2) The BBC News article repeatedly referred to "the Republic of Ireland". No such country exists, nor has ever existed. In the UK the Ireland Act 1949 provided that "Republic of Ireland" is the official name of the state under UK law. So there.
Well now, at the risk of serious thread creep, I wasn't aware that the UK's 1949 act had applied a name to the country that was different to it's official titile and that which is internationally recognised.
From the Irish Constitution
Article 4
The name of the State is Éire, or, in the English language, Ireland.
Amazing what you pick up on PPRuNe these days!
JAS