Ireland is ranked tenth out of 36 European countries in a global index of countries affected by terrorism.

Hitting back at the failed Wexford by-election candidate and her criticism of Fine Gael this week, Mr Varadkar admitted it was a "mistake" selecting Ms Murphy to run for his party in the first place.

Verona Murphy has signalled that she may run as an Independent candidate in Wexford in the general election after being dropped by Fine Gael.

Ms Murphy was dropped by the party earlier this week as a general election candidate

Former Irish Defence Forces soldier Lisa Smith, who is facing trial accused of ISIS membership, has been granted bail with strict conditions including an internet and social media ban.

Former Irish defence forces soldier Lisa Smith, who was charged with membership of ISIS, has been further remanded in prison custody for a book of evidence to be completed.

It was right and proper that Lisa Smith and her daughter be brought back to Ireland as Irish citizens and treated in a humane manner.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed that former ISIS bride Lisa Smith is returning to Ireland this weekend and that gardai may be in a position to charge her.

I feel, like a punch in my gut, comments like those of Verona Murphy... that ISIS supporters make up ‘a big part’ of the migrant population., writes Victoria White

Immigration has entered the political arena again this week with comments from Wexford by-election candidate Verona Murphy about asylum seekers.

Fine Gael's by-election candidate Verona Murphy has broken her silence to express "deep regret" over comments she made about asylum seekers.

Fine Gael do not have a standard vetting system for candidates, the Taoiseach has confirmed.

Ms Murphy has apologised for remarks made to multiple media organisations in which she suggested that those who seek asylum in Ireland need to be "deprogrammed".

However, members from across the opposition have lashed out at Ms Murphy who suggested asylum seeker children as young as three years of age need to be "deprogrammed" as they may have been manipulated by ISIS.

In today's Wexford People, Ms Murphy is quoted further as claiming that ISIS has influenced children as young as three. She is also quoted as criticising drink-driving laws which she said had targetted “Irish” motorists.

The Tánaiste has defended Verona Murphy and said that he would not call for her deselection.

Fine Gael's by-election candidate in Wexford, Verona Murphy has apologised after she said some asylum seekers coming to Ireland have to be "de-programmed" as they carry angst and may have been "infiltrated by ISIS".

Garda security services are conducting three risk assessments regarding the imminent return of Irish Islamic State supporter Lisa Smith.

The "complex and sensitive" operation to repatriate Lisa Smith and her young daughter could take weeks, rather than days, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs has revealed.

The chairperson of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council has questioned the level of efforts being made by the State to repatriate Irish woman Lisa Smith and her child.

Lisa Smith, who is linked to Islamic State, escaped from a Kurdish forces detainment camp in Syria last month. It is believed she is now being detained close to Syria's border with Turkey.

All over the world, historians are dusting off a phrase that regularly has a sharp, if fleeting, relevance: Pre-revolutionary conditions.

Where is Rakaya, a two-year-old Irish girl displaced in North East Syria since Monday?

What Turkey is doing in Syria has serious implications for the rest of the world. International laws are being violated, civilians are being displaced, local demography is being changed and lives are being risked.

ISIS bride Lisa Smith could go free as the United States moves its troops out of Syria after a phonecall between Turkish President Erdogan and US president Donald Trump.

Simon Coveney said the action risks undermining the progress made this year in the fight against Islamic State.

The report, citing Irish security sources, said all five people had sentences for funding terrorist offences abroad, rather than participating in terror plots here.

Far from being defeated, Islamic State continue to battle on several fronts, write Anne-Marie Slaughter and Asha C Castleberry

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has urged Rural Independent TD Noel Grealish to "withdraw" or clarify his claims that African asylum seekers are in reality economic migrants coming to Ireland to "sponge" off taxpayers, amid growing calls for him to resign.

The Japanese kamikaze pilots of World War 2 crashed into targets, but the modern use of suicide-bombing began when a boy of 13 sacrificed himself during the Iran-Iraq war in 1980, says Frank MacGabhann.

We take a trip down memory lane and check out what happened on this day in years gone by by looking back at some Irish Examiner front pages and highlighting other events which went down in history across the world.

The solicitor representing Irish woman Lisa Smith who travelled to join Islamic State in Syria, is calling on the Irish government to bring her home and if necessary prosecute her under Irish law.

A plumber with Dublin City Council who threatened to put a bullet in the head of two work colleagues has received a fully suspended sentence.

So that’s Thursday nearly wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

The Irish army will not be flying into Syria to help Irish ISIS bride Lisa Smith return home, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

"To be honest I don't think I will be going back, ever."

Recent days brought the old questions about division back into a sharp focus.

His comments follow those of Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty has called for Ms Smith and her two-year-old daughter to be brought home to Ireland.

The withdrawal of American troops late last year was premature, with fighting intensifying in Idlib province, say Charles A Kupchan and Sinan Ülgen

Fianna Fáil TD and Ireland South MEP election candidate Billy Kelleher has been accused of "selling out" traditional pro-life party support over his decision to back the removal of the eighth amendment.

Prison chiefs are keeping a “watching brief” on the possible emergence of jihadist extremism in Irish jails.