March
Ireland’s ‘exhausted’ prime minister announces shock resignation
Leo Varadkar, whose Fine Gael party has struggled in the polls, said he would step down as leader of the country, citing “personal and political reasons.”
- Megan Specia
November 2023
Tears and relief as hostages are set free
Seventeen hostages held by Hamas for seven weeks were released by the terror group on Sunday (AEDT), after an agonising delay raised fears that the truce deal with Israel would collapse.
- James Rothwell, Tony Diver and Abbie Cheeseman
June 2020
Irish centrists squeeze out Sinn Fein in coalition deal
The big two Irish parties have signed up the Greens for a three-way coalition that will see Leo Varadkar step down as PM - but only temporarily.
- Hans van Leeuwen
February 2020
- Opinion
- World elections
Paramilitary parliament for Ireland?
It is appalling that Sinn Fein, a party with its own paramilitary wing, is now accepted at the top table of politics.
- Daniel Hannan
The new face of Sinn Féin
Irish voters have put a party with long links to criminality and terrorism into the box seat to form the next government.
- Hans van Leeuwen
Ireland's two-party convention shattered as Sinn Fein surges
The former political wing of the Irish Republican Army, which has recast itself as the main left-wing party, secured 24 per cent of first-preference votes, almost doubling its share from the last election in 2016.
- Updated
- Amanda Ferguson and Rick Noack
Ireland's Varadkar set to turn economic success into political failure
He played a blinder on Brexit and got the Celtic tiger roaring again - why is the Irish PM poised to lose office this weekend?
- Hans van Leeuwen
January 2020
Ireland's PM heads for election with Brexit win in hand
Leo Varadkar set the stage for a general election within weeks, gambling that a strong economy and his success toward shaping a Brexit deal would strengthen his hold on power.
- Dara Doyle
December 2019
EU dangles hope of broad trade deal in exchange for softer Brexit
EU diplomatic sources said the shift created the potential for a broader future partnership deal, including some elements of services trade.
- Peter Foster
October 2019
Brexit deal in sight as negotiators start to thrash out details
The UK and EU have gone into three days of intensive talks after Boris Johnson finally indicated he was prepared to make enough concessions to allow for detailed negotiations.
- Ian Wishart
Ireland leaves door ajar for 11th-hour Brexit deal
Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar identify a "pathway" to a deal - but it sounds like there's still a long way to go in a very short time.
- Hans van Leeuwen
Irish question may drive a stake through Boris' Halloween Brexit
The UK government downplays hopes of striking a Brexit deal, seemingly accepting a delay to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's October 31 deadline is inevitable.
- Updated
- Hans van Leeuwen
September 2019
Britain, EU upbeat on prospects for a deal
British PM Boris Johnson seems to be getting more serious about a compromise, and Brussels and Dublin are responding with encouragement.
- Hans van Leeuwen
Johnson gets short shrift in Ireland
Boris Johnson headed to Ireland seeking to move on from a disastrous week in London - but he found precious little encouragement from his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar, who savaged one of his favourite talking points.
- Amanda Ferguson and Griffe Witte