The new Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Independent Alliance TD Sean Canney, has admitted he and Kevin "Boxer" Moran flipped a coin to see who would take up the position first.

“It was a simple, gentlemanly arrangement. Both of us would like to be the one to start; we will work together.”

Mr Canney defended extra money that the Independent Alliance will get as a party. “Someone obviously divided it up and said it would mean €64,000 extra each - that’s not the case. It’s not

cash for the boys, it’s money for the Alliance to spend on research, the same as other parties,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.

On RTÉ's Morning Ireland, the new junior Minister of State for Training and Skills, John Halligan, said he is not the Minister for Waterford nor the southeast. He also called for an immediate review of the JobBridge scheme. "It has been abused in the past and urgently needs to be reviewed."

Mr Halligan said every constituency should have a representative at the Cabinet table, but he admitted that “18 ministers is too much” and that it is understandable if people are aggrieved.

The TD still hasn’t paid his water charge and says he will not. “It is nothing to do with the amount of money I earn, it is a matter of principle. If the bill did come to me I would not pay it.”