Christina Finn with you here.

Enda Kenny is in Brussels today, but not chatting to the media, apparently.

Richard Bruton is taking Leaders’ Questions and first up is FF Thomas Byrne.

He wants to talk about the need for guidance counsellors in schools.

He reminds Bruton it was a commitment in the programme for government.

He says his party are shocked that a circular on teaching posts does not mention guidance counsellors.

Bruton says it is an important issue. He assures the deputy his is absolutely committed to hiring more guidance counsellors.

So far, 400 have been placed in posts – with an aim have a total restoration of 600 guidance counsellors, says the Education Minister.

He says there is also a wellness programme being rolled out at junior level.

Bruton says he understands there are pressures on young people these days that weren’t around when he was a child.

This is an area that I share your commitment.

Sinn Féin’s Imelda Munster is now up and she wants to talk about the looming strike action.

She says the destruction of Ireland’s public services is an “inside job”.

Munster says Ross and this government are standing over the Bus Eireann “shambles”.

“Shane Ross the invisible man of Irish politics,” she says.

People in rural Ireland are wondering how they are going to get to work and get around when there is a strike, says Munster.

The government have abandoned rural Ireland.

She demands that Ross be instructed to intervene in the Bus Eireann dispute, before it’s too late.

Bruton says this government is all about “rebuilding Ireland”.

He, like the Taoiseach did this week, points out that the Expressway is in real trouble.

Bruton urges everyone to get back around the table before the all-out strike in four days.

Munster says she is “blue in the face” hearing that this is an industrial dispute.

She says this was flagged with government a long time ago and those in power sat on their hands.

The Education Minister says they are not in the race to the bottom.

Howlin wants to talk about new figures released by the Simon Community. You can catch up on this below.

• There are 27 empty houses for every one person in emergency accommodation

He says he was shocked to hear about the number of vacant homes around the country.

He says more needs to be done on the vacant site levy – pointing out that FF and FG voted down a Labour amendment on this last year.

“Will you speed up the audit so that urgently needed accomodation can be provided through vacant housing,” says the Labour leader.

Bruton says the vacant housing audit being carried out is at the final stages and will be released in a matter of weeks.

He is now outlining a number of measurements he says the government introduced to tackle this.

“We don’t see the progress… nothing is happening on the ground,” says Howlin.

We can’t in good conscience allow a situation where there are 27 empty houses for every person in emergency accomodation.

Clare Daly is on her feet and she says this government can’t put the controversy of garda whistleblowers behind them.

She wants to know why other garda whistleblower claims are not being dealt with.

Daly raises the issue of appointments in the gardaí.

“How in God’s name can the Garda Commissioner influence the future of gardaí” when she is now involved in a tribunal, asks Daly.

She asks the minister to call on the Garda Commissioner to step down.

It is not for politicians to make those decisions, says Bruton, who adds that he is not going to be judge and jury.

He says the Garda Commissioner Noírín O’Sullivan strenuously denies the claims made against her.

We do not have an independent policing authority, says Daly.

She says there are real concerns about the policing authority not taking issue with the Garda Commissioner being on the appointment selection board.

Daly says the policing authority is meant to be independent.

Burton tells the Dáil there are a raft of new protections out now and says the authority is independent.

“This is a journey of reform and I don’t pretend this journey is over,” says Bruton, who adds they have to let the tribunal do its work.

Now it’s on to Promised Legislation, so we’ll leave it there.

Join us back here next week.