Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

Far from the madding crowd, deep in the caverns of the birthplace of the once great bastion of altruistic volunteerism that was the GAA, a room full of megalomaniacs congregated.

Europe will not think twice about screwing Ireland, if it has to, in order to screw Britain. We are so small and peripheral to the grander scheme of things, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell. 

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has warned that Ireland must move into a “new phase of preparedness” for all potential Brexit outcomes amid fears a no-deal situation could cost this country hundreds of millions of euro and see unemployment levels surge.

Just 98 days and counting.

How do you know when the silly season has begun? When the pages of the newspapers are full of a spat between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the entire journalistic corps.

We generally tend to be very critical of the Irish political system and frequently criticise our very diluted form of democracy, writes Jim Power.

We generally tend to be very critical of the Irish political system and frequently criticise our very diluted form of democracy, writes Jim Power.

The latest proposals from the British government have been described as a “step towards a much softer Brexit” by Tánaiste Simon Coveney.

It is an extraordinary comment on the Conservative Party that they have made Jeremy Corbyn electable.Brexit could be the makings of a Corbyn primed to lead nation

The EU should be “flexible” on its red-line Brexit issues if British Prime Minister Theresa May is to force through her Chequers plan for a soft Brexit, according to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

It is an extraordinary comment on the Conservative Party that they have made Jeremy Corbyn electable.

Political chaos in the wake of shock resignations from Theresa May’s Cabinet is threatening to stall crucial negotiations over Brexit.

The EU should cut Theresa May some slack after she softened the UK's position on Brexit, according to a former Taoiseach.

Your lunchtime headlines...

Your morning headlines...

The British government has fantasy “non-solutions” to the Irish border and are indifferent to the fallout from Brexit for Ireland, Sinn Féin president Mary-Lou McDonald has claimed.

Moves to double Ireland’s global footprint and strengthen alliances will be announced today in an effort to better protect the country in a post-Brexit European Union.

Britain’s latest plan to avoid a hard border was immediately criticised as unworkable by European leaders, amid chaos within the British cabinet.

Leaked British plans to create a 10-mile “buffer zone” around the border have been described as “bonkers”, “fantastical”, and “like something out of Alice in Wonderland” by both British and Irish Brexit experts.

The Irish Government is prepared to help British prime minister Theresa May push her customs partnership proposal, but will not give an inch on last December’s backstop agreement.

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has warned that there is a real risk of a disorderly withdrawal by Britain from the EU unless there is a clear solution for the island of Ireland.

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is due to travel to the border region for a meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar next week to discuss the impasse over the North and Britain’s EU exit.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney will further press the British government today to reinstate a special conference between both governments to assist the resumption of power-sharing in the North.

The Taoiseach has strongly denied claims by David Davis that Sinn Féin is “strongly influencing” the Government in Brexit talks.

David Davis has insisted that a solution will be found to the Irish border issue after Brexit and a trade deal with Brussels is now "incredibly probable".

The fallback deal to ensure there is no return to any border or checkpoints in the North is now “legally firm”, the Government has said.

British business leaders have reacted with relief at the agreement of a transition deal between Britain and the EU amid fear firms could have faced a "cliff edge" break when the UK leaves in March 2019.

Last week my work took me to the very rural part of the southern regions of the Netherlands, close to the German border.

Birmingham hauled themselves out of the relegation zone and left Sunderland further in trouble at the wrong end of the Sky Bet Championship with a 3-1 win at St Andrew's.

UK Brexit Secretary David Davis has played down Cabinet rifts over Europe, insisting there is "no difference" between himself, Chancellor Philip Hammond and Theresa May on the outcome they are seeking from Britain’s EU withdrawal.

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has questioned whether British Tory MP David Davis actually understands Brexit issues and has warned that the deal to prevent a hard border in the North is a “fudge”.j

The EU will demand that European law continues to apply in the UK during the planned transition period after it leaves the bloc, according to the latest Brussels negotiating guidelines.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has questioned whether David Davis understands the Brexit issues.

There are so many moving parts to the Brexit process that inevitably some sectors are going to be overlooked at different stages of the negotiation processes.

Concrete guarantees that there will be no backsliding on a special Brexit deal for a frictionless border in the North and aligned trade rules there with the EU are expected to be approved today in Brussels.

A clause to prevent Britain reneging on its Brexit promise of no fresh border in the North is expected to be agreed by EU leaders.

Leaders of the 27 remaining EU states are now expected to agree at a Brussels summit on Friday that the second phase can begin.

On the North-South Interconnector, the fact is that we have outdone David Davis on backsliding, writes Gerard Howlin.

Significant divergence has emerged between Ireland and the UK after Britain’s Brexit minister indicated that the agreement committing to no hard border does not have to be kept.

Britain’s Brexit secretary has risked a war of words with the Government after stating the Brexit deal signed to much fanfare last week was “more a statement of intent than it was a legally enforceable thing”.

Britain has come up with two ways to secure a frictionless border after Brexit, according to the Northern Ireland secretary.

The Tánaiste has responded to claims from Britain's Brexit secretary that the deal struck this week may not be legally binding.

The Irish and British governments have clashed over whether the Brexit agreement intended to trigger trade talks is legally binding or not.