Timeline: What happens today ahead of crucial vote?

A Fianna Fáil motion of no confidence in Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald is due to come before the Dáil at 8pm.

If it is carried it will spell the end of the Fine Gael- led minority Government that is propped up with the support of Fianna Fáil and prompt a snap general election.

Before we get to the motion, there is lots still to happen on Tuesday, including furious behind-the-scenes discussions.

What’s it all about?

The release yesterday of a batch of emails from 2015 about the controversy evening undermined efforts to defuse the row between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

Theresa May’s deputy tells the DUP: No border in the Irish Sea

---

Fears of winter election among zero-hour Leinster House staff

---

Frances Fitzgerald under intense pressure from within Fine Gael to resign

---

The Fitzgerald controversy: High political drama and farce

---

The Department of Justice emails show that Ms Fitzgerald was repeatedly told in 2015 about an “aggressive” approach to undermine whistleblower Sgt McCabe at the O’Higgins commission, which examined allegations of garda malpractice.

Ms Fitzgerald, who was minister for justice at the time of the emails, had told the Dáil last week that she only learned of the approach at the tribunal in 2016 in media reports.

Timeline

8.30am-10am: Fine Gael ministers are meeting ahead of a full Cabinet meeting in Government buildings. We report this morning that many of Ms Fitzgerald's colleagues are privately urging her to step down.

10am: The full Cabinet meets including members of the Independent Alliance.

This morning: Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar is due to hold further talks with Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin in a bid to resolve the crisis.

Midday: The Fianna Fáil front bench will discuss developments in Leinster House.

2pm: The Dáil meets with Leaders' Questions starting proceedings. Later the Public Service Pay and Pensions Bill and the Social Welfare Bill will be discussed.

8pm: Fianna Fáil will move its motion of no confidence in Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald which would end the so-called "confidence and supply" arrangement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. This is the deal that keeps the Government in power whereby Fianna Fáil agrees to abstain in key votes thereby allowing the Coalition to pass legislation, including Budgets. Without Fianna Fáil agreement, the Government has no majority and therefore cannot govern.