Government fails to deal with whistleblower affair

The last time yours truly sat down to cobble together an Inside Politics digest, it included a casual remark that we were facing into a quiet week in politics.

It has turned to be anything but, with the revelations of an alleged smear campaign against Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe upending politics and causing a crisis that has yet to reach a conclusion.

There are the horrific rumours spread against McCabe and their inclusion in a Tusla file on him, as well as a file being opened on his children; the differing accounts of who knew what and when; the establishment of a tribunal of inquiry; the testing of the confidence and supply agreement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to its limits and now a leadership crisis for Fine Gael.

Days after this controversy first erupted, yesterday saw the Government fail yet again to adequately deal with it, despite cack-handed attempts.

Tánaiste and O’Callaghan’s dispute over Tusla comments continues

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Miriam Lord: Kenny and Fitzgerald are put on the rack

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Ministers seek to stem backbench revolt against Enda Kenny

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Senior garda said McCabe ‘couldn’t be trusted’, says Deasy

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The disagreements between Minister for Children Katherine Zappone and the Taoiseach, not to mention the Taoiseach's own differences in the space of a few hours - and his 'mea culpa' for his false accounts of contacts with Zappone - sowed further confusion.

To be fair to Mr Kenny, he started off his outing yesterday on the front foot, and even his enemies within the parliamentary party acknowledged he had put in a largely strong performance at Leaders' Questions.

He is also said to have taken command at the pre-Cabinet meeting of Fine Gael Ministers and at the Cabinet itself, where Shane Ross took on the task of communicating the views of Sgt Maurice McCabe to his ministerial colleagues.

Yet ourlead this morning focuses on the fevered atmosphere within Fine Gael, with Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney seeking to spread calm among their backbench colleagues.

The Independent Alliance is also looking for further information on Mr Kenny’s knowledge of the link between Tusla and the alleged smear campaign.

A more detailed account of the goings on within Fine Gael is here, while Sarah Bardon says the sight of Mr Kenny running from reporters on Monday night angered many within the party.

The Irish Independent says Mr Kenny will get to the White House for St Patrick's Day but will then have to step aside soon after his return, while the Examiner says the Independent Alliance could collapse the Government.

The Mail cites sources saying Kenny could face a challenge by the end of the week.

Fianna Fáil will abstain on tonight’s confidence motion through gritted teeth, with many in Micheál Martin’s party of the view that Fine Gael is not making it easy for them to allow this Government continue in office.

The clock is ticking on Kenny’s leadership. The question now is whether the Taoiseach will stand and fight or leave before he faces a challenge.