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Michel Barnier pictured leaving the Elysee Palace in November

Michel Barnier - France's shortest-serving prime minister

Ousted Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who was toppled in a historic no-confidence vote made extraordinary calm his trademark across a half-century in politics, but goes down as the shortest-serving PM in French history.

Europe • 05 Dec 24

Michel Barnier seen in the chamber after speaking during the debate on the no confidence motion

French PM Barnier ousted after losing no confidence vote

French politicians have ousted their government with a no-confidence motion, an unprecedented move which plunges the eurozone's second-biggest economic power deeper into political turmoil.

Europe • 05 Dec 24

Newly appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier (R) with outgoing prime minister Gabriel Attal (L) during the handover ceremony

Ex-Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier named French PM

President of France Emmanuel Macron has named the European Union's former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as new prime minister following almost two months of political deadlock after snap polls, the presidency said.

World • 05 Sep 24

Podcast: Brexit Republic - La Grande Illusion

Deputy Foreign Editor Colm Ó Mongáin is joined by London Correspondent Sean Whelan on the Brexit vibes in elections in Scotland and England and by Europe Editor Tony Connelly on the latest round of naval gazing off the Jersey coast.

Brexit • 07 May 21

Michel Barnier was accused by the DUP of being the 'puppet' of the Irish government

Michel Barnier reveals 'frustrations' with DUP in talks

Michel Barnier has revealed his frustration at the role that both the DUP and hardline Brexiteers played in hampering the quest to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland as he negotiated two Brexit treaties over a gruelling four-year period.

Brexit • 05 May 21

Michel Barnier said the Northern Ireland peace process was 'very fragile'

Brexit is a 'failure' the EU must learn from - Barnier

The EU's long-serving Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has urged all sides to shoulder their responsibilities to Northern Ireland and what he described as a "very fragile" peace process.

Brexit • 27 Apr 21

Podcast: Brexit Republic - Frankly Speaking

Brexit • 22 Jan 21

Michel Barnier said 'you need to be two to make a deal'

UK 'rejected visa-free entry' to EU for performers

The UK turned down an EU proposal for visa-free travel for performers and journalists in post-Brexit talks, the European Union's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said in a briefing published today.

Brexit • 14 Jan 21

Boris Johnson warned the British public to prepare for no deal

Johnson says 'strong possibility' of no Brexit deal

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned there is a "strong possibility" the EU and UK will not agree a post-Brexit trade deal.

Brexit • 10 Dec 20

Michel Barnier updated ambassadors from 27 EU member states

Barnier says coming hours key if Brexit deal to be done

European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said that the future relationship negotiations would be in crisis if the UK introduced fresh legislation next week which breached the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Brexit • 02 Dec 20

The talks are a final bid to seal a new partnership agreement for when Britain's transition out of the European Union runs its course at the end of the year

Brexit talks go into another week in effort to get deal

EU and British Brexit negotiators will continue talks in Brussels today and until around mid-week, sources on both sides have said, in a sign both sides are still pushing to avoid a damaging breakdown in trade in less than nine weeks.

Business • 03 Nov 20

British Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said the EU had refused to discuss legal texts of a draft trade deal

EU pledges to intensify talks on Brexit and legal texts

Senior European Union officials have said the EU is ready to intensify talks towards a deal on future trade ties with the UK after a meeting to discuss the existing Brexit agreement.

Brexit • 19 Oct 20

Mr Barnier has been speaking this week by video link to ministers from the so-called Group of Eight coastal states, which includes Ireland

EU states take a hard line over Brexit fisheries talks

EU fishing member states are taking an increasingly hard line over any concessions to the UK in the current phase of the Brexit negotiations, RTÉ News understands.

Brexit • 06 Oct 20

Simon Coveney said there's likely to be a break of a number of weeks between the Commons consideration and the Lords consideration of this legislation

Opportunity to address Brexit legislation - Coveney

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, has said British concerns over the Northern Ireland Protocol could be addressed in the period between the passing of controversial legislation in the House of Commons and when it is dealt with by the House of Lords.

Brexit • 22 Sep 20

Michel Barnier met ambassadors from 27 member states this morning

Legal action over Brexit deal breach 'still on table'

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, has told member states that legal action against the UK for its threatened breach of the Northern Ireland Protocol remains on the table, but will be deployed at the "appropriate" time, RTÉ News understands.

Brexit • 16 Sep 20

Since the Brexit vote, talks on a new trade deal have so far made little headway

No-trade deal Brexit fears rise as talks stuck

The chances of Britain leaving the European Union without a trade deal have risen sharply as negotiations have been threatened by London's insistence that it have full autonomy over its state aid plans, negotiators and diplomats said today.

Business • 04 Sep 20

Michel Barner said the Brexit talks this week often appeared to going backwards rather than forwards

Barnier 'disappointed & concerned' after Brexit talks

The latest negotiating round between Britain and the European Union on future ties after a post-Brexit transition period runs out at the end of 2020 brought no breakthroughs this week on the key sticking points, an EU official has said.

Business • 21 Aug 20

Michel Barnier has expressed confidence of a Brexit deal at a closed-door meeting

Barnier confident deal with Britain possible - sources

The European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier expressed confidence at a closed-door meeting with member state envoys to the bloc last Friday that a new deal with Britain was possible, diplomatic sources have told Reuters.

Business • 27 Jul 20

Tonight's dinner will kick off the latest round of Brexit talks that have all but stalled because of major differences over their future relationship

Private dinner kicks off latest Brexit talks

Top British and European Union negotiators will dine at Number 10 Downing Street this evening, kicking off the latest round of Brexit talks that have all but stalled because of major differences over their future relationship.

Business • 07 Jul 20

Simon Coveney said the UK had to move on the level playing field issue to break the deadlock

No deal Brexit a real risk now, says Tánaiste

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has said that a no-deal Brexit is now a real risk because the UK is looking for something different to what was committed in the Political Declaration.

Brexit • 17 May 20

British Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove

Brexit talks can still be done within agreed timescale

Talks to strike a deal on a post-Brexit relationship between Britain and the European Union can still be concluded within the agreed timescale, British Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said today.

Business • 27 Apr 20

Michel Barnier said the UK did not want to engage seriously on a number of key issues

Barnier accuses UK of stalling Brexit negotiations

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier deplored a lack of progress in the latest round of post-Brexit trade talks today, accusing Britain of stalling negotiations.

Brexit • 24 Apr 20

David Frost 'has been showing mild symptoms and so he is following the guidance to self-isolate'

Brexit talks uncertain as Frost and Barnier isolate

Britain's lead negotiator for post-Brexit trade talks with the European Union, David Frost, is self-isolating after showing mild symptoms of coronavirus - the day after his EU counterpart said he had the virus.

Coronavirus • 20 Mar 20

Michel Barnier said he was 'doing well' after he tested positive for Covid-19

EU's Michel Barnier tests positive for Covid-19

Michel Barnier, the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, has tested positive for Covid-19.

Coronavirus • 19 Mar 20

The next negotiating round is due in London on 18-20 March

'Very serious' differences between EU and UK sides

Britain and the European Union have "very serious" differences about their future relationship but an agreement is still possible, the EU's Brexit negotiator has said on Thursday after a first round of talks following their divorce.

Brexit • 05 Mar 20