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Pedro Sánchez is first foreign premier Simon Harris will meet since becoming leaderThe new Irish taoiseach is to meet the Spanish prime minister to discuss their joint plan to recognise Palestine as a nation state and their attempts to force the EU to assess Israel’s human rights obligations as a condition of their trade deal with the bloc.Pedro Sánchez, who is due to arrive...

Dublin politician says he is looking forward to a ‘different chapter’ after tendering resignation to presidentLeo Varadkar has said he has “no regrets” about standing down, as he officially resigned as Ireland’s taoiseach.The Dublin politician, who has been the country’s prime minister for four years, said he was looking forward to a “different chapter”. Continue reading...

Gusts of more than 70mph recorded on Irish Sea coast, as temperatures rose above 30C in mainland EuropeStorm Kathleen brought strong winds to Ireland and the UK at the weekend, causing travel and power disruption. The storm, named by Met Éireann, developed in the Atlantic on Thursday, deepening explosively as it pushed northwards to the west of Ireland.Peak wind gusts of 40-60mph (65-95km/h) were...

Dublin joins South Africa’s case in the international court of justice, arguing that stopping delivery of essentials may constitute ‘genocidal intent’Ireland is to seek to widen the definition of genocide to include blocking humanitarian aid in a landmark international court of justice (ICJ) case against Israel.The Irish government will intervene in the case taken by South Africa and argue that restricting food and other...

Fiona Shaw, Cush Jumbo, Imelda Staunton and Miriam Margolyes to enact parts of novel’s concluding monologue in The Molly FilmsIt is arguably the most staggering piece of writing in James Joyce’s masterpiece Ulysses, stretching over 60 pages and containing only two full stops.This year, Molly Bloom and her monologue will take centre stage at a celebration of Bloomsday on 16 June – the day...

Higher education minister will become taoiseach in April after shock resignation of Leo VaradkarSimon Harris will become Ireland’s youngest prime minister after the leadership race in his Fine Gael party ended without any other candidates coming forward.The leadership became vacant after the taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, announced his surprise resignation “for personal and political reasons” last week. Continue reading...

Nearly half of Fine Gael parliamentary party endorses 37-year-old as string of potential rivals rule themselves outThe contest to become Ireland’s next prime minister is turning into a one-horse race after the higher education minister, Simon Harris, secured the backing of nearly half his parliamentary party before he had even confirmed he was running.Within hours of nominations opening on Thursday to succeed Leo Varadkar,...

A collection of more than 7,000 letters will form a publicly accessible digital archive that offers a window to the past In the week that Ireland turns ­everything green and celebrates its diaspora, a new online archive has given voice to the human cost paid by generations of emigrants.More than 7,000 letters from emigrants to North America spanning four centuries have been collected and...

Rejection of proposed changes to constitution represent stunning defeat for government and country’s entire political establishmentIrish voters overwhelmingly reject proposed changes to constitutionProposals to reword Ireland’s 1937 constitution to get rid of outdated language about the role of women and the nature of the family have been comprehensively rejected in a double referendum.All the major political parties had supported a “Yes-Yes” vote, and the...

Taoiseach says government did not do enough to convince people over amending provisions on family and careIreland’s referendums: what went wrong, and what happens now?Ireland has overwhelmingly rejected proposed changes to references on family and women in its constitution, delivering a rebuke to a government that had urged voters not to take a “step backwards”.Voters repudiated the family referendum with 67% voting “no”, and...

What appeared to be relatively low-stakes amendments could turn into embarrassing defeat for governmentWhen the Irish government announced it would hold two referendums on International Women’s Day it billed the votes as opportunities to embed inclusivity and equality in a constitution dating from 1937.Voters will on Friday be asked to delete article 41.2, the so-called “women in the home” provision, and enshrine two proposed...

Changes to language about ‘women in the home’ and definition of a family will be put to referendum on FridayIreland will be taking a “step backwards” this week if it votes against two changes to the constitution that are designed to remove “old-fashioned” language about women and formally recognise families beyond those involving marriage, the taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has said.In a double referendum on...

The 82-year-old will stay in overnight and has already undergone tests but spokesperson says no immediate concerns identifiedThe president of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, has been taken to hospital after feeling unwell.The 82-year-old was taken for tests in Dublin on Thursday after being assessed by a doctor at his official residence in the capital, Áras an Uachtaráin. Continue reading...

Irish court throws out Kamila Grabska’s case for car crash injuries after she was pictured winning charity competitionA woman’s £650,000 claim for injuries allegedly suffered during a car crash has been thrown out of court in Ireland after she was pictured winning a Christmas tree-throwing competition.Kamila Grabska, 36, sued an insurance company and said injuries to her back and neck meant she was unable...

Leaders pay respects to former taoiseach of 1990s ‘rainbow coalition’ as he is laid to rest in DunboyneThe former Irish taoiseach John Bruton has been described as a “humbling and unassuming” man at his state funeral, attended by senior political figures including the president, Michael D Higgins, and the taoiseach, Leo Varadkar.Ministers, TDs and parliamentary ushers were among those who attended the service at...

Former journalist had lived in public eye for almost 30 years as prime suspect in 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du PlantierIan Bailey, an English former journalist who was the prime suspect in one of Ireland’s most notorious murders, has died near his home in Bantry, County Cork, at the age of 66. He suffered a heart attack on Sunday.Bailey had lived in the...

Man in his 20s died and man in his 40s remains in serious condition after attack at Browne’s Steakhouse Police have stepped up uniformed patrols in Dublin after a shooting incident at a restaurant on Christmas Eve.A man in his 20s died and a man in his 40s is receiving treatment for gunshot wounds after the incident at 8pm on Sunday. He remains in...