Irish President Michael D Higgins chimed in on the Eurozone debt crisis this week, criticizing the response of European leaders and the actions of the European Central Bank.

The backlash against austerity measures forced on European governments including Ireland has finally manifested itself, with European leaders now falling over themselves to proclaim it is time for austerity to end.

President Michael D Higgins received a standing ovation from his audience at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg.

Noam Chomsky, one of the world's most most famous political theorists, is warning that the European Union's panicked response to the economic crisis has left European democracy in a much worse condition than the United States.

Bad news for Michael O'Leary, CEO of the Irish low cost airline Ryanair. According to the Irish Times, Ryanair has been notified that the EU Commission plans to reject the company's attempt to takeover Irish national carrier Aer Lingus.

Ireland’s Finance Minister Michael Noonan is laughing all the way to the European Central Bank after a surprise upturn in his treasury’s tax take.

The Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has said the New Year will bring hope, possibility and confidence to Ireland as the country enters its presidency of the European Union.
 
Kenny said the presidency will bring hope and confidence to people of Ireland by delivering jobs, stability and economic growth.
 
He said “We all know too well here in Ireland the huge sacrifices the crisis has meant. The people of Europe and Ireland need to know and need to see there is progress being made. That there is a next step to recovery.”
 
The Irish leader was joined by the Deputy leader Eamon Gilmore and Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton at a special flag-raising ceremony at Dublin Castle, to mark the beginning of Ireland's six-month term.
 
Kenny insists that stronger relations with EU member states would lead to a brighter future for Ireland.
 
He said “The Irish presidency in 2013 will be about three crucial words: stability, jobs and growth.
 
"There are real actions to back up those three words. We will be in the business of solution, a recovery country, driving recovery in Europe."
 
The ceremony at Dublin Castle marked the beginning of Ireland’s seventh presidential term, honored the incoming European Year of Citizens and celebrates 40 years since Ireland entered the EU in 1973.
 
Kenny said “Let this presidency and the new year, this European year of the citizen, bring new hope, new possibility and new confidence to our peoples…And above all, may it find that, together, this family of Europeans, we are making a richer and more sustainable future for all our peoples.”

Europe’s top politicians and civil servants will have to slum it on Ryanair thanks to the scrooges in the Irish government.

Data from the Economic and Social Research Institute shows that Ireland continues to have the highest birth rate in the European Union after having 74,377 births registered last year. Despite the high number, the figure actually shows a slight decline in birth rate from the previous year.

Praveen Halappanavar, the grief stricken husband of the woman who died after being refused an abortion in Ireland, has vowed to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights, his lawyer told CNN on Thursday.

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has claimed victory in his battle to persuade Europe to change the terms of the bank bail-out.