Support for Fine Gael has increased, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos opinion poll, with approval ratings for Taoiseach Simon Harris surging since the last poll in early summer.

Support for Sinn Fein has fallen since the last poll, while the personal rating for party leader Mary Lou McDonald also declining sharply.

Pat and Hugh analyse all the findings of the poll.

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Jack Power and Derek Scally join Hugh Linehan to discuss developments in European politics:

Michael McGrath was handed the EU Commission's justice portfolio when commission president Ursula von der Leyen assigned roles this week. How did Ireland end up with this particular job?

Von der Leyen's consolidation of power at the centre of the commission may be good for reaching consensus. But as Europe faces an uncertain future in a range of areas from the economy to technology and security, does this approach help?

Another feature of the new commission is the presence of a far right politician for the first time, Italy's Raffaele Fitto. Meanwhile in Austria an imminent general election looks likely to return a far right-led government. As Europe's politics evolves, is the EU capable of evolving with it?

Jack Power is Europe Correspondent. Derek Scally is an Irish Times journalist based in Berlin.

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This week’s host Pat Leahy is joined by Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics:

· The fallout from Apple’s tax case continues with what to with decision on what to do with the €13bn plus interest expected within three weeks. The windfall won’t be available to the State until next March, but some sources in Government are saying there is already a consensus among Coalition parties that pressing infrastructure requirements and housing are at the top of the shopping list.

· Speaking at Fine Gael’s think-in in Tullamore Taoiseach Simon Harris backed a public childcare model, moving away from a reliance on private sector care. But would this potential restructuring result in a raft of new State employees? Sinn Féin stopped short of a public childcare model, instead pledging to reduce the financial burden on parents with the introduction of €10-a-day childcare from 2025 if it is in power after general election.

· And Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald reflected this week on a trauma-filled year for her and her family, a year in which she and her husband Martin Lanigan dealt with serious issues.

Plus, the panellists pick their favourite IT reads of the week:

· Corinna Hardgrave pulled no punches with her one-star review of a new eatery in Donnybrook.

· Ken Early on the gulf in class as Ireland were dismissed by England in a one-sided game at the Aviva stadium last Saturday.

· Harry McGee picked his own article looking at the farcical infighting at the National Party.

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