The UK Work and Pensions minister Penny Mordaunt has been appointed as the new International Development Secretary.

SHOWDOWN BETWEEN SPAIN AND CATALONIA SET TO COME TO A HEAD

The Catalan regional government's plan to hold an independence referendum is a mockery of democracy, Spain's foreign minister has said.

A major row has broken out between Turkey and the Netherlands.

The pressure facing retailers over the ‘Long Black Friday’ weekend following the plunge in sterling since the Brexit vote could ease significantly as the euro faces the first of its own looming tests next week, according to analysts.

Sterling was little changed at 83.93 pence against the euro, but dropped to $1.3323 against the dollar as the Bank of England prepared to announce its interest-rate decision today.

Finance ministers from the UK's three devolved administrations are meeting today to discuss the implications of the vote to leave the European Union.

TM DEVINE’s new book is an excellent guide to how Scottish nationalism has revived to become a threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom. 

London’s recently elected mayor Sadiq Khan lays out the argument for staying in the EU, saying it is the young who will be most affected if Vote Leave wins

Uncertainty ahead of the referendum on the UK's membership of the EU is having an impact on investment in the UK.

John Meagher meets Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan, the women who sparked the debate for marriage equality when they fought to have their Canadian union recognised.

THE best political biographies do more than record their subjects’ lives.

German chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Paris this evening to discuss the result of the Greek referendum with French president Francois Hollande, a German government spokesman said yesterday.

POOR Amendment 35. Before we move on in the new post-marriage referendum Ireland, spare a thought for the ‘Presidential Age’ one.

In a very powerful video, Irish band Keywest have urged every Irish person to get out and use their vote in the Marriage Equality Referendum on Friday, and vote yes.

A banner promoting a Yes vote in the Marriage Referendum has been unveiled at Liberty Hall in Dublin this morning.

The Iona Institute have released a video calling for a No Vote in the Marriage Equality Referendum.

FUNNY thing about Enda Kenny is that the attempt to take him out in 2010 was the making of him. Till then, for eight years since his election as party leader in 2002, he endured slights, put-downs and was at best just patronised by some of his own colleagues in Fine Gael. 

A group of religious faith-based people and organisations have joined forces to call for a Yes vote in the forthcoming Marriage Equality Referendum.

Archbishop of Glasgow Philip Tartaglia has reflected on a “year of joy and sorrow” for the city in his new year message.

The Queen has used her Christmas Day broadcast to highlight the importance of reconciliation between opposing sides – from communities in the North to those involved in the Scottish Independence referendum.

In the wake of the Maíria Cahill affair, the Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin called for a cross-border commission to be established to examine how Sinn Féin and the IRA dealt with abuse cases during the Troubles. Mr Martin said “allegations of a cover-up demand a wider response”.

Furious British Tories have turned their fire on ex-MP Mark Reckless, with David Cameron branding his defection to Ukip "senseless and counter-productive" while party chairman Grant Shapps told activists: "He lied and lied and lied again."

Enda Kenny said people will be watching closely to see what changes are implemented in Scotland after it rejected independence.

Eurosceptics last night delivered a strong warning to the Tory leadership over its handling of Britain’s future relationship with Brussels after 130 MPs backed criticism of the Government’s failure to include plans to enshrine an EU referendum in law.

The Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has said he expects the Seanad Referendum to go ahead next year.

Just less than an hour remains to cast votes in the Children's Rights Referendum.

Members of the technical group in the Dáil are calling on the Government to postpone the Childrens' Referendum on Saturday.

Advocates for a 'No' vote in the Children's Referendum say voting no is the only way to make the state accountable for their failures.

Politicians are concerned the results of the forthcoming Children’s Referendum could be influenced by storyline in a soap opera.

A number of groups are launching their campaigns today for a 'No' vote in the forthcoming Children's Referendum.

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny’s analysis before the last election was that “Ireland’s broken political system is at the heart of its economic collapse”.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has told the Dáil that the National Treasury Management Agency has advised him a no vote in the May 31 Fiscal Treaty referendum will "in all likelihood" see Ireland unable to return to the international borrowing markets as planned.

Fine Gael TD Paschal Donohue has questioned whether Libertas founder Declan Ganley may have an ulterior motive for advocating a No vote in the forthcoming EU Fiscal Treaty Referendum.

Ibec is claiming that any further delay in the setting of a date for the Fiscal Stability Treaty referendum will damage confidence and create further uncertainty about Ireland’s relationship with Europe.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said today that the expects the Government to announce the date for the European Fiscal Treaty Referendum on Tuesday.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has dismissed fresh attempts at the Scottish Parliament to force an early referendum on independence.

IT seems to me that Eamonn Gilmore was giving the electorate a “clip around the ear” for having the audacity to reject the Oireachtas Referendum. His attitude seemed to be, “now that the referendum is rejected there can be no enquiry into banking practices etc.”

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has defended the way in which the Government is dealing with the unemployment crisis.

Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin is beginning a three-day visit to the US today.

Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny TD has today announced that the party will be holding Lisbon meetings right across the country tomorrow.