Fianna Fáil have submitted a no confidence motion in Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald.
Could we now be in for a Christmas general election?
Daniel McConnell, political editor of the Irish Examiner, says that even those TDs who don't want a general election have resigned themselves to the fact that it's a real possibility.
"Confidence and supply is effectively dead. We are going to the polls whether it's before or after Christmas. Ultimately, whether Frances Fitzgerald is in office come Tuesday morning or not, this deal is done."
Lise Hand, columnist with the Times Ireland edition, says: "I think it's quite likely - tempers are extremely frayed."
"It's possible that the intervention of a weekend might calm people down. There's also a possibility that a no confidence vote could be postponed, but I think an election is sooner - it's just a matter of whether it's a week or a month."
Niall Collins of Fianna Fáil says we have a major political crisis.
"We recognise quite clearly that the public don't want a general election. It's Fine Gael's choice whether there will be one or not. Leo Varadkar and Frances Fitzgerald can solve this quite quickly."
Colm Brophy of Fine Gael says his party also doesn't want a general election.
"Fianna Fáil know how to rectify this. They shouldn't have put down the motion - there's no need for one. It's not justified."
