The death of former French president Jacques Chirac will be greeted with mixed emotions internationally but his stature will endure in France. Even when convicted in 2011 of corruption during his time as mayor of Paris, he retained a deep affection in the hearts of French people.

Boris Johnson could strike a chord with key sections of the electorate in the short-term before major damage is done. They will live to regret it, writes Andrew Hammond

If Republicans win the Senate, it would almost certainly spell the end of immigration reform plans — and dash the hopes of some 50,000 Irish living illegally in the US, writes Bette Browne

THE significance of President Michael D Higgins dining in state at Windsor castle last night is that it is the culmination of British recognition of Irish independence. It is also a full recognition of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The End of the Party

THE economy has been dealt a serious blow with the US government signalling it is to target €2.5 billion of Irish tax revenues in broad economic reforms.

THE Taoiseach was afforded a magnificent stage to wind up his political career with an address to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday. He became only the 102nd foreigner to address the two houses together.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, is due to preside over his last Cabinet meeting today before departing for the US to make his historic speech to the joint Houses of Congress.

The Good Friday Agreement was a watershed in the history of Ireland but the scourge of sectarianism still exists in the North, Bertie Ahern said today.

BY ANNOUNCING his departure date yesterday, the Taoiseach instantly removed the opposition and media chains from around his neck.

Details of the overseas trips of most Government ministers for St Patrick’s Day events were revealed tonight.

I WAS delighted to visit Ireland last week in my capacity as the 2007 EU peace prizewinner.

Standing beside Iraq’s interim leader, President George Bush warned today that insurgents could “plot and plan attacks elsewhere, in America and other free nations,” if the US pulled out.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowan is to have his first meeting with the new US administration in Washington later today.