Guinness and Boyzone diplomacy: How Irish Embassies exercise soft power around the world Internal study gives an insight into how Department of Foreign Affairs views Irish influence abroad Fri Jan 02 2026 - 06:00
European countries still have ‘negative perception’ of Irish corporate tax recordInternal study of diplomatic ‘soft power’ says more use could be made of popularity of artists like U2 and the CorrsFri Jan 02 2026 - 06:00
‘Ukraine is still in the fight – no one would have predicted that’: What next for Kyiv in 2026?Ukraine needs maximum support from its allies on the battlefield, as well as at the negotiating tableThu Jan 01 2026 - 06:00
What’s the best meal Jack Power can buy in Brussels for €120?Our correspondent is not vegetarian or vegan but he ate well in local vegan restaurant, VerdōThu Jan 01 2026 - 05:11
Two first time MEPs: ‘The first six months was very difficult’ while ‘living out of a suitcase’Nina Carberry and Ciaran Mullooly discuss red-eye flights to Brussels and fighting for speaking time in parliamentFri Dec 26 2025 - 06:00
EU weighs direct talks with Russia to avoid being sidelined over UkraineEU expected to push for greater input into negotiations between US, Moscow and Kyiv after agreement on €90bn loanFri Dec 19 2025 - 18:51
EU funding deal for Ukraine: dissenter Hungary joined by Slovakia and Czech RepublicA tear that Hungary’s premier, Viktor Orban, has spent years pulling at in the EU tent has just got biggerFri Dec 19 2025 - 15:26
Ukraine deal: EU leaders agree €90bn loan after frozen Russian assets plan failsCrunch summit breaks up with agreement for EU loan to shore up Ukraine’s finances for next two years Fri Dec 19 2025 - 06:11
EU summit: Tusk warns Europe could pay ‘in blood’ if aid for Ukraine is not unblockedSummit rests on stance taken by Belgian prime minister Bart De WeverFri Dec 19 2025 - 06:00
Tusk warns Europe can pay ‘in money or blood’ as frozen Russian assets for Ukraine debatedCrunch summit to unblock opposition to vital €90 billion loan for Ukraine under way in BrusselsThu Dec 18 2025 - 17:21
Vote on Mercosur deal to be delayed, Ursula von der Leyen tells EU leadersGovernment to come under pressure from Brussels to back EU-South American trade agreement Thu Dec 18 2025 - 14:58
Micheál Martin says he is not any ‘wiser’ on Jim Gavin’s failure to recall tenancy disputeTaoiseach received ‘complete assertions’ from Fianna Fáil presidential candidate there were no issues related to time as landlordThu Dec 18 2025 - 11:24
The €90bn question: will Belgium sign up to frozen assets plan for Ukraine? Emerging from this summit empty-handed would be hugely damaging to Europe’s standing in new world of ‘wars and predators’Thu Dec 18 2025 - 06:00
Mercosur decision may be delayed until January, Thomas Byrne says Talks are focusing on securing support of Italian government to get Mercosur deal done this weekTue Dec 16 2025 - 10:34
Peace process for Ukraine closer than at any time since start of Russian invasion, says MerzEuropean leaders say proposed security guarantees agreed with US include a Ukrainian peacetime army of 800,000 troops and European-led military support forceMon Dec 15 2025 - 20:11
European Union facing a ‘make-or-break’ moment on Ukraine support Failing to produce the goods on huge package of financial aid to Kyiv would be hugely damaging for Europe Mon Dec 15 2025 - 13:36
Diplomatic traffic intensifies on Mercosur deal as France tries to delay decisionSceptical governments warned South American countries may walk away if trade deal is not signed this yearMon Dec 15 2025 - 12:11
Triple-lock reforms are about ‘taking back sovereignty’, Helen McEntee saysGovernment moving ‘quickly’ on legislation to remove need for UN mandate for peacekeeping missionsMon Dec 15 2025 - 08:29
EU bypasses Orban veto on plan to fund Ukraine loan using frozen Russian assetsChanges to Russian sanctions rollover tees up bloc leaders' summit next weekFri Dec 12 2025 - 18:37
Tense negotiations, trad music sessions: How deal to extend nitrates derogation was doneEU Commissioner Jessika Roswall needed convincing to renew contested exemption for Irish farmersFri Dec 12 2025 - 06:00
Mercosur: Ireland’s opposition to deal may depend on ‘blocking minority’, Tánaiste suggestsFears of farmers’ protest ‘with 10,000 tractors in Dublin’ if Ireland backs EU deal with South American blocThu Dec 11 2025 - 18:25
What Taoiseach and Tánaiste told pharma sector amid lobbying efforts on EU reformsDocuments show Government assured the industry that Ireland had its back in Washington and BrusselsThu Dec 11 2025 - 15:40
Advocates for Europe’s values are hard to find in asylum debateCentre ground continues to shift rightward on migration policyThu Dec 11 2025 - 06:00
Irish farmers’ nitrates derogation extended by EU for further three yearsExtension of exemption follows extensive lobbying by Government in Brussels Tue Dec 09 2025 - 11:03
‘Catch remaining targets’: Leaked Teneo files pull back curtain on corporate lobbyingInternal Teneo documents reveal exactly how oil firms and other big multinationals pushed to dilute EU supply chain rules Mon Dec 08 2025 - 15:00
Rogue drones during Zelenskiy visit part of ‘co-ordinated threat’ to Europe, says MinisterMinister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan says drones off Dublin Bay were not controlled by ‘back garden enthusiast’Mon Dec 08 2025 - 12:19
Order of Malta commissions external review over handling of past complaints about sex abuserIndependent review to examine previous warnings about volunteer who drugged and molested two teenage boys Thu Dec 04 2025 - 09:00
Report card: How are Ursula von der Leyen’s commissioners getting on? Europe letter: European Commission president has fewer clear rivals to her influence inside powerful executive this timeThu Dec 04 2025 - 04:56
EU leaders face big choice on vital aid for UkraineEuropean Commission warns Ukraine could be at risk of losing the war if crucial financial support not providedWed Dec 03 2025 - 16:09
Three arrested in European diplomat training school fraud investigationEU offices searched in inquiry into awarding of contract to train junior diplomats in BelgiumTue Dec 02 2025 - 15:33
Peace in Ukraine ‘cannot mean capitulation’ to Russia, EU chief says A year into the job as European Council president, António Costa says fears about US walking away from Ukraine have not come to passThu Nov 27 2025 - 18:17
Review into forged Garda vetting flagged employee unsuitable for work with childrenForged background checks a ‘serious risk’ to safety of vulnerable children in care of private companyThu Nov 27 2025 - 06:00
HSE tried to conceal ties to company at centre of forged Garda vetting controversyInternal inquiry opened into HSE contract awarded to firm that supplied falsified checks on care workersThu Nov 27 2025 - 06:00
Mormon missionary turned tariff hawk: the curious European past of Trump’s trade enforcerTrade envoy Jamieson Greer spent time working, proselytising and studying across Europe as a young man Thu Nov 27 2025 - 04:59
Fresh push for US tariff exemptions on whiskey and medtech US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick in Brussels to talk tariffs with EU trade ministers Mon Nov 24 2025 - 11:11
Simon Harris’s short time at Foreign Affairs: building bridges, less foreign travel - and a lot of press releases‘On trade he’d get a better mark than on the pure foreign policy side of things’Sat Nov 22 2025 - 06:00
Irish general Seán Clancy says Europe can no longer sit back: ‘Ukraine is the front line’Chair of EU’s highest military body says push to spend more on defence is not about ‘militarisation’ of societyFri Nov 21 2025 - 06:00
Tens of thousands in Gaza still at ‘significant risk’ of starvation, says McEntee Conversation ‘needs to be had’ with Israel about helping to fund Gaza reconstruction, new Minister for Foreign Affairs says Thu Nov 20 2025 - 09:25
Political camps flex muscles before EU budget arm wrestleEurope letter: Competing institutions set out stalls in what will be a lengthy row to hammer out next union budgetThu Nov 20 2025 - 04:59
EU proposes doing away with constant internet ‘cookies’ requests New ‘one click’ system proposed to allow people accept or reject cookies for six months Wed Nov 19 2025 - 13:01
L’Oréal presses EU to ease regulatory burden on cosmetics and pharmaCosmetics industry involved in lobbying rearguard against new laws making it pay for water pollution Tue Nov 18 2025 - 06:00
Ukraine in ‘urgent’ need of funds, von der Leyen warns EU leaders No ‘easy options’ to plug looming wartime budget shortfall in Ukraine, commission president says Mon Nov 17 2025 - 15:10
Two Government departments clash over plan to pressure tech giants over social media scamsDepartment of Enterprise went to bat for Big Tech in online investment scam row with Department of Finance, emails showSat Nov 15 2025 - 06:00
Plastic bottle cap bugbear the perfect example of EU’s disconnected messagingEnvironment commissioner says Brussels needs to get better at explaining ‘why we are doing things’Thu Nov 13 2025 - 05:00
European intelligence services asked to share notes on Russian interferenceKremlin-backed election meddling becoming ‘more sophisticated and better resourced’, says EU commissioner Michael McGrath Wed Nov 12 2025 - 16:29
Ireland may seek aid of French warship to boost security during EU presidencyState already investing in drone defences ahead of visits from ministers and heads of state next yearSat Nov 08 2025 - 06:00
‘God only knows what will be tried’: EU leaders’ safety in Ireland comes under spotlightFriendly warships and threats from drones: planning steps up for major summit in Ireland next year as part of the EU presidency Sat Nov 08 2025 - 06:00
Nitrates deal between Ireland and EU ‘getting closer’, commissioner says Farmers availing of sought-after extension to derogation will have to observe wider environmental standards - Jessika RoswallFri Nov 07 2025 - 06:00
Luxembourg or La-la land? Patrick O’Donovan chooses Hollywood over EU huddlePatrick O’Donovan has made it to one of four ministerial-level EU meetings he has been invited to as Ireland prepares to take over council presidencyThu Nov 06 2025 - 06:00
EU states agree deal to slash carbon emissions by 2040Compromise deal gives EU states more flexibility to meet ambitious 2040 climate targets Wed Nov 05 2025 - 10:42
