Holly Cairns is seen as the most likely contender to succeed Roisin Shorthall and Catherine Murphy, who announced they’re to step down as co-leaders of the Social Democrats this week. Harry McGee observes the party’s younger generation of TDs and councillors may better reflect the profile of the party’s membership. The first Irish Times poll of 2023 is reassuring for Fine Gael and Sinn Fein while perhaps offering a jolt for Fianna Fail, which has seen a slight drop in support since Micheál Martin departed the role of Taoiseach. Pat Leahy says the poll is also noteworthy for the number of undecideds, suggesting there’s a large group of voters still to be won over before the next election. We were expecting a deal on the NI Protocol this week but it appears the British PM’s biggest stumbling block may be overcoming the objections of his own backbenchers. And there was embarrassment for Fine Gael in the Dáil this week after Minister of State, Kieran O’Donnell, forgot to oppose a PBP bill which allowed it to pass to the next stage.

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