About: Ireland
Technology to unlock the Irish border conundrum?
Supporters of Brexit in London have hailed Brussels' embrace of remote, high-tech customs controls as a sign that EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is giving ground in order to resolve a stalemate on Northern Ireland that has held up a deal.
EU rejects Britain’s key elements of special customs plan after Brexit
EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier rejected key elements of Britain's new trade proposals on Thursday (26 July) even as he and his new British counterpart Dominic Raab voiced a shared determination to reach a deal by October.
May takes Brexit trip to Northern Irish border
British Prime Minister Theresa May arrived yesterday (19 July) in Northern Ireland, whose border with EU-member Ireland has become one of the biggest impediments to reaching a deal to leave the European Union.
Ireland commits to divesting public funds from fossil fuel companies
Ireland committed to divesting public funds from fossil fuel companies on Thursday after parliament passed a bill forcing the €8.9 billion Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) to withdraw money invested in oil, gas and coal.
Macron wins Merkel’s backing on budget for eurozone
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (19 June) won German Chancellor Angela Merkel's backing for reforms that are aimed at bolstering the eurozone against crises, including a vaunted budget for the bloc.
Ireland’s Yes vote ushers in a new era for women’s rights in Europe
EU institutions should be emboldened to take concrete actions to defend reproductive freedom across the whole of Europe after Irish citizens voted massively in favour of repealing the country’s abortion ban, writes Caroline Hickson.
Ireland overturns abortion ban in landslide vote
Ireland voted by a landslide to ditch its strict abortion laws in a landmark referendum that Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said had finally lifted decades of stigma and shame.
Ireland votes in ‘once-in-a-generation’ abortion referendum
Ireland votes today (25 May) in an abortion referendum that could be a milestone on a path of change in a country that, only a few decades ago, was one of Europe’s most socially conservative.
Barnier warns Brexit deal at risk over Irish border
European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned Britain Sunday (29 April) that "the time has now come to resolve the contradictions" over the Northern Irish border, ahead of a visit to the island.
Apple, Ireland strike deal on €13bn tax payment
Ireland's government on Tuesday (24 April) said it was signing a deal with Apple for the US tech giant to pay €13 billion in back taxes as ordered by the European Commission.
Furious about Brexit, Tusk calls for EU unity from Dublin
European Council President Donald Tusk confessed yesterday (10 April) he gets furious about Brexit, describing Britain's departure from the EU as very sad as he used a speech in Dublin to call for unity in Europe.
The Brief – The long Good Friday
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement – a political deal that put an end to decades of terror and tensions.
Hogan: EU accepts UK won’t ‘change its mind’ on Brexit
The EU has “accepted” that the Brexit process is irreversible and that the UK will leave the bloc next March, Ireland’s European Commissioner said on Monday (April 9).
UK has yet to see post-Brexit challenges, former Irish minister says
Britain, the former sick man of Europe, has seen its economy grow strongly in the EU. It is making a major mistake by leaving the bloc and the customs union and does not even realise what serious challenges it will face in the future, says former Irish minister Dara Murphy.
Ireland says Brexit border deal ‘legally firm’, DUP says not resolved
The Irish government on Monday (19 March) said an agreement that would leave Northern Ireland within the European Union's customs union after Britain leaves the EU was "legally firm," but Northern Ireland's largest party said the issue remained open for debate.
‘Yes, we can’: Franco-Irish research aims to boost green electricity intake
Power grid interconnections and system flexibility are key to integrate bigger shares of renewables. A Franco-Irish research project aims to produce a roadmap to deploy EU power grids that can handle more than 50% of electricity from intermittent renewable sources.
Irish minister: We are the global leaders in taking variable renewable electricity onto the grid
The Irish electricity is now able to cope with 65% of electricity coming from intermittent electricity sources like wind and solar – an expertise Energy Minister Denis Naugthen believes can be replicated on a larger scale as Europe moves towards 50% renewable power by 2030.
Eight northern EU states urge caution in eurozone reforms
Eight northern European countries said today (6 March) that euro zone reforms should focus on completing the banking union, improving compliance with budget rules and setting up a European Monetary Fund, with more ambitious plans left for later.
New Boris Johnson comments on post-Brexit Irish border cause stir
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has reportedly cast doubt on maintaining no border on the island of Ireland after Brexit, in a letter written to Prime Minister Theresa May leaked yesterday (27 February).
Not yet in effect, Europe’s new data protection rules already face overseas threats
This week, the United States government will be faced with the choice of whether or not it will violate European data protection laws. In order to ensure the protection of personal data at home, European policymakers must shape rules and practices abroad, writes Christine Galvagna.
NHS facing ‘Brexit cliff-edge’ from immigration delay
The most popularly supported public service in the UK, the national health service (NHS) is also the country's largest single employer. Throughout its nearly 70 year history, it has been reliant on migrant workers and may face a serious shortage of staff because of Brexit.
Ireland’s concerns over EU digital tax ‘gaining wider support’
Ireland’s concerns over how the European Union should proceed with taxing large digital businesses are shared by a growing number of countries, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said on Monday (5 February).
Farmers renew calls for protection in Mercosur negotiations
European farmers have written to the European Commission to “reject any concessions” on the agricultural chapters of the EU’s free trade negotiations with South American trading bloc Mercosur, which they say would expose farmers to unfair competition.