Haughey engaged in telephone diplomacy to ease fears on European referendumFiles reveal taoiseach spoke to French president the day after Supreme Court decisionFri Dec 29 2017 - 00:20
‘For Ireland’s sake I hope you are returned’: FitzGerald’s note to ThatcherGarret FitzGerald and Charles Haughey both wrote warm letters to the British PMFri Dec 29 2017 - 00:10
‘Grand larceny’ of Fine Gael fiscal policy by Fianna FáilDukes puts the Fine Gael position on a more formal footing with the ‘Tallaght strategy’Fri Dec 29 2017 - 00:10
British proposed East German-style border for Ireland, files revealState papers from 1987 reveal proposal to erect a physical border along the 500km frontierFri Dec 29 2017 - 00:01
‘Keep trying. You are most able’: Haughey’s soothing words to ThatcherTranscript of 1987 meeting provides insight into how taoiseach dealt with prime ministerFri Dec 29 2017 - 00:01
Nothing necessary about the Provisional IRA campaignNew books on John Hume a valuable counterweight to false republican narrativeThu Dec 28 2017 - 05:00
2017 politics: Varadkar’s solid start after roller coaster yearNews review: Irish politics avoids election, but new taoiseach and tánaiste bed inWed Dec 27 2017 - 05:50
Border deal a triumph for Government in Brexit talksNews review of the year: conundrum of frictionless Border remains unresolvedWed Dec 27 2017 - 04:54
Stephen Collins: Caution needed as Varadkar surfs wave of approvalTaoiseach risks overplaying political hand following tough stance on Brexit talksThu Dec 21 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Irish question returns to haunt Tories after 100 yearsSlowdown in growth and rise in inflation bring air of realism to British view of BrexitThu Dec 14 2017 - 05:00
Irish Government is partly to blame for Brexit shamblesAnalysis: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste Simon Coveney showed diplomatic inexperienceThu Dec 07 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Don’t bank on a general election by springVaradkar-Martin relationship if anything better now than before Fitzgerald debacleThu Nov 30 2017 - 05:00
Condolences from British PM feature in Kevin O’Higgins exhibitionAssassination of minister for justice in July 1927 changed course of Irish politicsThu Nov 23 2017 - 09:54
Government needs to be more honest about prospect of hard BorderThe question is whether Border will be in middle of Irish Sea or across the island landmassThu Nov 23 2017 - 05:00
Dublin played part in undermining Sunningdale Agreement - envoyGovernment had plan to transfer 20,000 civil servants to work under Council of IrelandWed Nov 22 2017 - 01:00
Stephen Collins: Republic continues to embrace a European identityLeo Varadkar’s wearing of the poppy shows the pluralist nature of modern IrishnessThu Nov 16 2017 - 05:00
Ministers’ trip to N Korea would be mockery of foreign policyA propaganda coup for murderous Pyongyang regime is no laughing matterThu Nov 09 2017 - 05:00
Conor Cruise O’Brien forced Ireland to reconsider nationalismThe intellectual challenged the idea the pursuit of unity was the State’s main goalThu Nov 02 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Varadkar emerges as EU diplomacy naturalConfident Taoiseach engaged with EU debate on Brexit contrasts with shambolic BritishThu Oct 26 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Gloves come off between Fine Gael and Fianna FáilVaradkar and Martin clearly dislike each other and their duel is likely to decide next electionThu Oct 19 2017 - 05:00
London will dictate the success of Paschal Donohoe’s first budgetStephen Collins: Was even modest expansion appropriate given the Brexit backdrop?Thu Oct 12 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Donohoe should not fear caution in framing budgetMainstream politicians should embrace EU rules as a bulwark against disasterThu Oct 05 2017 - 05:00
Cosgrave ‘devoted his life to public service’, Varadkar saysTributes to former taoiseach note courage in defending State’s democratic institutionsWed Oct 04 2017 - 22:27
Liam Cosgrave: modest, droll, pious and politically cunningFG leader was an uncompromising and often controversial political figureWed Oct 04 2017 - 20:55
Stephen Collins: Do we really want seven referendums?The votes have the potential to further undermine representative democracyThu Sept 28 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Martin’s courageous stance on Sinn Féin is correctGetting a Dáil foothold would be Sinn Féin’s first step to acquire total power in the StateThu Sept 21 2017 - 05:00
Age discrimination in taxation is a ticking time bombPoliticians may face a youth backlash if system’s unfairness is not addressedThu Aug 24 2017 - 05:00
Ireland needs to reject the fantasy of no hard BorderWe are deluded if we think the EU will not insist on post-Brexit checks on the islandThu Aug 17 2017 - 05:00
Shadow of 1917 Irish Convention hangs over BrexitDebates around free trade and customs barriers as key 100 years ago as nowThu Aug 10 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: An Irishman’s Diary on a fond farewell to Cape ClearChuck Kruger will remain on the island for this year’s storytelling festival which runs from September 1st to the 3rdWed Aug 09 2017 - 06:00
Stephen Collins: Varadkar’s Brexit spat is pointlessThere is nothing to be gained by adopting an aggressive stance with British governmentThu Aug 03 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Parties begin coalition moves for next electionFianna Fáil eager to bury talk of Sinn Féin coalition before election campaign startsThu Jul 27 2017 - 00:12
Stephen Collins: We should be happy Irish politics is boringOur current Dáil is a paragon of common sense by comparison with the CommonsThu Jul 20 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Budget battles await honeymooning VaradkarTaoiseach should use summer respite to steel himself for tough decisions aheadThu Jul 13 2017 - 05:00
Ireland’s interests lie in strengthened EU after BrexitState has vested interest in supporting EU negotiating stance on UK exitThu Jul 06 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Fine Gael risks core values by appeasing Shane RossRoss is nearest thing we have to an Irish Donald TrumpThu Jun 29 2017 - 05:00
Des Hanafin: conviction politician who opposed liberal agendaFormer FF senator to the forefront of abortion and divorce campaigns over decadesThu Jun 22 2017 - 18:48
Stephen Collins: Varadkar right to defend Whelan moveWobble on inherited appointment decision would have worsened bad situationThu Jun 22 2017 - 05:00
Helmut Kohl was forever grateful for Irish support during EU presidencyChancellor paid tribute in 1996 to Charles Haughey’s role in German unity processSat Jun 17 2017 - 01:00
Can Leo Varadkar actually seize his opportunity?It remains to be seen if the Taoiseach has the ability or temperament to achieve his goalsThu Jun 15 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Varadkar cannot afford to drop veteransCabinet choices will inevitably provoke resentment among those who fail to make cutThu Jun 08 2017 - 01:00
Varadkar’s victory: nothing personal, just businessDecisive majority of Fine Gael TDs judged potential gain in seats was worth riskThu Jun 01 2017 - 05:00
Varadkar will need a lot of courage and a dollop of good luckStephen Collins: First test will be to avoid wasting recent gains on spending splurgeThu May 25 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: New FG leader must keep Independents on sideGood chance of instability before new FG leader makes it to the Taoiseach’s officeThu May 18 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Enda Kenny underestimated throughout his careerAlong with achievements on world stage, Kenny has prove a successful leader at homeThu May 18 2017 - 01:00
Stephen Collins: Macron victory shows the value of embracing EUGovernment must be open about the complications of membership as Brexit talks unfoldThu May 11 2017 - 10:35
Stephen Collins: State has the right approach to BrexitBritish government’s antagonism and delusion shows why our interests lie with the EUThu May 04 2017 - 05:00
Stephen Collins: Kenny has delivered on first round of Brexit talksTaoiseach has ensured Irish concerns will be at centre of EU negotiators’ mandateThu Apr 27 2017 - 05:00
Ireland set to secure unique measures to soften Brexit blowTaoiseach to press for retention of EU benefits for Irish citizens in North at summitThu Apr 27 2017 - 01:00
Stephen Collins: FF and FG embrace for fear of falling into abyssCoveney and Varadkar emerge from water debacle with leadership aims enhancedThu Apr 13 2017 - 05:00
