As Taoiseach Leo Varadkar eases into his first Christmas as leader, he must be counting his lucky stars that we were spared an unnecessary election, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has conceded that relations between Dublin and the DUP and with the British government are strained because of Brexit, but said it was not a mess of the Government’s making.

There is room for a special deal on the North in any Brexit deal. 

Gerry Adams has given the Taoiseach some “friendly advice” in the Dáil, claiming he has already fallen into the “Enda Kenny trap” just four months into his tenure.

The Taoiseach has been accused of “putting party before country” by refusing to announce the date of his departure.

When Sinn Féin announced yesterday that Michelle O’Neill would succeed the forced-to-retire Martin McGuinnes as their North of Ireland leader, it created an unprecedented situation on — the leaders of the two main parties in parliament are women in their 40s — at least until the elections to the Northern Assembly are completed.

The dramatic resignation of Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister yesterday has thrown the North’s power-sharing administration into chaos.

Political leaders in the South expressed their grave fears for the future of the Northern Assembly following the decision by Martin McGuinness to resign as deputy first minister.

Hotel owners, publicans and restaurant owners in Dublin, and other key destinations, have been warned not to fleece foreign visitors if Ireland’s tourism industry is to keep growing.

Sinn Féin deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald says the “realities of life” are behind a review of the party’s policy of only taking the average industrial wage.

LIKE every member of democratic parliaments around the world, the members of the Northern Assembly, every last one of them, was elected to administer, run, develop, and advance the society they represent.

A £160m hit to Stormont’s budget next year will be dwarfed by a further £1.3bn worth of cuts looming on the horizon, the Northern Assembly has been warned.

I am sure no-one, and not least the Deputy First Minister, wants to go down in history as the organ grinder’s monkey and, for that reason, I found it astonishing that Martin McGuinness reversed Sinn Fein policy and announced without consultation of any kind that he would agree to shrinking the structures of the Northern Assembly.

Shockwaves from Scotland’s decisive rejection of independence look set to force a major constitutional upheaval in the North.

Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has called for a border poll on Irish unity.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson has requested the recall of the devolved Assembly after claiming a government deal that saw IRA terror suspects assured they would not be prosecuted also involved the granting of royal pardons.

ANGLO-IRISH relations were seriously scarred by the Haughey government’s attitude during the Falklands War in 1982.

In 2004, Kathryn Nelson was a high-flying property advisor. But then the Northern Bank robbery occurred and she was wrongly implicated in money laundering. Caroline O’Doherty reports on her efforts to clear her name

A motion is to be put forward in the Northern Assembly today asking for an apology from the Republic for the role the Irish government of the day played in the emergence of the IRA.

More than 60 citizens will be selected at random over the coming weeks to take part in a forum to decide on changes needed to the modernise the Constitution.

Sinn Féin Donegal TD Pearse Doherty said today that he hopes a referendum on whether the North should join the Republic will be held within the term of the current Northern Assembly.

Despite the Northern Assembly adding its unanimous voice to calls for the Government to issue both a pardon and an apology to the 5,700 Irish soldiers who deserted their posts during World War II and joined the British Army, the Government must remain resolute and refuse.

THE Green Party celebrated its 30th anniversary yesterday with leader Eamon Ryan unveiling a new front bench and a return to politics of former parliamentary party members.

Government officials from both sides of the border will hold talks in January on the future of the A5 road project, the Northern Assembly has been told today.

NO ONE wants to see the debates on the Presidency descend into a muck-raking contest, but a reasonably unblemished curriculum vitae is surely a must for such an important State job.

NEARLY half of people in Dublin do not feel safe in the city at night time, a poll has found.

ANGLO has no chance of getting back the full €2.88 billion it is owed by Seán Quinn and his family, Finance Minister Michael Noonan has admitted.

ULSTER GAA scored a windfall victory yesterday with news they will receive £61.4million (€71,458,841) in public funding toward the reconstruction of Casement Park.

Church leaders have slammed the Northern Assembly's blueprint for tackling sectarianism.

GERRY ADAMS was never a man to shy away from risks.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams will contest the Co Louth seat in Ireland's next General Election, party sources confirmed today.

Sean Neeson is standing down from the Northern Assembly at the next election, it emerged today.

RELATIONS between the British and Irish Governments are “based on agreements” which they are “bound to” no matter who becomes prime minister, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said last night.

SO Martin McGuinness, senior IRA figure, now Sinn Féin’s deputy first minister in the Northern Assembly, felt confident enough on Tuesday to suggest Cardinal Seán Brady should be “considering his position”.

Dublin: Business group IBEC and the North’s CBI, together with Universities Ireland (UI), have urged support for a cross-border talent acceleration programme for students.

The Taoiseach Brian Cowen and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have joined the North's First and Deputy First Ministers in the past hour to address the media after a deal was struck on the devolution of policing and justice powers.

The guilt-ridden wife of the North's First Minister Peter Robinson tried to kill herself after making a midnight confession to her husband that she had an affair, it was disclosed tonight.

Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward said today he remained “confident” that a deal would be reached on the handover of policing and justice powers to the Stormont executive.

Householders in the North may not pay water bills for the next three years under legislation introduced in the Northern Assembly today.

Nationalist and republican politicians clashed today regarding plans to devolve policing and justice powers to the North.