The Cabinet held a special meeting yesterday to discuss the National Planning Framework.
The meeting did not make any firm decisions but gave Ministers an opportunity to outline their ambitions for the planning and infrastructural framework that will guide Ireland over the next 20 years.
There was some criticism directed at Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy and Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe regarding its urban focus.
Minister for Rural Affairs Michael Ring and Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed argued the plan was too Dublin-centric.
Others were unhappy at the focus on Dublin’s transport deficits and not those of rural Ireland.
At the same time, Opposition TDs met in Athlone with a crowd of 300 people to discuss the NPF.
Fianna Fáil, Labour, Sinn Féin and a number of Independents have grouped together to protest at the plan.
Politically, the focus in recent weeks has been on the issue of abortion and the upcoming referendum on the Eighth Amendment.
However, this issue is just as toxic for the Government and probably even trickier.
Fine Gael suffered in the last general election, particularly in Munster, for its perceived failure to look after rural Ireland. Fianna Fáil capitalised on that sentiment.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will be keen to avoid repeating mistakes of past.
Sinn Féin: Same old problems?
Councillor Noeleen Reilly resigned from the party yesterday, ending a long-running, bitter dispute in the Dublin North West constituency.
Ms Reilly has alleged the Sinn Féin leadership failed to assist her as she suffered bullying.
However, the party has alleged she bullied another councillor in the area and examined correspondence in this regard over the weekend.
It took the decision to suspend Ms Reilly and censure local TD Dessie Ellis in response to the dispute.
This week should have been the beginning of a new dawn for Sinn Féin with the election of Mary Lou McDonald as its president.
However, it appears the same old problems will continue to plague the new leadership.
