It is difficult to imagine a more insulting act by a head of government than to send a formal letter on headed notepaper purporting to come from his office and person, but omitting to sign it as a means of authenticating it. And then to send another signed letter saying something quite different.

Unprecedented last ditch Brexit talks will take place this morning on the edges of the EU leaders summit in a bid to finally drag an almost completed deal over the finishing line.

A potential Brexit deal was on the verge of being announced last night, but may require further talks on the edges of the EU leaders’ summit this morning after last-minute hitches to an agreement emerged.

A breakthrough Brexit “political declaration” creating an EU customs border in the Irish Sea was inching into sight last night as part of a potential deal which could finally end the long-running saga.

A potential deal that will create an EU border in the Irish Sea is on the brink of being achieved tonight after marathon talks designed to push the plan forward for ratification at the 11th hour tomorrow.

DUP leader Arlene Foster has dismissed speculation about a Northern Ireland-only backstop and said she expects to meet Boris Johnson tonight.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has revealed last-minute EU-UK talks to secure a Brexit deal are "moving in the right direction" - despite saying it "remains unclear" if an agreement will be struck by tomorrow's EU summit.

Fianna Fáil has criticised Sinn Féin for refusing to take its Westminster seats for crucial Brexit votes.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said his preference is still to hold a general election next spring despite pressure mounting to go to the polls as a successful Brexit deal looms.

Brexit provides dissident republicans with a “rallying cry” in their bid to perpetuate the severe threat they pose to security services in the North, a senior PSNI officer has said.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will “run as far away as possible from a domestic agenda” if a Brexit deal is agreed and he calls a snap general election.

British prime minister Boris Johnson is set to table fresh plans to secure a Brexit deal with fears mounting that an agreement will be impossible by this week's EU summit.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has told Britain that it is time to "turn good intentions into a legal text" deal with just two days to go before the crunch EU summit in Brussels.

EU leaders have signalled a willingness to provide the UK with another Brexit extension to get a deal over the line as talks enter a critical phase.

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

The Taoiseach has admitted he is “not optimistic” about a Brexit deal being struck ahead of a crucial EU summit next month.

More than 3,000 jobs in the Irish fishing industry could be on the line within months of a no deal Brexit, it has been warned.

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.

Phil Hogan will not be the first Irish politician to find redemption and to have carved out an international reputation in Brussels.

So that’s nearly Thursday 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 European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator said the bloc is still waiting for proposals from Prime Minister Boris Johnson to end the impasse over Britain’s departure, which is due at the end of next month.

The British Government will mount a fresh attempt to call an early election on Monday after failing in a bid last night to go to the country on October 15.

So that’s nearly Wednesday 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 chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has pledged that peace in Ireland and citizens in the union will be protected in “all circumstances” as fears of a hard Brexit grow.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has thrown down the gauntlet to the likely next British prime minister Boris Johnson by saying he is the “only person” who knows if there is going to be a no-deal Brexit.

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

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

So that’s nearly Monday 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 European Union (EU) will not discuss anything with Britain about a future post-Brexit relationship until issues relating to the Irish border are resolved, Michel Barnier has said.

The European Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier is set to visit Dublin for talks on Brexit.

Update 10.45pm: Michel Barnier has warned the UK that if they don't support Theresa May's deal in the next few days their options going forward will be limited.

A British request for a Brexit deadline extension as well as consequences of a chaotic no-deal will be discussed between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and French President Emmanuel Macron today.

Fiachra Ó Cionnaith answers your burning Brexit questions.

British prime minister Theresa May has been warned her last-ditch plea to extend next Friday’s Brexit deadline will be rejected within 48 hours unless she can explain exactly how the extra time will be used.

If you're still nursing a sore head from the weekend festivities, you might want to sit down for this.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said EU leaders will have to assess “the reason and the usefulness” of any request by Theresa May to extend the Article 50 withdrawal process.

Coveney downbeat after May’s revised plan defeated in Commons

Britain rebuffs EU offer requiring commitment to avoiding hard border as crucial Commons vote looms

Backing comes in exchange for movement on backstop measure Theresa May has been given a Brexit boost as key Tories signalled swinging behind her stance in exchange for movement on the backstop.

Hopes of an orderly Brexit are mounting with EU negotiator Michel Barnier signalling an arrangement is close to being agreed ahead of a crunch vote in Westminster later this month.

Running down the clock may be Theresa Mays’s policy but extending the clock, and running it down at the same time for the Irish Government, is the deliberate strategy of Fianna Fáil. For they well know, from recent experience, that the longer the present Government stays in power, the more likely they will become a risk to the economy or get the blame for a downturn, post-Brexit, etc.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has insisted the entire EU remains completely behind Ireland's Brexit stance despite Poland's foreign minister breaking ranks and calling for the backstop to be limited to five years to drag a deal over the line.

The EU’s commitment to Ireland has been confirmed, the Good Friday Agreement has been protected, and the border ‘backstop’ has been assured, says Simon Coveney

The EU’s chief negotiator has rejected British claims of a Brexit breakthrough, warning that a deal is not close despite ongoing London hopes of an agreement by the end of the month.