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Sir, Whatever about the benefits for the UK of accomplishing its paramount aim of extricating itself from the single market arrangements, as outlined by D.R. Cooper (Letters, December 23rd), Ireland has been utterly transformed since becoming a member of the European Union. The changes can be seen in terms of physical and legislative infrastructure, not to mention the many fine houses built throughout the country.

Workers rights, womens rights, manufacturing and food standards have all been vastly improved.

Foreign investment in Ireland, no doubt helped by our EU membership, has been among the worlds highest. Pre-1973, our exports, a high percentage of which were food and agriculture, including live cattle, depended 90 per cent on the UK market.

The UK now takes some 13 per cent of total visible exports and 16 per cent of our services exports.

Whatever shape Brexit takes, the UK will still be an important market for Ireland as the UK misguidedly, in my opinion, turns its back on its major customers in Europe in search of a 21st-century El Dorado in the Americas. Yours, etc,

COLUM MacDONNELL,

Glenageary,

Co Dublin.

Sir, D.R. Cooper assures us it will, only take a modicum of common sense, for the UK to successfully extricate itself from the EU in 2020. I, for one, welcome this fundamental, if sadly overdue, change in the UKs Brexit negotiating strategy. Yours, etc,

RONAN McDERMOTT,

Rathgar,

Dublin 6.

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The UK and a trade deal with the EU - Irish Times

SCOTLAND will not be spending its last Christmas as part of the European Union this year, an SNP MP has vowed.

Alyn Smith, who was an MEP until elected as an MP this month, pledged the SNP would do all they can at Westminster to ensure the country can escape the mess of Brexit.

His comments come as a German MEP renewed a pledge the EU would leave the door open for an independent Scotland to rejoin.

A majority of 124 votes for the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill at its second reading in the Commons last week means the UK is on its way to finalising its divorce from Brussels by the January 31 deadline.

READ MORE:SNP's Amy Callaghan: My first week at Westminster as an MP

But Smith, who was elected to represent Stirling, said: This cannot be Scotlands last Christmas in the European Union, and SNP MPs will do all we can to ensure that Scotland can escape the mess of Brexit.

The people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly to Remain in the EU in 2016, and people in Scotland cannot be dragged out of Europe against the wishes of our people.

Scotland is a European nation and our EU membership must be protected from a destructive Tory Brexit.

The risk of losing 100,000 jobs in Scotland, and a Brexit money-grab of 2300 from every person per year with a hard Brexit, is simply not worth taking.

He added: Scotland cannot afford to stay a member of the UK in an increasingly insular Brexit Britain.

Only by taking our seat at the table with other independent European nations can Scotland escape the chaos of Brexit.

German Green MEP Terry Reintke tweeted a message highlighting a letter to the Scottish Parliament signed by 50 politicians from across the EU in the wake of the Brexit vote.

She said: Maybe now is the moment to remind everyone in Scotland of our commitment: Your future is for you to decide, but we will leave our door open.

The letter to MSPs acknowledges that Scotland voted strongly to remain within the EU. It added: If Scotland were to become an independent country and decided to maintain European Union membership, we offer our full support to ensure the transition is as swift, smooth and orderly as possible.

Scotland would be most welcome as a full member of the European Union, with your five million European citizens continuing to benefit from the rights and protections we all currently enjoy.

Yesterday Boris Johnson was asked whether he was planning for a hard Brexit at the end of 2020, as he visited British troops in Estonia and met with the countrys Prime Minister Juri Ratas.

He said: On the EU and our partnership, just talking to Juri Ratas, who is the prime minister here, such a positive feeling now.

What everybody wants to do is put Brexit behind us on January 31 and move on, and theres a lot of goodwill and a lot of energy now about building the new deep and special partnership, and thats what were going to do.

THE Prime Minister told MPs on Friday that the oven was on when it came to delivering Brexit next year, but said there would be no alignment to EU rules once the transition period ends in 2020.

READ MORE:Staying in the Union cost Scotland 3.3 billion this year

Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned a good trade deal for Ireland was looking increasingly unlikely after the stance taken by Number 10 since the Tories win.

It is going to be difficult to secure a good trade deal for Ireland, principally because Boris Johnson has fixed on a harder Brexit than we anticipated under his predecessor or at the time of the referendum, and that is one where he talks very much about divergence, he said.

The harder approach being taken by Prime Minister Johnson is a risk to us and that is evident.

Varadkar said he feared the UK, under a hard Brexit, would look to undercut EU states on food, financial, product and health standards in order to compete for world trade.

Meanwhile, concerns have been raised over Brexit trade negotiations following the sale of a UK defence and aerospace company to US private equity firm Advent. The UK Government approved the sale of Cobham, which has extensive contracts with the British military, on Friday after the deal was delayed due to national security concerns. Sir Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the move was deeply concerning.

He said: If Boris Johnsons Government are happy to sell of a leading UK defence and aerospace company to Trumps America, how can we expect his Government to protect our defence and manufacturing sectors, not to mention every other sector of our economy, as they negotiate trade deals after Brexit?

However Johnson said it was important to have an open and dynamic market economy.

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This is not Scotland's last Christmas in the European Union, Smith insists - The National

The European Union anticipates olive oil consumption to increase in non-producing countries, both within the 28-member trading bloc and the rest of the world.

The E.U. also predicts that production among its members will continue to steadily increase, growing by about 1.1 percent over the course of the next decade.

The E.U.s olive oil production is expected to further intensify with an increase in production capacity. Domestic consumption could grow, mainly outside of the main producing countries, the report said. At global level, strong demand in traditional and new markets should lead to an increase in E.U. exports.

These predictions were laid out in the E.U.s 2019 to 2030 agricultural outlook report published earlier this month.

The E.U. mainly attributes increasing production to the shift from traditional to super-intensive olive groves on the Iberian Peninsula as well as the modernization of irrigation systems and improvement of agronomic conditions of the trees.

The report also cites an increasing consumer preference for early-harvest olive oils and specialized organic and monovarietal oils as part of what is driving this production increase.

Overall, olive oil production in the E.U. is expected to increase by 400,000 tons over the course of the next decade. The majority of this growth is predicted to take place in Portugal, which, according to aseparate report, may be the third-largest producer of olive oil globally by 2030.

The report also addresses one of the upcoming challenges for Europes olive oil sector, which is the issue of farm succession.

Farm succession will remain achallenge, particularly in Italy and Greece, where most farms are smaller than five hectares (12.4acres), and where around 70 percent of the owners of these small farms are 55years and older, the report said.

In terms of consumption, the report predicts that the majority of growth in demand will come from outside of the main producing countries. The E.U. cites changing in eating habits as well as the younger generations concern about their health and the environment as two of the reasons behind this growth.

Overall, olive oil consumption in non-producing E.U. member states is expected to increase by eight percentage points, even as Europes population is projected to decline during the period.

Non-producing countries will make up 32 percent of total consumption in the trading bloc.

The trend of declining olive oil consumption in producing countries is also expected to slow down slightly.

The E.U. attributes both of these trends to successful awareness campaigns as well as the incorporation of olive oil into modern lifestyles, such as its use in various food services.

Along with increasing consumption, the E.U. also anticipates that exports to the rest of the world will increase by 3.3 percent per year between 2019 and 2030. The report suggests that exports are likely to increase in some existing markets as well as in new markets.

This optimism comes in spite of the uncertainty of future relations with the United Kingdom one of the largest domestic markets for olive oil in the E.U. which is set to begin the process of leaving the trading bloc on January 31.

Further complications could come from the United States, which is in the process of reviewing whether it will increase existing tariffs on Spanish olive oil imports and apply new tariffs on other E.U. olive oil imports as aresult of the ruling in its favor at the World Trade Organization in October.

In spite of the prediction for increasing production, the E.U. expects exports and consumption to grow at amuch faster rate as the decade progresses.

According to current market data, the E.U. has 829,000 tons of olive oil stocks. This near-record high figure (stocks were slightly higher in 2018) has been partially responsible for driving down olive oil prices in countries such as Spain, which has the vast majority of the stocks.

The report predicts that olive oil stocks will have decreased to 550,000 tons by 2030. Over the same period of time exports are predicted to steadily increase to 860,000 tons (they currently sit at 610,000 tons) and imports will decrease, but not dramatically (these change quite drastically depending on the harvests in E.U. countries).

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E.U. Anticipates Increase in Consumption and Exports by 2030 - Olive Oil Times

Brussels: The European Union has urged Saudi Arabia to prosecute those responsible for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi after five people were sentenced to death.

Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, called on Riyadh on Tuesday to bring to justice those responsible and involved in the killing in Istanbul in 2018 after a ruling on the case on Monday, Efe news reported.

He reiterated the need to fully guarantee accountability and prosecution of those responsible and implicated in the murder on 2 October at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, a spokesman for the high representative said in a statement.

Borrell added that the practice has to be based on the principles of transparency, respect for legal procedures and due process.

His statement came after Saudi Arabias public prosecution on Monday sentenced five people to death over the killing.

Shalan al-Shalan, a spokesman for the public prosecutor, said in a press conference that three other convicts received a total of 24 years in jail for covering up the crime.

He added that 10 others were released due to a lack of evidence.

Before the verdict, which can still be appealed, Borrell made it clear that the EU was unequivocally opposed to the use of capital punishment without exception.

He described the death sentence as a cruel and inhuman punishment that fails to deter and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity.

Khashoggis son praised the sentence, showing confidence in the Saudi judiciary system.

Fairness of the judiciary is based on two principles, fairness and speedy litigation, so there is neither injustice nor procrastination, Salah tweeted.

But a number of authorities, including the Turkish government, criticized the verdict.

Similarly, the United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Agnes Callamard, who investigated Khashoggis murder, called the trial a mockery. (IANS)

Also Read: 16 Saudis Barred From US Over Jamal Khashoggi Murder

Also Watch:BJP takes out Silent Procession in Barpeta, Himanta Biswa Sarma and Ranjeet Dass joins the rally

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Prosecute those involved in Jamal Khashoggi killing: European Union - The Sentinel Assam

There is no doubt 2019 has been a dramatic year for Irish politics. There have been near misses with Brexit, the highs and lows of three elections and political controversies.

At the same time all politicians acknowledge more needs to be done in Ireland to address health, housing and the global issue of our time: climate.

Here our political team of David Murphy, Paul Cunningham and Maggie Doyle see what 2019 tells us about the year ahead.

Three elections in 2019 - with the big one to come in 2020

The general election is lurking around the corner, possibly in the early months of 2020. During 2019 politicians had opportunities to assess the public appetite for their policies in the Local and European elections and four by-elections.

There is a lot which can be said about the by-elections and the European contest but perhaps the strongest gauge of what might happen during a general election were the local elections held in May. That is because a massive 949 seats in local authorities were filled and statistically it gives a good indication of the standing of the parties.

The elections showed Fianna Fil enjoyed the largest percentage of the first preference vote at 26.9%, followed by Fine Gael at 25.3%, Independents at 19.6%, Sinn Fin at 9.5%, Labour at5.7%, Greens at 5.5%, Solidarity-People Before Profit at 1.9% and Social Democrats at 2.3%.

The Fianna Fil performance was a strong indication of the party's resurgence, winning 279 seats. The party won a seat in the European elections and is due to take up another seat when Britain leaves the EU. It also had a strong performance in the November by-elections, winning two out of four seats on offer.

While Fine Gael made gains in the local elections the partyfell short of its aim to win 50 additional seats - in the end it won 255. It had a strong showing in the European elections taking up four positions of the initial 11 on offer. However it had poor performance in the by-elections and failed to secure any additional TDs in the Dil.

Perhaps the biggest change in voting patterns was the significant collapse in the Sinn Fin vote in the local elections as its number of councillors dropped from 158 in 2014 to 81 in 2019. While it also lost two seats in the European elections,the party took encouragement from winning a seat in the November by-elections.

2019 was a resounding success story for the Greens. It had 12 seats going into the local elections and three days later there were 49 Green councillors elected throughout the country. It also won two seats in the European elections and one seat in a by-election.

Social Democrats won a respectable 19 seats in the local elections while Solidarity-People Before Profit lost 17 seats, leaving it with 11 councillors.

Confidence and Supply the glue that held Government together

Confidence and Supply, the deal brokered between the two big parties, Fianna Fil and Fine Gael, came under pressure in 2019.

But the pact survived to keep the current coalition of Fine Gael and Independents in place, although on much tighter numbers than before.

The agreement was renewed in December 2018 after the initial May 2016 deal took effect.

In 2018, Fianna Fil leader Michel Martin gave the go-ahead for the minority government to continue through 2019, but with the caveat there would be an election in "early 2020".

Unsurprisingly, it was health and housing that mostly put the agreement under pressure, but Fianna Fils abstention from motions of no-confidence in two government ministers ensured the Government remained in office.

During the debate on the no-confidence motion against Minister for Health Simon Harris in February, Sinn Fin presidentMary Lou McDonald criticised Confidence and Supply, saying it had "undermined and discredited the political process".

Both sides recognised the fragility of it - when the costs of the overrun of the National Childrens Hospital became apparent, Mr Martin said it was "breach" of the agreement.

Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy said the Confidence and Supply Agreement was "not a perfect arrangement" but that it had created stability at a dangerous time for Ireland during Brexit negotiations.

There was some external recognition for Irelands political harmony. Last April, after another Brexit near miss, the European Parliament Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt commended Fianna Fil, in an interview on RTs Claire Byrne Live. He said the party was working in the interests of the country with the agreement.

He said: "We need a little bit more Irish common sense in British politics."

Brexit a year of two UK Prime Ministers

Britains controversial plans to leave the European Union ate up a vast quantities of political energy.

Deadlines came and went. Red lines were crossed. An alphabet soup of arrangements, backstops, plans, deals and protocols soaked up late nights and weekends.

It was a year of two halves -the first dominated by then UK prime minister Theresa May making unsuccessful attempts get a deal across the line the House of Commons.

The second half of the year saw Boris Johnson flirting with leaving the EU without an agreement, only to be blocked by the House of Commons, finally getting a majority after an election and pushing an agreement over the line.

From the point of view of the Irish politics the main aim was to ensure that Irelands interests were a priority for EU negotiators.

Top of that list of demands was ensuring that no hard border was introduced on the island as part of Brexit and the freedom of movement was maintained.

Despite the usual sparring and jousting among politicians in Leinster House, they were aligned on Brexit.

The need to have a stable Government in place while Britain slid from one political crisis to another was paramount to many in Leinster House.

On 7 JuneMrs May resigned and was replaced by Mr Johnson later that month.

A key encounter came on 10 October when Prime Minister Johnson met Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

Following that meeting a new deal was agreed with EU negotiators.

The deal abandoned the so-called backstop, but also shifted checks to the Irish Sea. That move freed the island of Britain from remaining part of the EU Customs Union - a key sticking point for hard Brexiteers.

It was met with expected opposition from the DUP which had supported the minority Conservative coalition in the House of Commons. Brexit legislation was stalled.

Britain held a general election on 12 December,giving the Conservatives a landslide majority. The development made life easy for the Irish Government and the EU as they now were dealing with a British Prime Minister who could implement their plans with help of a whopping majority.

For Ireland it meant the Withdrawal Agreement would be passed through the House of Commons quickly.

That had a further consequence for Ireland - the raison d'tre forfgener the Confidence and Supplyarrangement to remain in place lapsed -sparking speculation about a general election early in the New Year.

Budget 2020 how the Finance Minister dodged a bullet

Paschal Donohoe, the Minister for Finance, had a tricky task in the run up to the Budget.

He was preparing his economic package as Britain was again flirting with the prospect of leaving the European Union without a deal on 31 October. That scenario would cause enormous economic damage to Ireland and the UK.

Mr Donohoe had two options - A) announce a precautionary Budget built on the assumption that the UK would leave without a deal, or B) assume common sense would prevail and Britain would get a deal or an extension.

While "B" happened, with Britain extending Brexit until January, Minister Donohoe and colleagues prepared for "A" a no-deal scenario.

It meant hehad the best of both worlds.

He could introduce a prudent Budget despite the booming economy. He also had the political cover of a potential no-deal Brexit as an excuse not to reduce income taxes and not to repeat the social welfare increases of past year.

On 8 October he unveiled a package which made relatively few changes.

However, he did increase Carbon Taxes by 6 per tonne which added 2c per litre to the price of petrol or diesel.

Absent from his Budget speech was a commitment to go further and make commitments to increase the tax annually in an effort to reduce emissions.

Internal affairs politicians land in hot water

"Let no person in this House, and beyond, be in any doubt this is a very serious situation which requires urgent action."

That was the assessment of Ceann Comhairle Sen Fearghal in October, when dealing with the negative fall-out from widespread coverage of irregular voting in the Dil chamber.

He said the public must have "total and absolute confidence" in the voting process and then quickly followed-up to make sure it happened. From now on, Dil deputies have to be in their own seats when voting, and party whips must guarantee that is the case.

While many TDs had voted for colleagues who were elsewhere in the Dil, it was Fianna Fil TDs who were involved in votes for colleagues who had actually left the chamber.

The cases of Timmy Dooley and Niall Collins are still before the Dil's ethics committee. Lisa Chambers was found by the Members' Interests Committee to have "inadvertently"pressed her colleagues button and given a warning.

Fine Gael experienced its own problems when Cork North Central TD Dara Murphy resigned his seat to work with the European Commission. There were calls for investigations into his Dil attendance, and expense claims, given he had been working regularly in Brussels for two years, as well as being a TD, with the European People's Party.

The party also moved to de-select its Dn Laoghaire TD Maria Bailey as a general election candidate. She garnered much negative coverage over her decision to initiate an insurance claim against a Dublin hotel after falling off a swing. Fine Gael also deselected its Wexford general election candidate Verona Murphy after her controversial remarks on immigration.

But it wasn't just the political parties who faced difficulties. The Houses of the Oireachtas also had to try to explain why a printer and related equipment, which cost 1.3m, couldn't fit into the designated building when it arrived.

None of the controversies helped the politicians reputations in the eyes of the public.

Climate the pressing global issue of our time

2019 was the year that Dil ireann declared there was a climate emergency - and thereby Ireland became only the second country in the world to do so. Campaigner Greta Thunberg was impressed, tweeting: "Great news from Ireland!!! Who is next?" But it was a strange affair in May: only six TDs were in the Dil chamber at the time.

Two months earlier, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Action published a cross-party report entitled: Climate Change: A cross-party consensus for action. The document was a substantial achievement, building on the work of the Citizens' Assembly the previous year. It was supported by Fine Gael, Fianna Fil, Labour and the Greens as both balanced but radical. However, consensus remained elusive - Sinn Fin and People Before Profit voted against it, arguing green taxes hurt low income earners unfairly.

In July, the Irish Government published its Climate Action Plan. Its objective is to ensure Ireland reduces carbon emissions by 30% between 2021 and 2030, and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

At the UN climate change summit in Madrid in December, Minister for Climate Action Richard Bruton declared that "Ireland is determined to play its part" in tackling climate change.

At the meeting, the Climate Change Performance Index found that Ireland had improved its position by seven places. However, it remains languishing at number 41 out of 61 countries.

Sometimes politics is criticised for promoting the urgent ahead of the important.

For leaders across the globe the extent to which they take concrete action to limit the effects of climate change will be a critical issue in 2020.

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Elections and controversies dominate political year - RTE.ie