Ireland

Irish private hospitals set to be treated as public

Private hospitals are set to be treated as public amid the coronavirus pandemic in Ireland, the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar has announced. Euronews reports that the public-private agreement will see…

Read More Here

Ireland put in lockdown, nation asked to ‘forego freedoms’

Ireland has been put under lockdown measures following three more coronavirus-related deaths. The Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said residents should stay home until at least 12 April unless they…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Social Distancing in Ireland

A painted sign asking people to stay two-meters apart is seen in Saint Stephen's Green Dublin City, Ireland. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the Irish government has closed all…

Read More Here

Irish postal workers on the forefront in the battle against Covid-19

Ireland has found a readymade force in the fight against coronavirus: the postal service. Postal workers have volunteered to check in on elderly and vulnerable people during their rounds, a potentially…

Read More Here

Ireland reports 10 coronavirus deaths to bring total to 19

Ireland reported 10 deaths from COVID-19 infections on Thursday, more than doubling the total number of fatalities to 19, Ireland’s Department of Health said. The country also reported an additional…

Read More Here

Ireland tightens coronavirus restrictions, boosts rescue package

Ireland banned all non-essential travel within the country and shut non-essential retail on Tuesday to battle coronavirus as it significantly increased income support for those already left unemployed and workers…

Read More Here

Ireland’s government considering plans to pay up to 75% of wages

Ireland's government is considering plans to pay up to 75% of the wages of thousands of staff temporarily laid off as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Irish Times…

Read More Here

Ireland set to ban evictions and rent price increases

RTE News reports that the Government will announce a temporary ban on evictions, for an initial period of three months, while the Covid-19 crisis is ongoing. It's also understood that…

Read More Here

Ireland’s call for retired medics to return to work gets huge response

Ireland’s health service was inundated by offers from former healthcare professionals prepared to return to frontline service to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, a day after the government made its call…

Read More Here

Ireland to close Schools, colleges, childcare facilities over Covid-19

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said the country's schools, colleges and childcare facilities are to close in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. From 6pm today, schools, colleges and childcare…

Read More Here

Irish Government cancels St Patrick’s parade

The Irish Government has made the decision to cancel the St. Patrick's Day parade to be held in Dublin on Tuesday 17 March. It is the single largest parade in…

Read More Here

Ireland warned may see coronavirus outbreak like Italy and France, Wales confirms two new cases

The Irish Minister for Health Simon Harris has said there is a moderate-to-high risk that Ireland will follow a pattern seen in other EU countries in regard to the Covid-19…

Read More Here

Prince William in Ireland on first senior UK royal visit since Brexit

Britain’s Prince William arrived in Dublin on Tuesday with his wife Kate in a show of friendship with a neighbour on the first official trip abroad by senior royals since…

Read More Here

Irish Catholic Church records on baptisms and other sacraments may be inspected over GDPR concerns

The State’s data watchdog in Ireland may have to inspect Catholic Church records in its investigation into whether the church is legally obliged to delete records of people seeking to…

Read More Here

Varadkar resigns as Irish Pm

Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar, the current Taoiseach, formally resigned as prime minister after the votes but will stay on as caretaker leader until a successor is chosen. The leaders…

Read More Here

Ireland’s Fianna Fáil to try and form government without Sinn Féin

Ireland's center-right Fianna Fáil party will attempt to form a government without the left-wing nationalist Sinn Féin. The decision effectively leaves Ireland’s two dominant center-right parties - Fianna Fail and…

Read More Here

British nationals working in Brussels snap up Irish passports

More than 50 British nationals working for the European Commission in Brussels have obtained Irish passports, which can help secure career progression, it has emerged. Data released by the commission…

Read More Here

Fianna Fail largest party in Ireland’s parliament

Counting has been completed in all 39 Dáil constituencies in Election 2020 and the make-up of the next Dáil has been finalised. Fianna Fail will be the largest party in…

Read More Here

Sinn Féin wins highest percentage of first preference votes in Ireland’s election

Irish nationalists Sinn Fein demanded on Sunday to be part of the next Irish government after the left-wing party secured the most votes in an election that leader Mary Lou…

Read More Here

Exit poll predicts ‘tie’ between three main parties in Ireland

The three main political parties have tied in first preference votes, according to an exit poll for the Republic of Ireland's general election. The earliest indications from the poll suggest…

Read More Here

Final bids to sway voters ahead of Irish election

The leaders of Ireland's three main political parties have clashed in their final TV debate before voting in the general election takes place. Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) and leader of…

Read More Here

Irish Prime Minister believes EU will have upper hand in trade talks with UK

The Irish prime minister has told BBC News he believes the EU will have the upper hand in the upcoming trade talks with the UK. Leo Varadkar compared the two…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Greek president Prokopis Pavlopoulos in Ireland

Irish President Michael D. Higgins (L) and Irish First lady Sabina Higgins (R) look as Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos (2-L) signs a visitors book next to his wife Vlassia Pavlopoulou-Peltsemi…

Read More Here

Irish Brexit border issue could land UK in court, report finds

The Irish border could yet snag Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, with experts saying it will be impossible to deliver the computer systems for the special arrangements for Northern Ireland by…

Read More Here

Ireland prepares for possible February election

Opposition parties are gearing up for a February general election after Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said yesterday that he had "made a decision" on the date and would clarify…

Read More Here

Irish foreign minister says EU will not be rushed in post-Brexit negotiations

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said on Sunday the European Union would not be rushed in negotiations with Britain to thrash out their post-Brexit relationship. “The European Union will approach…

Read More Here

Irish PM says Scotland-Northern Ireland bridge ‘worth examining’

Ireland's premier Leo Varadkar has said he will not dismiss the idea of building a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland but insisted the UK must pay for it. UK…

Read More Here

Irish PM suffers by-election defeats ahead of national vote

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar’s Fine Gael party failed to win any of the four by-elections held to fill parliamentary vacancies on Saturday, a blow ahead of a general election…

Read More Here

Warning of major job losses across Ireland if UK crashes out of EU

The Irish Central Bank has issued stark warnings and significant job losses in Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit. A disorderly Brexit will send shocks to the exchange…

Read More Here

Concern over 250 Aer Lingus jobs

There are fears for the future of up to 250 jobs at Aer Lingus after catering staff were told today that the airline plans to enter into a new partnership…

Read More Here

Irish consumer sentiment slumps over possible no-deal Brexit

Irish consumer sentiment weakened for the third month in a row in September as the failure of the UK and the European Union to agree divorce terms ahead of the…

Read More Here

Irish officials dismiss Boris Johnson’s Brexit offer as ‘unacceptable’

Boris Johnson’s final “take it or leave it” Brexit offer to Brussels is in danger of being dead on arrival after it was rounded on by government and opposition parties…

Read More Here

Irish PM Varadkar demands Johnson present new Brexit plan next week or face no deal on October 31

Boris Johnson must provide a new backstop plan by the end of the week, Ireland Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has warned, adding evermore pressure onto the embattled Tory leader. “If…

Read More Here

Ireland says no Brexit breakthrough in Northern Ireland talks

Ireland said on Thursday that the United Kingdom had failed to supply credible Brexit proposals, adding that there had been no breakthrough at talks last night with the Northern Irish…

Read More Here

Apple takes fight against 13-billion-euro EU tax order to court

Apple will launch a legal challenge on Tuesday to a European Commission order to pay 13 billion euros ($14.4 billion) in Irish back taxes in a landmark case in the…

Read More Here

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: County Donegal, Ireland

A picture take with a drone shows the 200-year-old Fanad Head Lighthouse on the northern coast of County Donegal, Ireland. The lighthouse was built in 1817 following the shipwreck of…

Read More Here

Irish PM states no-deal Brexit checks needed near Irish border

Some checks on goods and live animals may need to take place near the Irish border in a no-deal Brexit, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said. As far as…

Read More Here

Gradual slowdown in Irish services growth continues in August

Ireland’s services sector last month grew at its slowest rate since January, a survey showed on Wednesday, as the impact of rising uncertainty around Brexit was evident across a number…

Read More Here

US Vice President Mike Pence says US will play active role for successful Brexit

US Vice President Mike Pence urged the European Union to negotiate "in good faith" with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and reach a Brexit deal that "respects the UK's sovereignty” hours…

Read More Here

Ireland says UK proposals to replace backstop not good enough

Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said Ireland is open to suggestions to break the Brexit stalemate over the backstop but Britain has not provided any alternative arrangements that "do…

Read More Here

Ireland to try block Mercosur trade deal because of concerns over Amazon fires

As wildfires rage through the Brazilian Amazon, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said Dublin will vote against a trade deal between the European Union and South American trade bloc…

Read More Here

Legal action by Ryanair to prevent Irish pilots’ strike

On Monday the High Court in Dublin will hear an application by Ryanair aimed at securing an order preventing industrial action by some of its Irish based pilots later this…

Read More Here

Flights at Shannon airport suspended after emergency incident

Operations at Shannon Airport in the Republic of Ireland have been temporary suspended after an "incident" involving a Boeing plane. The airport said emergency services are at the scene and…

Read More Here

Ryanair’s Irish pilots to proceed with strike

Directly employed Ryanair pilots based in Ireland, who are members of the Irish Air Line Pilots' Association (IALPA), are to strike for 48 hours from midnight on 22 August. The move comes after…

Read More Here

Talks to avert Ryanair’s Irish pilots strike

Ryanair’s directly employed pilots in Ireland agreed to attend mediated talks starting on Wednesday to avert a strike their trade union said would go ahead next week if the airline…

Read More Here

Police worried for survival of Irish girl missing in Malaysia

Police in Malaysia said they were concerned about the survival of an Irish teenager who went missing on holiday as search efforts continued into their eighth day on Sunday. In…

Read More Here

Search continues for Irish girl missing in Malaysia

It has been 72 hours since the search and rescue (SAR) operations activated to locate Nora Anne Quoirin, 15, a missing Irish teenager. The scope of this SAR operation which…

Read More Here

Ireland fears vote on Irish unity in the wake of a no-deal Brexit

Leo Varadkar, the Irish Prime Minister has said a vote on Irish unity in the wake of a no-deal Brexit would be "divisive" and "not the right way forward". Varadkar…

Read More Here

London girl, 15, feared abducted in Malaysia

Police in Malaysia are treating the disappearance of a "very vulnerable" 15-year-old London girl as an abduction and a missing person case, a charity has said. Nora Quoirin, who has…

Read More Here

Irish manufacturing conditions deteriorate at fastest pace since April 2013

Irish manufacturing growth slowed in July at the fastest pace since April 2013, with output contracting at the sharpest and fastest rate in more than six years, a survey showed on Thursday.…

Read More Here

Irish Cabinet opposes EU time change plan

The Irish government will oppose an EU proposal that would end seasonal clock changes because it could result in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland being in different time…

Read More Here

EU braces for no-deal Brexit or another delay under Boris Johnson

The European Union is bracing for either a no-deal Brexit or another delay if Boris Johnson becomes Britain's prime minister next week with a pledge to renegotiate a deal the…

Read More Here

EU Member States agree to support Irish beef producers

EU Member States this week agreed to a proposal from the European Commission to make €50 million available to Irish beef farmers, which can be matched by national funds to…

Read More Here

Investigations across Ireland into suspected contamination of horse meat sold for human consumption

Farms and houses across Ireland are being searched as part of an investigation into suspected contamination of horse meat sold for human consumption. Investigators suspect that meat from horses that…

Read More Here

Ireland in top rankings of large families

Ireland is the top country in the European Union for families with three or more children, according to Eurostat, the EU’s statistics agency The top three are Belgium, 18% of…

Read More Here

Church in Ireland urges parents not to buy smartphones as Holy Communion gifts

Archbishop Eamon Martin, the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, has advised parents against buying smartphones for their children as a Holy Communion present, saying there are "an…

Read More Here

Ryanair posts its weakest annual profit in four years

Ryanair posted its weakest annual profit in four years on Monday and said earnings could fall further next year as Europe's largest low-cost carrier grapples with overcapacity, Brexit and…

Read More Here