
State can and should legislate to allow adopted people access birth certs
- Opinion
- January 16, 2021, 01:00
Pat Leahy: Attorney General Paul Gallagher understood to believe a referendum can be avoided

Officials designing mother and baby homes redress will not want past to be repeated
- Social Affairs
- January 15, 2021, 04:26
Determining level of redress for mother and baby homes survivors will be difficult

Religious congregations asked to contribute to mother and baby redress fund
- Social Affairs
- January 15, 2021, 00:04
Roderic O’Gorman seeks meeting with Catholic and Church of Ireland leaders amid report

Mother and baby homes: Government does not promise access to birth certs
- Social Affairs
- January 14, 2021, 01:03
Legislation based on GDPR being devised to help survivors of mother and baby homes

Mother and baby Q&A: What does the Government do now?
- Social Affairs
- January 13, 2021, 19:32
There are two issues to be considered around compensation: what level should be paid to whom, and who should foot the bill for it?

Mother and Baby Homes report: Ireland confronted with another dark chapter of past
- Politics
- January 13, 2021, 07:23
Inside Politics: Government is likely to be pressed on how it intends to persuade religious orders to contribute to compensation f(...)

Mother and Baby Homes report: A ‘shameful chapter of recent Irish history’
- Social Affairs
- January 13, 2021, 01:00
Investigation tells of cruelty, emotional abuse and soaring infant death rates

Mother and Baby Homes report describes ‘shameful chapter’ of Irish history
- Irish News
- January 12, 2021, 20:05
Taoiseach says report presents ‘all of Irish society with profound questions’

Mother and Baby Homes report finds ‘rampant’ infant mortality, ‘appalling’ conditions for thousands
- Social Affairs
- January 12, 2021, 15:00
Taoiseach condemns ‘dark, difficult and shameful chapter of recent Irish history’

Taoiseach to brief mother and baby home survivors on report
- Politics
- January 12, 2021, 01:00
Micheál Martin is to make formal State apology to former residents in the Dáil

Taoiseach and Tánaiste defend decision to lift restrictions before Christmas
- Irish News
- January 11, 2021, 13:23
Martin says ‘perfect storm’ of Christmas socialising and the UK variant prompted surge

Pat Leahy: It hangs in the balance if the pandemic will change the political landscape
- Opinion
- January 9, 2021, 01:00
If the health service is overwhelmed the lasting scars will forever remind people of a Government that lost its grip on the situat(...)

Hospitals prepare for Covid-19 surge and use of ventilators outside ICU
- Health
- January 9, 2021, 00:29
Three cases of South African coronavirus variant detected in Ireland, says Holohan

Covid-19: South African strain detected for first time in Ireland
- Health
- January 8, 2021, 11:02
New daily record of 8,248 cases recorded, along with 20 further deaths

Credibility of Government on the line over Covid-19 surge and slow vaccinations
- Politics
- January 7, 2021, 05:05
It will be a hammer blow to the Coalition’s authority if hospitals are overrun

Covid-19: Some principals may defy plan to reopen schools for Leaving Cert students
- Education
- January 7, 2021, 05:01
Teachers, publicans respond as Government approves harshest lockdown since March

Government ignored repeated warnings that €75m housing scheme would increase prices
- Politics
- January 7, 2021, 03:33
Builders had lobbied for shared equity plan as it ‘would drive up house prices’, official said

Beyond Covid-19: What are the other challenges facing Government in 2021?
- Politics
- January 7, 2021, 01:00
Brexit, Ceta and housing will all require Coalition’s careful attention in the coming months

Robert Watt to become new secretary general of Department of Health
- Politics
- January 5, 2021, 11:27
Current head of the Department of Public Expenditure is one of country’s best-known civil servants

Covid-19: Government fears public believes it has lost control
- Politics
- January 4, 2021, 05:00
Sharp rise in infections stuns Ministers and sparks fears they will be blamed

Widespread cancellation of hospital services expected as close to 5,000 Covid-19 cases reported
- Health
- January 4, 2021, 01:00
Schools may also remain closed next week due to rapidly deteriorating situation

Level 5 restrictions must be given chance to work, says Varadkar
- Health
- January 3, 2021, 14:56
Tánaiste refuses to rule out further curbs as Ryan suggests travel limit could drop to 2km

Micheál Martin determined to lead Fianna Fáil into next election
- Politics
- January 3, 2021, 12:27
Senior TD Barry Cowen says Martin should step down as party leader before next vote

Pat Leahy: No harm to put all this Covid pessimism into context
- Opinion
- January 2, 2021, 01:00
Last year was difficult but brought overwhelmingly positive developments

Irish politics in 2020: An earthquake election, an unlikely marriage, a scandalous dinner
- Politics
- December 26, 2020, 06:00
2020 in review: A momentous year in politics will keep the historians of the future busy

Covid crisis: Mass inoculation unlikely until May or June, says Taoiseach
- Politics
- December 26, 2020, 01:46
Rollout of coronavirus vaccine will bring ‘tentative return’ to normality, says Martin

Dublin inner city project punches well above its weight
- Opinion
- December 26, 2020, 01:00
State can learn from its failures in tackling social disadvantage and deprivation

Fear in Government that new Covid variant will mean hard lockdown
- Politics
- December 23, 2020, 15:29
Number of new Coronavirus cases expected to surpass 1,000 tonight

Minister for Agriculture tests positive for Covid-19 prompting colleagues to restrict movements
- Irish News
- December 23, 2020, 10:04
Taoiseach tests negative on Wednesday night as other Ministers’ results not yet known

Varadkar warns Covid restrictions could last until March as State prepares to enter third lockdown
- Politics
- December 23, 2020, 03:05
Stricter measures being imposed from Christmas Eve in response to soaring cases

Post-Brexit trade deal ‘more likely than less likely’ – Taoiseach
- Politics
- December 23, 2020, 01:00
Government still planning for no-deal scenario as EU negotiators make ‘final push’

Pat Leahy: The virus is setting the pace; the Government follows
- Politics
- December 22, 2020, 21:35
Rapid action tells us politicians expect infection numbers to be much worse this time

Level 5 restrictions likely to stay for two months, says Varadkar
- Politics
- December 22, 2020, 15:27
Tánaiste believes curbs will be needed until critical mass vaccinated in early spring

Covid-19: Taoiseach confirms return to tighter restrictions as case numbers rise
- Politics
- December 22, 2020, 13:46
Restaurants and pubs to close on Christmas Eve with home visits banned in new year

Cabinet set to announce new Covid restrictions amid third wave
- Politics
- December 22, 2020, 01:00
Non-essential retail to remain open with strict guidelines on the numbers in store

New hospitality and visit limits likely for December 30th, inter-county travel to end by January 6th
- Health
- December 19, 2020, 04:33
Government expected to reject Nphet advice which calls for new measures from December 28th

This was a breakthrough year for Mary Lou McDonald
- Opinion
- December 19, 2020, 01:00
The rise of Sinn Féin led to opposing parties coming together after nearly a century

Fears about New Year’s Eve parties and North cases prompts earlier restriction moves
- Politics
- December 18, 2020, 14:14
Early Cabinet meeting unlikely but Government message already very clear

Coronavirus: Restrictions may return soon after Christmas amid sharp rise in Covid-19 infections
- Health
- December 18, 2020, 00:15
Pubs and restaurants could close by December 28th as Nphet notes outbreaks in workplaces, Christmas parties and funerals

Taoiseach tests negative for Covid following contact with Macron
- Europe
- December 17, 2020, 09:44
French president understood to have been a coronavirus contagion risk as of Monday

Future pay hikes passed on to retired public servants driving surge in State’s pension cost
- Politics
- December 16, 2020, 12:37
Report expects public servants’ pay to rise by 3.5% a year

Covid-19: Will the Government be able to roll out the vaccine quickly enough?
- Politics
- December 16, 2020, 08:08
Inside Politics: It’s the end of the road for Trump and Leinster House winds down for the year

Cost of public sector pensions surges to €150 billion
- Politics
- December 16, 2020, 01:00
The bill will be paid over several decades, but is also expected to rise during that time

Irish hauliers warn of ‘catastrophic consequences’ post-Brexit
- Politics
- December 16, 2020, 00:13
Next four weeks to be ‘period of unprecedented disruption’ for imports and exports

Brexit deal prospects improve as EU and UK agree to continue talks
- Politics
- December 14, 2020, 02:15
Johnson’s hard line on talks seen by some as a sign that he is preparing to do a deal

Brexit deal: Painfully slow progress may create some scope for compromise
- Politics
- December 13, 2020, 21:35
News that EU-UK talks on a post-Brexit trade deal were to continue was greeted with relief and caution in Dublin

‘Test live performances’ to take place in National Concert Hall and Abbey
- Health
- December 13, 2020, 15:00
Events to take place later in December, says Minister for Arts and Culture

Final effort on Brexit deal amid growing pessimism over prospects
- Europe
- December 12, 2020, 04:28
Government preparing special measures to support Irish food exporters

Pat Leahy: Housing crux shows we must be a nation of geniuses
- Opinion
- December 12, 2020, 01:00
Boris Johnson not the only one who wants to have his cake and eat it

A no-deal on January 1st now looks more likely than at any time since the dawn of Brexit
- Irish News
- December 11, 2020, 16:10
There is still an opening for an EU-UK trade deal, but it is closing fast

Brexit: Taoiseach appeals for compromise to secure trade deal
- Europe
- December 11, 2020, 01:02
Despite pessimism, Irish Government sources believe agreement is still possible

Brexit: EU prepares for no-deal as sides remain 'far apart' and Sunday talks deadline set
- Politics
- December 10, 2020, 04:45
No-deal Brexit contingency papers may be ‘on table in next 24 hours’ to avoid January chaos

Sinn Féin’s McDonald says there will be united Ireland within 10 years
- Politics
- December 9, 2020, 20:34
Party leader calls on unionists to become involved in discussions on a united Ireland

Ursula von der Leyen says EU and UK positions ‘remain far apart’ after dinner with Boris Johnson
- Europe
- December 9, 2020, 06:51
Teams to continue talks on post-Brexit trade deal and ‘we will come to a decision by the end of the weekend’, says EC President

Taoiseach ‘on pessimistic side’ regarding Brexit trade deal
- Politics
- December 9, 2020, 01:24
European Commission chief and British PM to meet as both sides struggle to avert failure

Cabinet told Brexit talks came close to collapse
- Politics
- December 8, 2020, 20:31
Simon Coveney warns that even with a deal Brexit will act as a drag on economic performance

Brexit: Johnson and von der Leyen to hold talks tomorrow in attempt to salvage deal
- Politics
- December 8, 2020, 12:12
UK and EU reach agreement on Northern Ireland protocol as Taoiseach warns of possible no deal

Brexit: EU shifting from compromise to no-deal preparations – Coveney
- Politics
- December 8, 2020, 01:00
Talks need ‘political intervention from the very top’ to break deadlock, says Minister

Brexit: EU and UK negotiators to resume talks in ‘last throw of the dice’
- UK
- December 5, 2020, 08:52
Johnson and von der Leyen accept ‘significant differences’ remain on future trade deal

Brexit talks stall after tense week of negotiations
- Politics
- December 5, 2020, 01:22
Two sides split over three issues that have long prevented a breakthrough

The history wars: A new battleground in Irish politics
- Irish News
- December 5, 2020, 01:00
Is Brian Stanley’s tweet part of a concerted Sinn Féin effort to rewrite the Troubles?

Pat Leahy: Ireland is becoming more unequal? Wrong
- Opinion
- December 5, 2020, 01:00
Despite perception, State is not right-wing but exemplary in being socially democratic

Covid-19: First vaccines for elderly and high-risk groups likely to be available in January
- Politics
- December 3, 2020, 01:08
Recipients first recipients likely to include elderly, high-risk groups, health staff and nursing home residents

Anti-abortion TDs set up all-party group with aim to amend legislation
- Social Affairs
- December 2, 2020, 14:56
Group calls for pain relief to be given to foetuses with fatal abnormalities

Cabinet approves purchase of 875,000 doses of Moderna vaccine
- Politics
- December 1, 2020, 16:27
Taoiseach will give ‘some consideration’ for a dedicated Minister over roll-out strategy

Covid-19: Lockdown ends amid Ministers’ fears country set to go on the lash
- Politics
- December 1, 2020, 07:26
Many in Government are nervous about public departure from Nphet advice in plan for Christmas

Ireland reopens: shops, churches, gyms and hairdressers open as public health experts urge caution
- Health
- December 1, 2020, 03:00
‘Now is not the time to be socialising with friends,’ says expert, as Level 5 restrictions end

Republic to move back to Level 3 as shops open from Tuesday
- Politics
- November 28, 2020, 01:00
Martin: State going as far as possible to achieve best balance in easing Covid-19 restrictions

Pat Leahy: Government right to exert its authority over Nphet
- Opinion
- November 28, 2020, 01:00
Lockdown costs €1 billion a month – there was no choice but to reopen the economy

Hotels, retail, hairdressers, churches, gyms to open next Tuesday
- Politics
- November 27, 2020, 09:22
Country will move to Level 3 restrictions with some modifications as people urged to wear masks outdoors

Tánaiste denies telling McEntee to appoint Woulfe
- Politics
- November 26, 2020, 21:31
Minister for Justice says Varadkar told her former AG would make ‘a good judge’

View that Woulfe appointment a perfectly legal ready-up remains intact
- Crime & Law
- November 26, 2020, 18:27
Minister for Justice under pressure in Dáil over appointment but no killer blows landed

Restaurants and gastropubs to reopen in December under Government plan
- Health
- November 26, 2020, 12:07
Cabinet sub-committee meets ahead of ‘polite showdown’ with public health experts

Decisive day as exiting lockdown, questions for McEntee on the agenda
- Politics
- November 26, 2020, 07:38
Inside Politics: Minister for Justice will finally take questions from Opposition TDs today on the appointment of Séamus Woulfe to(...)

Fine Gael’s rising star Helen McEntee faces most serious crisis of her career
- Politics
- November 26, 2020, 02:39
Minister for Justice is a skilled politician, but questions remain over Woulfe appointment

Covid-19: Decision time on reopening plan as Varadkar questions cross-Border travel
- Health
- November 26, 2020, 01:00
Restaurants and pubs that serve food are likely to be allowed open in December

Shops, hairdressers and hotels expected to reopen next week
- Politics
- November 25, 2020, 00:30
Government looking at limited reopening of social and economic life

Q&A: When will we know more about plans to exit Level 5?
- Politics
- November 24, 2020, 13:15
Concern that easing too many restrictions could see cases spike before Christmas

Covid-19: Level 5 restrictions likely to be eased in two stages, as planning to roll-out vaccine begins
- Health
- November 23, 2020, 03:00
Irish task force will aim to inoculate population ‘urgently and comprehensively’

‘Revenge porn’: Proposed law to introduce jail sentences
- Politics
- November 23, 2020, 01:33
If images are shared with intent to harm, penalty could be up to seven years in prison

Motion seeking to impeach Woulfe to be moved in Dáil this week
- Politics
- November 23, 2020, 01:19
Little prospect of motion being passed in Dáil where there is little appetite for a judicial impeachment process

Health experts favour tighter Covid restrictions, the politicians less
- Politics
- November 21, 2020, 01:37
‘Big scrap’ looms ahead of reopening in wake of briefings by public health team members

Covid crisis: Restaurants and pubs to be ‘key battleground’ in lockdown exit talks
- Politics
- November 21, 2020, 01:24
Taoiseach says Christmas will be a very different to previous years due to Covid-19

Pat Leahy: Pragmatism wins out over Woulfe
- Opinion
- November 21, 2020, 01:00
Annoyance at Varadkar but acceptance that toughing it out is the best solution

Ministers notified of two jobs when they approved of Woulfe
- Politics
- November 20, 2020, 01:00
Other Supreme Court vacancy likely to be filled in next few months

Helen McEntee says she will take questions on Woulfe controversy in Dáil but Opposition unhappy
- Crime & Law
- November 19, 2020, 19:31
Government accused of ‘further evasion’ after Minister asks for her next session of oral ministerial questions to be rescheduled

Holohan urges people to 'work together' as senior officials clash with Nphet
- Health
- November 19, 2020, 01:05
Nphet 'media strategy' is criticised, as coronavirus-related deaths pass 2,000

Coronavirus: Government under pressure over reopening plan
- Politics
- November 18, 2020, 03:00
Difficulty of charting a route out of Level 5 clear as business lobby criticises Nphet

Government and public health team at odds on lockdown aftermath
- Politics
- November 17, 2020, 19:00
Health experts continue to urge caution, while politicians fret over Christmas and travel

Covid-19: Government moves to take away people’s takeaway pints
- Politics
- November 17, 2020, 07:14
Inside Politics: Stephen Donnelly will propose tightening restrictions on the outdoor consumption of alcohol bought from pubs

Covid resurgence: Outdoor drinkers in groups to face €80 fines
- Health
- November 17, 2020, 03:04
Proposals to go before Cabinet as Nphet official warns of Christmas travel impact

Covid-19: Government to ban takeaway pints for remainder of lockdown
- Social Affairs
- November 16, 2020, 15:52
Concerns raised after footage showed crowds gathering with drinks bought from pubs

Nphet fears Covid-19 situation in Ireland ‘deteriorating’
- Health
- November 16, 2020, 13:01
Dr Ronan Glynn criticises ‘selfish minority’ for gathering to drink alcohol on city streets

Pat Leahy: Bitter debate over Varadkar a sign of divided politics to come
- Opinion
- November 14, 2020, 01:00
Sinn Féin and Fine Gael creating more polarised discourse and boxing out Fianna Fáil

Cabinet not told judges applied for post filled by Séamus Woulfe
- Politics
- November 13, 2020, 02:04
At least three judges wrote to Government seeking job taken by former attorney general

Varadkar unaware nominee to standards watchdog lobbied for NAGP
- Politics
- November 13, 2020, 01:39
NAGP the group to which Tánaiste controversially leaked copy of GP contract last year

Woulfe to be subject of all-party discussion as way out of crisis sought
- Politics
- November 12, 2020, 01:00
Impeachment process motion deemed inevitable but some TDs lack enthusiasm for idea

Séamus Woulfe could be removed from office by votes in Dáil and Seanad
- Politics
- November 11, 2020, 01:00
Taoiseach to meet Opposition leaders in bid for consensus on dealing with crisis

Séamus Woulfe row: Impeachment proceedings before Houses of Oireachtas a live possibility
- Politics
- November 10, 2020, 23:00
Little appetite in Government or Opposition for protracted process to remove Woulfe

Taoiseach has first phone call with US president-elect
- Politics
- November 10, 2020, 18:33
Micheál Martin says he congratulated Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris