The Minister for Finance is travelling to London today to discuss Brexit with the UK Chancellor.
Paschal Donohoe has said he looks forward to meeting Sajid Javid and maintaining close ties with the British Government.
He said Brexit poses serious challenges, particularly in Northern Ireland.
He has also warned that the backstop remains the only viable option to avoid physical infrastructure, checks and controls on the border.
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The US President will this week visit the scene of one of the weekend’s two deadly mass shootings.
Donald Trump is travelling to El Paso in Texas tomorrow.
A total of 31 people died in shootings there and in Ohio over the weekend.
The deaths have led to increased calls for tighter gun controls in the US.
President Trump has condemned racism and white supremacy in response and called for more mental health checks.
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The search for an Irish teenager who has been missing in Malaysia since Sunday is continuing today.
15-year-old Nóra Quoirin, who has special needs, disappeared while on holiday with her family.
Her father raised the alarm after finding her bed empty and her window open on Sunday.
Local police have deployed a helicopter and sniffer dogs as the search enters its third day.
Investigators have said no foul play is suspected.
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A 17-year-old has been charged with attempted murder after a six-year-old boy was allegedly thrown from the tenth floor of London’s Tate Modern art gallery.
The child is believed to have landed on a fifth floor roof. He remains in a stable but critical condition in hospital with his family.
He is a French national and police say there is no link between the suspect and the victim.
The teenager will appear before Bromley Youth Court on Tuesday.
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Hundreds of people attended a special Mass last night for the Tipperary teenager who died after taking drugs at a music event.
Jack Downey from Clonmel passed away after three days at Cork University Hospital.
The 19-year-old is believed to have taken ecstasy at the Indiependence festival in Mitchelstown on Friday.
More than 400 people attended a special Mass for him in his home-town of Clonmel last night