The government has relied on spending to mitigate the economic fallout from the pandemic, but the pain cannot be put off for much longer

EU and British politicians will have to start knocking heads together if they want to secure what is a vital deal, especially for Britain

Ireland’s €1.5 billion annual contribution to the Covid-19 recovery fund is a drop in the ocean next to the vast financial and economic benefits we get from Europe

While Margrethe Vestager’s allegations about an Apple sweetheart deal were last week brushed aside by the General Court of the EU, the new left-leaning EU Commission has a strong thirst for tax harmonisation

There are signs the outgoing chancellor is moving beyond her usual caution and could use the German presidency of the EU to promote fiscal reform

While commentators enthusiastically welcomed the formation of this government, few of them asked the hard questions about its largely aspirational programme. Sinn Féin will be very satisfied with the outcome

Ireland has won a seat for two years on the Security Council, where the likes of the US, China and Russia can block any decisions. But our reputation as an honest broker could make a difference

Britain needs to project itself as a global trading giant, but without a deal giving clarity on its relationship with the EU, it’s unlikely that any other trading bloc – including the US – will do a deal with it

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael appear reluctant to offer independent TDs ministerial posts; instead, they’re trying to lure them with old-style sweetheart deals

Now that the pandemic has exposed the depth of the EU’s vulnerability to Chinese economic policy, will Europe finally stand up to the regime?

A leadership contest in the current circumstances could be viewed as putting ideology ahead of the national interest

London passed up the chance to join Europe on securing PPE because its hardball stance in talks means it cannot appear needy

With huge economic and societal damage being caused, the government must find ways to allow low-risk, healthy individuals to begin rebuilding our country

With many global supply chains in disarray, we need EU single market and competition rules to be reinstated as soon as the immediate crisis ends

Both main parties are setting themselves up to fail in government by abandoning the liberal economic model that has brought us prosperity since the 1960s

European countries need an integrated EU roadmap to exit lockdown if they are to have any chance of emerging with their societies intact

We are all in the firing line now, and there is only one way we can bounce back quickly: through joint decisive action

The time for doing deals and parish-pump politics is over: the leaders of all our parties must step up and continue to work together in the national interest

If the British are so quick to break faith with the EU, why would any country trust them to abide by future international trade or other agreements?

The party needs to provide a responsible opposition while regrouping, rebuilding and redefining its political purpose