The Irish Times has begun printing an international edition of the newspaper in London.
It is already available in more than 2,000 outlets in the greater London area, and the distribution network will be expanded to other major cities in Britain in the coming months.
The new edition was formally launched at a reception hosted in the Irish Embassy in London last night by Ambassador Dáithí Ó Ceallaigh.
He said the innovation marked a new step in the newspaper's 146-year history which would serve not only a large diaspora but also a growing number of readers, especially in Britain and in Europe, with a passion for foreign affairs.
In 2002, he added, the Irish Government set up a task force regarding emigrants, and the constantly recurring theme throughout its discussions with the Irish abroad was the issue of contact with Ireland.
"There was a great desire for information about contemporary Ireland and a wish to stay in touch with developments there. Together with its competitors in the print and broadcast media, The Irish Times helps keep a large expatriate audience in contact with developments at home."
Irish Times editor Geraldine Kennedy described the international edition as a significant development for the newspaper, reflecting a huge change in Irish society which saw people travelling more frequently than ever before and almost 400,000 Irish residents visiting Britain in the April-June quarter of last year alone.
"I have received a steady stream of letters from readers over the last couple of years complaining that the newspaper was not readily available in the greater London area. They thought it wasn't the same to read it on screen - they wanted to be able to feel and fold their newspaper. The Irish Times is part of their daily lives," she added.
In common with other international editions, she said, printing requirements meant that the London edition had a reduced page count and colour content than that produced in Dublin. But the real compensation for readers was its availability on newsstands first thing each morning.
Irish Times managing director Maeve Donovan said the major challenge facing the media today was to be available to its audience where and how they wanted to receive it. The Irish Times online edition - ireland.com - had become one of the world's most successful online newspapers since its introduction in 1994.
The digital edition, launched in 2004, allowed the paper to be read onscreen in the same format as the printed version. And, more recently, a print-on-demand facility was available in leading hotels and tourist locations around the world.
She added: "Notwithstanding these different formats, we have always been cognisant of the importance of having the printed newspaper available in Britain, our nearest neighbour and a country whose past and present is inextricably linked with our own."
It was hoped to also print the international edition in Madrid soon.