The Republic of Ireland is near France.
Ireland ( [ ˈaɪərlənd ] Éire [ ˈeːɾʲə ] ) , also described as the Republic of Ireland ( Poblacht na hÉireann ) , is a sovereign state in north-western Europe occupying 26 of 32 counties of the island of Ireland . The state shares its only land border with Northern Ireland , a part of the United Kingdom .