The Week that was

Monday

■ TRANSPORT Minister Shane Ross has signalled that a clampdown on excessive legal fees will follow his crusade to reform the way judges are appointed.

Amid bitter political fights with legal eagles in Leinster House, Mr Ross has warned that the “whole gravy train” in the legal profession needs to be derailed.

Tuesday

■ BRITISH Prime Minister Theresa May is fighting for survival amid claims the UK is reducing itself to the status of a “colony” of the European Union.

Hopes that Mrs May (pictured above) had finally united her cabinet behind a Brexit plan were shattered as two prominent ministers, Boris Johnson and David Davis, resigned.

Wednesday

■ PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins will have to take on a selection of minnows as candidates if he is to win another seven-year term in Áras an Uachtaráin.

Fine Gael endorsed his candidacy, but expects that he will actively campaign for re-election against a line-up of relative unknowns.

Thursday

■ A NO-DEAL Brexit will result in the loss of 40,000 Irish jobs and severely hit exporters and the agri-food sector, the Finance Minister has warned.

As British Prime Minister Theresa May prepared to publish her latest Brexit plan, Paschal Donohoe (pictured) painted a stark picture of a “cliff-edge scenario”.

Friday

■ IRISH Water will be forced to extend supply cut-offs across the country and introduce daytime restrictions unless there is sustained rainfall.

However, a status yellow drought warning remained in place, and Met Éireann said there was little sign of heavy rainfall on the horizon. As a result, water will be turned down to a trickle in thousands of households in greater urban areas.