This year should provide answers to some very big questions at home and abroad. On the domestic front they include whether Leo Varadkar will call an early general election and whether the Eighth Amendment will be repealed. Can Ireland’s corporation tax resist external attacks, what will the final Brexit deal look like and what impact will gradual central bank policy tightening have? On the overseas front, the fate of North Korea’s nuclear programme should become clearer and the world will be watching closely to see how President Trump continues to fare. Measured debate on the Eighth Amendment is unlikely as the vote draws near Clodagh Kilcoyne/ReutersEven before the political rumpus that led to the resignation of Frances Fitzgerald as tánaiste there was substantial media chatter suggesting that the taoiseach may favour an early general election.

Source: The Times December 29, 2017 00:00 UTC