As often happens, events overtook Leo Varadkar’s plans for a May election. Who could have predicted that hamfisted commemoration plans would precipitate the end of the 32nd Dáil. Instead of being in the Dáil while farmers protest outside, TDs are out canvassing the countryside to a soundtrack of the Wolfe Tones.

The election will soon settle into a debate around a few core issues.

Fine Gael will be mindful that the 2016 campaign floundered in rural Ireland

Housing and health have dogged this Government’s tenure, but climate change will also feature, and will affect the debate around farming.

Fine Gael will be mindful that the 2016 campaign floundered in rural Ireland, and only a strong showing in Dublin and the commuter belt returned them to office.

Both they and Fianna Fáil are already diverging from the Green Party’s position on live exports and the nitrates derogation.

Harkin topped the poll the last time she ran for the Dáil, and Murphy has a strong profile following the recent byelection

Within hours, Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim) and Verona Murphy (Wexford) had declared as independents.

Harkin topped the poll the last time she ran for the Dáil, and Murphy has a strong profile following the recent byelection.

Following those November byelections, Fianna Fáil stands within three seats of Fine Gael (45 to 48). Their aim will be to become the largest party and form the next government. With both major parties ruling out Sinn Fein as coalition partners, either they work together again, or the Greens, should they have a good day, will be back in government.

Chair Joe Trehy previously held the position, but resigned to return to the factory gates in August when the second protest began

Speaking of coalitions, the new Tipperary beef plan committee is a bit of a coalition in itself.

Chair Joe Trehy previously held the position, but resigned to return to the factory gates in August when the second protest began.

Those protesters morphed into the Independent Farmers of Ireland, who nominated Alison De Vere Hunt as one of three spokespeople. She is the new PRO of Tipperary Beef Plan.

And then we had the Individual Farmers, a group that is not a group. Daniel Long has emerged as the frontman as they return to Dublin to make their protest.

It’s pretty confusing, and that’s just the people who were inside the room in Holycross

Lo and behold, Daniel Long was also elected to a position on Tipperary Beef Plan last Friday, and is now registrar.

It’s pretty confusing, and that’s just the people who were inside the room in Holycross. There were as many outside disputing the legitimacy of the meeting.

While there are talks of mediation between the two sides, the exposure of secret WhatsApp group “The Silage Testers” discussing how to outmanouvre the stood-down national committee is hardly helpful.