More than €280,000 has been spent by two Government departments on VIP services at Irish airports over the past three years.

The changing of the guard at the European Commission and the European Council offers new opportunities as well as challenges for the EU.

In the past, Mr Varadkar and his predecessor Enda Kenny have travelled to EPP gatherings using commercial airlines, as the events are deemed to be party-political in nature.

"The EU27 has agreed that it will accept the UK's request for a Brexit flextension until 31 January 2020," Donald Tusk tweeted.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told his TDs and senators he believes British prime minister Boris Johnson could win an election if his campaign is based on the new EU-UK Brexit deal.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has said a Brexit extension, if granted, is likely to be a flexible one that would allow the UK to leave the EU prior to the end of January.

Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson met this morning to discuss a new programme motion for his Brexit deal, Labour has confirmed.

British prime minister Boris Johnson is to seek to fast-track legislation to ratify his Brexit deal through the Commons in just three days as he attempts to avoid another delay to Britain’s departure from the EU.

It was billed as “Super Saturday” as the UK Commons held a weekend sitting for the first time in 37 years, but things did not go the way British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had planned.

The Taoiseach has made it clear that although Ireland would be open to an extension for Britain, plan B is no-deal.

British prime minister Boris Johnson has just 24 hours to win enough MP support to drag the Brexit deal over the line — or face the prospect of the DUP tearing up the agreement just as it has been reached.

European Council president Donald Tusk has said the "punchline" in the Brexit deal drama will be whether British prime minister Boris Johnson "has done what he should" and passes the agreement through the House of Commons.

Waiting for the Brexit finale has been a bit like sitting in a dentist’s surgery for three years — scared of the worst while hoping for the best, yet willing to accept a modicum of discomfort to get it all over with.

More often than not, politics is the art of deliberately fogging up the view while claiming to have cleared the air.

Leo Varadkar and Boris Johnson have spoken on the phone this evening to discuss Brexit.

THE late newspaper editor Áengus Fanning always used to say: “Be prepared to be the most unpopular person in the room.”

Ireland “may have to live” with a no-deal Brexit and enforce the border to protect the single market “for a period”, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that the latest proposals from the UK do not fully meet the agreed objectives of the backstop.

The withdrawal agreement breaches the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, says David Trimble.

After a day mainly dealing with climate change yesterday the government's focus at the UN general assembly today will shift largely towards Brexit.

After leaving their bilateral meeting on Monday, Mr Tusk lamented that there had been “no breakthrough” and that there is “no time to lose” with the October 31 deadline looming.

Britain will be entirely to blame if checks close to the border are introduced after Brexit, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned.

All additional money collected from carbon taxes is to be ring-fenced for climate action and a just transition, the Taoiseach is due to tell the UN Climate Summit.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has charged that the current British government has reneged on the Joint EU/UK report committed to frictionless trade.

Minister for European Affairs Helen McEntee has said that Ireland’s focus in the Brexit negotiations remains on securing a deal.

Helen McEntee says we need to protect our own interests.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney has warned that Ireland “cannot do a side deal” with the UK.

The Government is ramping up its Brexit backstop campaign as it faces increasing pressure to clarify where new checks and inspections on goods will take place if the UK crashes out of the EU.

The German chancellor’s attempt to end the deadlock over the selection of the EU’s top jobs has been rejected, even by Leo Varadkar, says Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has hailed the nomination of Ursula von der Leyen for the European Commission Presidency.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his team are keen for the EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier for the job of European Commission President.

World leaders attending the G20 summit in Japan are clashing over the values that have served for decades as the foundation of their cooperation.

Leo Varadkar has said Ireland will be under an obligation to protect the single market if Britain crashes out of the EU in October.

More than 200m of the 400m people entitled to vote in last week’s European elections did so. This marks a substantial

After months of polling, speculation, and hand wringing over the European Parliament election this month, one might think that nothing else matters, writes Carl Bildt.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has called on Ireland to become the "grown-ups in the room" after the EU agreed to allow Britain to extend the Brexit deadline until October 31 - despite serious concerns the UK could sabotage the entire bloc.

EU leaders have agreed to extend Brexit until Halloween night, despite French fears allowing the UK to stay past June will risk sabotaging the EU and could "jeopardise" the bloc's entire future.

EU leaders were pushing to offer Britain a nine month or one year flexible Brexit extension last night, despite French fears allowing the UK to stay past June will “jeopardise” the EU’s entire future.

Political Correspondent Fiachra Ó Cionnaith outlines the key issues to be discussed at the latest special EU summit in Brussels tonight.

European Council president Donald Tusk will put forward the plan to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and other leaders at the special EU summit in Brussels this evening, provided Britain participates in next month's MEP elections.

The latest twist in the Brexit saga, promising as it may be politically, does nothing to ease the plight of businesses trading with the UK.

The relief was palpable. The important people in Government Buildings were extremely nervous this week.

Trying to figure out what’s going to happen next in the Brexit saga? Sporting Index has had a pretty good record in predicting some of the key twists and turns.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Britain's request to extend Brexit has to be considered but rolling extensions are not tolerable.

The European Commission’s president has warned Britain “patience runs out” in the clearest sign yet Brussels is prepared to cut its losses and accept a no-deal Brexit outcome in just 11 days’ time.

Ireland and other EU states must support a long extension of the Brexit deadline if the UK significantly shifts its approach to leaving the EU, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has insisted.

Theresa May's withdrawal agreement has been defeated for the third time in the House of Commons today.

Figures, despite their precision, are not always easily grasped. This time last year, US president Donald Trump asked Congress for $639bn in military spending, a 10% increase.

Ireland and Britain have been dragged back from the Brexit brink after EU leaders agreed to delay the divorce deadline at least until April 12.

The imminent March 29 Brexit cliff edge will be pushed back until May 22 if MPs back Theresa May's deal next week - and to April 12 even if it is rejected.