first-time buyers in Ireland are around 500 a week, most of these do not translate into house purchases.

Coalition leaders have suggested they want to make progress on some pieces of legislation before any election