John Whelan: Why is Ireland opposing free trade deals it could benefit from?

Some EU countries are blocking the adoption of non-US free trade deals that have been negotiated, with Ireland being a particular offender

Canadian prime minister Mark Carney greets Taoiseach Micheál Martin during his visit to Ottawa. Martin said Ireland would ratify the EU-Canada trade deal next year.

Eurozone business activity rose to its highest level in more than a year in September, despite persistent economic weakness in France and slowing demand in Germany, a survey published on Tuesday showed.

The eurozone’s provisional composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which measures overall activity in services and manufacturing across the 20 Euro countries, increased in September to a 16-month high.