Talks aimed at avoiding a snap general election over the Garda whistleblower controversy continue between Leo Varadkar and Michael Martin today.

Meetings between the Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader over the weekend have been described as productive, but also sensitive, as both sides stick to their respective lines that the Tanaiste must stay, or go.

Fianna Fail’s motion of no confidence is scheduled for tomorrow night - and unless a solution can be found before then - a Christmas election is inevitable.

It comes as a poll shows the parties are almost neck and neck, were an election to be held before Christmas.

Juliette Gash reports:

Leo Varadkar and Micheal Martin have held a number of meetings described as constructive, in a bid to avert a Christmas election.

It’s understood the Taoiseach gave Deputy Martin documents from the Dept of Justice – which emerged from a trawl Mr Varakdar ordered last week.

There are just two days until a Fianna Fail motion of no confidence in the Tanaiste is due to be debated, but Fine Gael is standing four square behind Frances Fitzgerald.

If no deal can be reached, and if the former Justice Minister does not resign, the Dail will likely be dissolved on Tuesday, with an election some 3 weeks after.

With the latest Sunday Business Post/ Red C poll showing FG on 27 percent – and FF on 26 percent, an election would likely produce a deadlocked Dail, much like the last one.

Michael Brennan is political editor with the paper:

Meanwhile it’s emerged that the former Justice Minister did not discuss a controversial email with the Garda Commissioner when the pair met a day after the mail was received.

The email sent in May 2015 outlined a garda strategy to smear Maurice McCabe at the O’Higgins Inquiry.

Frances Fitzgerald and Noirin O’Sullivan met at an official Garda event one day later but did not discuss the Inquiry at all.

The Tanaiste says the email directed that she had no role in pursuing the matter, as it was before a Commission of Investigation.

Labour Leader Brendan Howlin says the Justice Department documents handed over to Fianna Fail yesterday must be made available to everybody if the Taoiseach wants to avoid further controversy:

This afternoon The Department of Justice confirmed one of its senior officials was contacted by the former Garda Commissioner regarding her legal strategy to question the motivation of Maurice McCabe.

However it’s understood that Frances Fitzgerald was NOT made aware of this phonecall.

This emerged after Opposition parties criticised Minister Fitzgerald for not acting on an email which outlined the legal strategy of Noirin O’Sullivan.

The Department of Justice contacted one of its former senior officials, during a trawl of its records ordered by the Taoiseach last week.

The official said he recalled former Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan contacted him about a legal dispute that had arisen between her legal team and Maurice McCabe’s at the O’Higgins inquiry.

This means this is the second time that Department of Justice staff were made aware of a garda legal strategy to question the motivation of the garda whistleblower.

Ongoing talks between the Taoiseach and Micheal Martin are said to be at a sensitive stage as both sides try to avoid a Christmas election.

But with Fianna Fail’s no confidence motion in the Tanaiste set for Tuesday evening, time is running out.