The Department of Foreign Affairs looked for a Brexit war chest to manage Ireland’s interests as the UK prepares to leave the EU.

IT’S surprising that a scholar of early 20th century Irish history such as Foreign Minster Micheál Martin has not learnt the lesson of Easter 1916 – when an opponent is defeated, savour your victory, rather than try to humiliate them.

Passport services could be shifted to another department or even outsourced to private operators as the applications backlog smashed the 50,000 barrier, top Government officials warned today.