Early Edition
A morning news update from The Irish Times, covering top stories five days a week. Produced in association with MSD.
Episodes
Deportation flights; 'rough sex' defence; Australia; 'book-handling' in Berlin
The State paid more than €1 million for a single deportation flight when returning 42 adults and children from Ireland to South Africa in June.The ‘rough sex’ defence didn’t work for Lorcan Murphy. The 38 year old Dubliner - jailed for murder in Hungary last week - wasn’t the first to try it either.The reality of building a life in Sydney, Australia? “It’s bloody hard to afford anything,” writes I
Iran trades blows with the US; and massive gun stash linked to Polish crime gang in Ireland
The conflict between the US and Iran has escalated again after Donald Trump said he would reimpose the blockade on Iranian ports and charge a 20% tariff on any ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.Gardaí have seized one of Ireland’s largest organised crime arms dumps in more than a decade, uncovering machine guns, pistols, and drugs linked to a Polish gang.A new law giving women up to
Violent pornography ban; GAA World Games; and Yellow weather warnings for heat
Possession, production and sharing of extreme or violent pornography could be effectively banned in Ireland under proposals being put to cabinet by the Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan this week.The Department of Justice was concerned about cuts to the Garda budget for security during Ireland’s EU presidency, internal documents have revealed.Research being led at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium
Airstrikes on Iran; Dublin man sentenced for murder in Hungary
There has been more escalation in the exchange of fire between Iran and the United States.The brother of Mackenzie Michalski, who was murdered by a Dublin man in Hungary in November 2024, has said he is happy the man is off the streets having been handed 14 years in prison.Political correspondent Harry McGee explains why there is so much opposition to hare coursing in the Daíl.What does The Irish
Road deaths; water leakages; artists' privacy concerns; tech tips for your holidays
Minister of State for Road Transport Seán Canney has told the Road Safety Authority (RSA) he was concerned about its “lack of visibility” following a series of road deaths late last year.The regulator for utilities has imposed a €31 million penalty on Uisce Éireann for failing to meet performance targets, relating to leakages and bad debts.The Government should recuse itself from negotiating legis
Black-listed gambling sites; Sinn Féin's merch profits; Returning emigrants
Irish authorities granted gambling licences to six companies at the heart of a global network of black-market betting websites. Two Irish companies were also found to be processing payments for unlicensed gambling sites operating in Europe.Ireland’s richest political party, Sinn Fein, sold merchandising worth euro more than €405,000 last year, according to financial accounts filed with the Standar
George Gibney found guilty of historic sex abuse; and wildfires rage across southern Europe
Former Olympic swimming coach George Gibney, who’s 77 with an address in Florida, has been found guilty of sexually abusing four girls more than 50 years ago.Authorities in France have evacuated 10,000 people because of wildfires burning out of control near the Spanish border. Fires are also raging in northern Spain, Portugal, and Greece.With Donald Trump reigniting his feud with Italian Prime Min
Community healthcare waiting lists; smuggling of wood soaked in liquid cocaine; and JD gift cards reissued
New figures show some patients are waiting as long as 13 and a half years for community healthcare appointments like dietetics, ophthalmology and psychology.Ireland will chair EU meetings around new European Oceans legislation aimed at strengthening protection of Europe’s marine territory, undersea cables and pipelines, and improving ocean health.Gardaí have uncovered what’s believed to be the mos
Aughinish Alumina exports to Russia; and customers to be offered human interaction on bank calls
Taoiseach Michéal Martin has faced questions over exports from the Aughinish Alumina plant in county Limerick to aluminium smelters supplying the Russian military.The government will sign a new law requiring financial service providers to offer customers the right to speak to a human rather than an AI bot.A jury in the trial of a 77-year-old man on historic sex abuse charges will continue its deli
Parnell Square attacker found guilty; EU presidency begins; and return to work mandates “narcissistic”
Riad Bouchaker, who’s 52, has been found guilty of attempted murder in relation to the stabbing in Parnell Square in November 2023. Our legal affairs correspondent Mary Carolan recounts the events which left a child with life altering injuries.After authorities in Sweden froze the assets of a company owned by Rusal, which owns the county Limerick plant Aughinish Alumina, what next for the firm lin
Metrolink agency; Spend like it's the 90s; Best new shows in July
The Government is seeking to fast-track legislation which will allow for the establishment of a State agency to deliver the planed Dublin metro project.The Ukrainian Government has rejected a donation from Ireland of a fleet of armoured combat vehicles to aid in the fight against Russia. The Defence Forces’ 27 light armoured tactical vehicles (LATVs) were first acquired 20 years ago but had a poor
Aughinish Alumina; Unsafe vapes; World Cup hydration breaks
Aughinish Alumina will be forced to pay up front for the costs of closing down the Co Limerick plant and repairing environmental damage in the area, under a new deal agreed with the State.Europe is being “flooded” by cheap vapes and e-cigarettes produced in Asia that often do not meet EU safety rules, dodge customs taxes and in some cases contain harmful and illegal substances, the head of the EU’
Fuel excise cuts to be phased out; Russian signal jamming of planes; competitive socialising
Coalition leaders will consider plans to continue the reductions in excise on petrol and diesel, at least in part, beyond the July 31st deadline. However it is expected that the reductions introduced following the fuel protests in April will be tapered off over the coming months.The State is opting to retain out-of-date aircraft navigation systems as they are less susceptible to Russian jamming at
It's not a heatwave; Women of the revolution; Veronica Guerin; USA's 250th birthday
“As it stands right now, Ireland isn’t in heatwave conditions,” says Holly O’Neill, a meteorologist from Met Éireann, “although we recognise that it is unusually warm, of course”.Dublin City Council (DCC) is to commission a new monument honouring the women of Ireland’s revolutionary period, as part of a broader effort to address the historic underrepresentation of women in public spaces.Thirty yea
Harris meets finance influencers; the three day abortion wait; and the hottest day ever?
Minister for Finance Simon Harris brought a group of “finance influencers” who run popular Instagram accounts into the Department of Finance this week to brief them on the new State savings scheme.Government TDs are seeking extra scrutiny of legislation scrapping the three-day waiting period for abortion services due to fears of a backlash over it being “railroaded” through the Dáil.Ireland’s heat
Heatwave chaos in Europe; and the extradition of US millionaire Jason Cardiff
The heatwave has caused chaos in a number of European countries. At least 40 people have drowned in France after entering seas and rivers.The US millionaire Jason Cardiff is facing extradition to the US on allegations he defrauded customers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars through the sale of products marketed for sexual performance, weight loss, and smoking cessation. He denies the charges
Jeffrey Donaldson guilty verdict; new legislation on dog breeding; and heatwave weather warning
The former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been told by a judge to expect a lengthy prison sentence after he was convicted of all 18 sex abuse counts, including the rape of a woman when she was in primary school.The UK will get a new Prime Minister following the announcement by Kier Starmer that he is to stand down. Our political editor Pat Leahy says he improved the relationship between the UK a
Iran peace talks; shared island rail funding; Caolan Robertson: the social media reporter in Ukraine
Peace talks have been taking place in Switzerland between the US and Iran following the publication of an initial deal signed by Donald Trump last week.The Government is set to approve major new rail funding as part of the Shared Island initiative which it says will improve services and cut journey times on key cross-border services.Ireland’s waste management system is under fresh scrutiny amid co
Iran peace deal; jury deliberations in the case against Jeffrey Donaldson
A full memorandum of understanding has been published on the peace deal between Iran and the US including an end to the conflict on all fronts, a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and that Iran will not produce any nuclear weapons.The jury in the sex abuse case against Jeffrey Donaldson, who’s 63 and from Dromore, County Down, will continue its deliberations at Newry Crown Court today. He denies
An Post CEO pay row; EU Gaza blame game; thanking bus drivers
A significant row has erupted between AnPost and the Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan over pay for its new chief executive, and Government authorization to raise the company’s borrowing limit for its future development strategy. Ireland has a strong economy and a resilient society, but “well-being data” shows a more complex picture where inequalities persist, a new Government rep
The Dead Zoo; Social media ban; Best EVs under €25k; Wigan Kebab with Irish curry sauce
The timing of when the Natural History Museum will reopen, and the final budget for its redevelopment, remain unclear almost two years after it closed for refurbishment.Readers have been having their say on the UK’s plans to introduce social media ban for under 16s, with many of you believing it would be far more effective to ban harmful algorithms instead.The government’s new pilot scrappage sche
Iran war peace deal; the IRA murder of Terrence McKeever; a thrilling All-Ireland football championship
The US has struck a deal with Iran which could pave the way for an end to the war, but key details are yet to be released.Terrence McKeever was found murdered by the IRA 40 years ago today.Concerns are growing over capacity and safety at Ireland’s main youth detention centre at Oberstown following new released documents.Ireland is well prepared for any potential cases of Ebola and the overall
Threat of industrial unrest; survivors of abuse by Bill Kenneally; the rise of Gianni Infantino
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions says the Government risks industrial unrest unless it delivers a budget that supports working people.Survivors of abuse by Bill Kenneally will meet the Justice Minister this week, calling for a new law, making misconduct in public office a criminal offence.There has been a steady rise in the number of asylum seekers choosing to leave Ireland voluntarily according
Doctors and private practice; our oil reserves; Aughinish Alumina; Intel's turnaround
Two consultants are taking two separate judicial reviews against the HSE seeking the right to offer private care in new publicly funded surgical hubs.From Kharg Island in the Gulf of Hormuz Persian Gulf to Whiddy in Co Cork, the trickle-down effect of the Iranian oil crisis is starting to affect Ireland’s national oil reserve.Aughinish Alumina complained to the European Commission about difficulti
Parnell Square stabbing trial; Ireland’s ageing population; Children’s reading and maths skills
The trial of Riad Bouchaker resumes today and the Central Criminal Court. He has pleaded not guilty to a number of charges relating to the stabbings in Parnell Square in 2023 in which several people, including children, were injured.Smaller pockets of protests occurred in Northern Ireland on Wednesday night following the knife attack on Steven Ogilvie in north Belfast on Monday. Around 200 people
Anti immigration protests in Belfast; Canadian PM's Mayo visit; relocating flood prone communities
Hundreds of protesters gathered on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast where a bus was hijacked and set alight, stoking racial tensions after a horrific attack on a man in his 40s on Monday night.The government needs to start preparing to relocate communities away from areas where repeat flooding or coastal erosion can’t be stopped, according to the Climate Change Advisory Council.And t
Sentencing of Sean McGovern; should Ireland consider nuclear energy?
Sean McGovern, a senior figure in the Kinahan cartel, has received what The Irish Times understands to be one of the longest gangland sentences in Irish history.There has been a rise in reports of wildlife habitat destruction, but according to new figures, prosecutions for it aren’t keeping up, according to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.An “exponential” rise in Irish language exempt
Concerns over staffing in An Garda Síochána; the rise of ‘free births’ in Ireland
An Garda Síochána is facing what insiders are calling a “ticking time-bomb” of retirements as new projections show nearly 1,700 Garda members are due to retire over the next decade.Concerns have been raised over the number of landlords asking for sex in exchange for accommodation.A row has erupted over what’s believed to be the use of artificial intelligence in Irish politics after one TD submitte
The Russian oligarch believed to control Aughinish Alumina; supermarket turf war
A confidential report by Swedish authorities claims the Russian billionaire, Oleg Deripaska, still controls the metals giant Rusal, which owns the Aughinish Alumina plant in County Limerick, despite sanctions meant to limit his power.Researchers at Maynooth University say the record for the hottest day ever in the month of May was smashed by more than 2 degrees, and it wouldn’t have happened witho
Lidl warns government; Trump's UFC ring; Shergar; Rotunda row reaction
The planning system for commercial development is being exploited, sometimes for anticompetitive purposes through spurious objections, supermarket chain Lidl has said.There’s been a huge reaction from readers to Fintan O’Toole’s column this week which was about the row that’s kicked off between the Rotunda Hospital and the HSE and Department of Health.There could surely be no more appropriate or d
Car scrappage scheme; Rotunda Hospital; Leaving Cert; Space X; Big feet blues
People with petrol and diesel cars that are more than 13 years old are to be eligible for grants of €8,500 to purchase a new electric vehicle (EV) under a State scrappage scheme.The Rotunda maternity hospital has been warned it could have its funding pulled if it does not withdraw permission for consultants on public-only contracts to practise privately on its premises.60,000 students will not onl
Jeffrey Donaldson trial; rise in arson attacks on council houses
The jury hearing the trail of former DUP leaderJeffrey Donaldson, 63, has been told he wrote a letter to one of the two alleged victims expressing “regret” and that he had sought God’s forgiveness. He denies 18 charges, include rape.Electric Ireland says prices will go up by 8 per cent, affecting around 1.1 million customers.New figures seen by The Irish Times reveal a sharp rise in arson att
Irish visas for Russians; ADHD and addiction; reckoning for dating apps
There are concerns ‘hostile’ agents may be among the 14,000 Russians granted Irish visas in the past four years.The Government hopes to make “swift progress” pushing forward negotiations on Ukraine’s stalled bid to join the European Union when Ireland holds the union’s rotating presidency in the second half of this year.Dating apps are struggling with the AI revolution as users lose faith. Can the
Naval service names online; wind farm objections; most annoying phrases
The names of dozens of Defence Forces personnel, including those involved in intelligence work and sensitive counterdrug smuggling operations, are being published online by the European Union, triggering safety concerns among members.A chill wind – why are wind farms drawing so many objections at a time of climate crisis?Does your household have the “two good salaries, but still feel broke” proble
Is Sinn Féin still seen as left wing? New anti-drone technology for the defence forces
There are tensions between left wing parties and Sinn Fein on the policy direction of Mary Lou McDonald’s party following its performance in the Dublin Central and Galway West byelections.Ireland’s Defence Forces are ramping up anti-drone measures to prepare for new threats.A search for the body of Seamus Maguire, one of the so-called disappeared who were murdered and buried in secret during the t
Kyne and Ennis elected to the Dáil; HSE waiting lists; the trial of Jeffrey Donaldson
The Dáil has two new TD’s; Daniel Ennis from the Social Democrats and Sean Kyne from Fine Gael. Political correspondents Cormac McQuinn and Marie O’Halloran explain who they are.Plans to rezone a stretch of protected land along Dublin’s Liffey Valley could deliver a significant windfall for billionaires John Magnier and JP McManus.New figures from the HSE show more than 32,000 adults in Ireland ar
Polls open in byelections; Paul Rudd on filming in Dublin; Under the Hawthorn Tree
Voters in Dublin and Galway are going to the polls in two byelections on Friday after intense canvassing in the closing days of the campaign and efforts by candidates to ensure their supporters turn up to vote.The Government has exceeded its annual spending target by an average €5.1 billion in each of the last three budgets, new figures from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) indicate.Meanwh
Meta job losses; RTÉ salary row; more registered voters that residents in some areas
Meta is to cut 350 jobs from it’s Irish workforce amid a global round of layoffs affecting around 8000 roles worldwide.RTÉ has faced tough questions at an Oireachtas committee about newly disclosed salaries.More than 40 leading climate scientists are warning Ireland against adopting a controversial new way of measuring greenhouse emissions.Planned changes to the electoral register following revela
Dodgy boxes; more flotilla boats set for Gaza intercepted; What happened to Yves Sakilas
200 users of so-called dodgy boxes used to illegally stream live TV have been issued with cease and desist notices.Rents across Ireland have just shot up at the fastest rate ever recorded, rising 4.4% in just three months, according to Daft.ie.More boats in the aid flotilla heading for Gaza have been intercepted by Israeli forces, crew members have said.What do we know about what happened to Yves
Tobacco lobbyists; sexually abusive homes; A.I. in schools
Irish diplomats in Brussels have been warned to be on high alert for lobbying by the tobacco industry.The European Commission has signalled tighter restrictions on exports that could be used by Russia’s military, following concerns raised about materials leaving the EU.Fear of homelessness is increasingly trapping people in sexually abusive situations, according to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.Th
Irregular betting on by election; bodyguards to protect special care staff
There are serious questions about betting activity linked to Friday’s by-election in Dublin Central in which $1 million (€860,000) was placed and then withdrawn with little or no profit.Immigration, the cost of living and housing are among the main issues on voters minds in Dublin Central and Galway West.Taoiseach Micheál Martin has used Fianna Fáil’s centenary Ard Fheis to defend the party’s reco
Dublin Central by election; trouble for Kier Starmer; Trump in Beijing
Sinn Féin’s Janice Boylan leads the race for the Dublin Central by election according to a new Irish Times/ TG4 poll.A UK Labour MP has stepped down paving the way for Andy Burnham to run for parliament and potentially topple Prime Minister Kier Starmer.New rules for childminders are putting pressure on the sector, with some now saying they’re thinking about quitting altogether.There was a record
Ballooning national debt, women and cycling, and Patrick Freyne’s ‘history of sexy tellly’
Ireland’s national debt could approach a quarter of a trillion euro by the 2030s, the head of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) will tell an Oireachtas committee on Thursday.Aggressive driver behaviour, speeding, poor cycling infrastructure, and the increased size of vehicles, is deterring women from getting on their bikes, research by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has found.
Four to a bed, Keir Starmer, one-off housing, and ice Hockey in Dublin?
A spotlight is being shone on the condition of council housing after plans to regenerate one of Dublin’s most neglected flat complexes were halted. Janice Maguire shares a bed with three of her youngest sons. Two sleep at the bottom, and one at the top next to her.Keir Starmer’s future as the British prime minister is looking increasingly untenable following a string of cabinet resignations yester
Ambulance strike; guns ordered off the dark web; and falling overseas holiday bookings
Two thousand ambulance staff in the Unite and SIPTU unions begin a 24-hour strike this morning in a long running dispute over pay.The media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán has released its first complains insights reports showing RTÉ attracted the highest number of complains between 2023 and 2025.Guns bought on the dark web are now one of the biggest challenges facing An Garda Síochána, according to
Derelict city council properties, Louth sisters in Miami plastic surgery, and the richest man in the Seanad?
More than 30 vacant and derelict properties bought by Dublin City Council for social housing since 2017 remain unused, and may no longer be viable for refurbishment, because of their extreme state of dilapidation.The assets declared in Aubrey McCarthy’s return to the Seanad register of interests are being examined by political correspondent Cormac McQuinn today.Since the Iran war began, financial
Narrow lead for FG in by election poll; Passengers who disembarked cruise ship after hantavirus outbreak
Fine Gael’s Seán Kyne holds the slimmest of leads over Independent Ireland rival Noel Thomas in the Galway West by election campaign, according to an Irish Times and TG4 opinion poll published on Friday.Ireland is recycling more waste, but not fast enough to meet national targets, according to a new report from the Environmental Protection Agency.The race is on to trace dozens of passengers who di
Asylum seekers posing as children; peace negotiations over Iran; billion dollar TV series’
Almost 300 adult asylum seekers who claimed they were children were placed in Tusla children’s centres in the last four years. Separately, Tusla is to launch an appeal in the Supreme Court on whether parents already in receipt of civil legal aid can recover legal costs in special care cases involving their children. The US and Iran are to begin peace negotiations. The Iranians are understood to be
Katie Simpson murder review; replaceable batteries in electric devices
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has called for anyone abused by Jonathan Creswell to come forward after a review found a failure to properly investigate the murder of Katie Simpson.The body representing the tech industry is asking the government to push for an exemption to smart watches from new EU rules requiring devices to be fitted with replaceable batteries.Fewer than half of peo
Money laundering cases surge; British King Charles III likely to visit Ireland and the case for electric HGVs
On today’s episode:There is a growing expectation that British King Charles III will visit Ireland, perhaps as soon as next year, reports Pat Leahy.Cases of money laundering have exploded in Ireland in recent years, new figures show. Conor Lally explains the nature of the cases and what An Garda Siochana are doing to tackle this growing category of crime.After three passengers died of a virus they
Gaza flotilla dispersed; the New IRA's threat; and the price of Kerrygold
The aid flotilla making its way to Gaza has been dispersed. One skipper in the waters off Greece says he will be continuing on to Gaza when they regroup.The mayor of Berlin is to be sued by an Irish pro-Palestine activist for defamation, after a court in Germany threw out a criminal case against Shane O’Brien.Autism a Chara, formlerly Autism Initiatives Ireland, notified the HSE it would transitio
Pregnant rough sleepers, autism charity controversy, and a seagull screeching competition
Five pregnant women who were forced to sleep rough in Dublin last year were among over 100 mothers who gave birth at the National Maternity Hospital while either homeless or at risk of homelessness.The alleged transfer of more than €1.5 million of taxpayers’ money from an Irish autism charity to its UK parent charity could be a “breach” of the Companies Act and “possibly a criminal offence”, it is
Hutch assets frozen in Spain, Dublin link to Icelandic murder-suicide pact, and Seán Moncrieff is blessèd amongst women
Spanish authorities have frozen Gerry Hutch’s property assets in the country as part of an ongoing money-laundering investigation into the gangland figure, who plans to run in a byelection in Dublin next month.A French woman who lived in south Dublin has been charged with the murder of her 29-year-old daughter in a suspected botched murder-suicide in Iceland last year.Confusion about the new renta
Ukraine’s ‘grandad’ soldiers; bookmakers allowing bets on National Lottery numbers
Ukraine’s army is the largest and most battle hardened in Europe. But its also the oldest with an average age of 45. Our contributor in Ukraine, Lara Marlowe, has been speaking to some of them.The Irish National Lottery is calling for a ban on bookmakers allowing bets on the numbers that come up saying it has created a “secondary market” that’s inhibiting its ability to fund good causes.Armagh GAA
Fallout from Washington shooting; new details on killing of notorious Dublin criminal
More than €375,000 has been spent upgrading security at politicians’ constituency offices over the past three years, amid growing concern about threats and abuse.A legal document seen by The Irish Times has revealed new details surrounding the killing of notorious Dublin criminal Robbie Lawlor in 2020.The man accused of a shooting at The White House Correspondent’s Dinner on Saturday, where Donald
By-elections in Dublin and Galway, Homelessness; and potential strike action
By-elections in Dublin Central and Galway west will take place on 22nd May. Who’s standing? And what issues are likely to sway voters?Sinn Féin’s Ard Fheis will begin today with the keynote address from Michelle O’Neill on Friday night.Ten per cent of Ireland’s homeless population is being concentrated on a single street in Dublin city centre, according to figures raised in the Dáil.A former High
Crime and drug deaths in Dublin's southwest inner city, cost rental homes, and Chris O'Dowd's GAA career
Of around 7,000 children who live in Dublin’s southwest inner city, fewer than four in every ten of them go to secondary school, while a new study finds crime rates and drug deaths are twice the national average there.Since applications opened for the first cost-rental housing development in Balbriggan in north Dublin in July 2021, every scheme has been vastly over-subscribed. But recent viability
Kinahan to be tried on single charge, school patronage, and the Michael Jackson biopic
Daniel Kinahan is expected to face just one charge of directing organised crime when he’s tried at the Special Criminal Court.Hildegarde Naughton is the seventh education minister to tackle Catholic school divestment. Can she succeed where others have failed?Ed Power reminisces on Michael Jackson’s 1988 concert at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and how hindsight shows us something much darker was happening at
Government spending; Daniel Kinahan; Hibernians, former UCD footballers in China
Ministers will be warned today that tighter spending controls are required in their departments in order to stick within agreed budgets at a time of growing international threats to the Irish economy.The arrest of alleged cartel boss Daniel Kinahan in Dubai last week marks a significant new phase to efforts by An Garda Síochána to get him back in Ireland.A group from the Ancient Order of Hibernian
US war planes in Irish airspace; prison overcrowding; home heating costs; human connection in medicine
The government underreported the number of US military aircraft flying over Irish airspace, an Irish Times investigation has found.A “crisis” response group to overcrowding in prisons is to meet next week as records show the Director General of the Irish Prison Service sought more urgent action to tackle “unprecedented” overcrowding.Rising fuel prices are hitting people across the country, but for
Fianna Fáil leadership; electricity prices; unfair dismissal against X; 1926 census records
The Fianna Fáil parliamentary party is rallying around Michaél Martin amid pressure for new leadership of the party, the Irish Times understands.Electricity prices could rise as soon as May or June, energy industry sources have said.A man who took the social media giant, X, to court for unfair dismissal has had his payout reduced to €201,000 down from more than €500,000.It’s three years since the
Gas price warning, Taoiseach under pressure, and broke Floyd Mayweather
Europe faces higher gas prices “for years” to come even in the best-case scenario, and possible shortages in the supply of diesel and jet fuel in the short term if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, the European Union’s energy commissioner Dan Jørgensen has warned.The oil and gas shock caused by the US-Israeli attack on Iran and Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused the cost of el
Government survives confidence vote; fuel prices; basic income for artists, traveller’s community
The government has survived a confidence vote in the Dáil but what could the impact of the resignation of Michael Healy-Rae as a Minister for Agriculture mean?Cuts to fuel excise duty came into effect at midnight, but motorists are being warned not to expect an immediate fall in prices.The Basic Income for the Arts scheme has caused “segregation in the artistic community” and allowed people to tak
Gardaí cracking down on protests; fuel cuts to kick in; National Museum storage; job losses and AI
Gardaí are warning that fuel protesters who block roads or slow traffic on motorways will now face arrest, detention and will have their vehicles towed away.Cuts to fuel excise duty will kick in at midnight tonight, but oil prices continue to surge after the US began a blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz.The building housing the National Museum of Ireland’s collection “presents a s
Government fuel support, consumer complaints figures and Rory McIlroy is The Masters champion again
The government has announced a €505million package to help support the rising cost of fuel following a week of protests across Ireland.Ryanair was the most complained about company in Ireland last year according to new data released by the consumer watchdog.It’s the 75th anniversary of the resignation of Noël Browne as health minister over the cabinets refusal to support the mother and child healt
Fuel protests; proposed ban on disposable vapes; seven wonders of Ireland
Protests against the cost of fuel have been bringing travel chaos across Ireland and Gardaí say those blocking roads will feel the full force of the law.The Italian government has submitted a complaint to the European Commission of plans to ban disposable vapes in Ireland.Condé Nast Traveller magazine has issued its seven wonders of Ireland for 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy fo
Third day of fuel protests, gambling tipster faces questions, and AI coming for Irish white collar jobs
We are in for another day of disruption due to fuel protests. The Taoiseach has condemned the blockades of depots and the State’s only oil refinery, Whitegate in Co. Cork. Some demonstrators say they will go home if the government agrees to meet them.A fragile ceasefire remains in place in Iran after US president Donald Trump accepted a deal with regime leaders. But Sally Hayden in Beirut says Leb
99 days of petrol reserves, heightened terror alert, and family finances after separation
It is understood officials from the National Oil Reserves Agency will tell government ministers today that the country has reserves of petrol for 99 days, diesel for 85 days and kerosene for 70 days.Meanwhile European governments have been told they should be on heightened terror alert and warned they must protect critical infrastructure and other “soft targets” as the Middle East crisis escalates
Inland Fisheries spent €60,000 on communications, Children in care and protests at rising fuel costs
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) spent almost €60,000 on communications support ahead of its hearing at the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee.The health watchdog Hiqa raised serious concerns about the safety of children in special emergency arrangements under the care of the family agency Tusla.Protests at the rising cost of fuel are taking place today on several key routes into Dublin. The PSNI has
Valerie’s law, mortgages, oil shocks, and French wine going to waste
Plans to strip parental rights from killers are to be pressed ahead with by the Department of Justice despite the State’s child and family agency raising concerns that the legislation was unconstitutional.The 1970s oil price shocks toppled governments, led to recessions and precipitated dramatic shifts in monetary policy (interest rates were hiked to more than 16 per cent in the United States). We
Data centres, dogfighting Air Corps, dodgy boxes, and gold mining in the north
Fear of electricity blackouts has prompted Irish authorities to set down new protocols for data centre operators.Jet fuel supplies could be disrupted during the summer months if the war in Iran continues, aviation bosses have warned.The Irish Air Corps is hiring civilian contractors to teach its pilots to dogfight, after losing the ability to conduct in-house combat training.Make it easier to watc
U.S. military aircraft in Europe, severe weather in 2025 and treatment of patients at Bloomfield Hospital
Italy and Spain have blocked U.S. military aircraft en route to Iran from using their air bases causing a rift with the Trump administration.It could take months for oil production and exports to recover after the war in the Middle East ends.Last year saw the second warmest year on record, and more drought and higher temperatures than in recent years, according to the Climate Change Advisory Counc
Cash missing from Garda stations, mortgage approval figures and Israeli forces in southern Lebanon
There have been 13 incidents or allegations of money going missing from Garda stations between 2020 and 2025, the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee has been told.The Church of Ireland says it’s less likely to rent out vacant rectories and curates’ houses due to rental reforms on landlords. New figures show the value of mortgage approvals reached almost €1.2 billion in February, up 10 per cent on th
National Concert Hall, auto-enrolment pensions and children’s mental health waiting lists
The National Concert Hall is embroiled in a row over a decision by one of its officials to cancel a booking for a fundraiser by the Irish branch of an Israeli ambulance charity, which it has reversed.It’s been revealed that more than 6,600 employers have not yet signed up to pensions auto-enrolment scheme four months after registration opened.Many swimming pools across Ireland are aging and many h
Heartbreak for Ireland in Prague, an unfinished housing development in Co Tipperary and delays to the Covid Evaluation
Ireland won’t progress in the World Cup qualifiers and won’t be in America this summer after losing to the Czech Republic on penalties. The Olympic Federation of Ireland has given its support to an International Olympic Committee’s decision to ban transgender women from female events at the Games. The Irish Times visits a hous
Where are Martina and Ammi Burke, modular homes, and World Cup playoff in Prague
Three weeks after a judge ordered their arrest and committal to prison, Martina and Ammi Burke have still not been located and jailed. They were found guilty of contempt of court in the High Court on the 4th of March - over their conduct during a February hearing relating to Enoch Burke.The cost of fuel on forecourts around the country has started to fall reflecting the excise cuts to petrol and d
Rogue dentists, presidential pardons, and hogging the overtaking lanes
An unregistered dentist was offering patients treatments, including X-rays, in the sittingroom of a Dublin apartment, the Irish Dental Council has said.The State will no longer issue pardons for people convicted by the British-controlled justice system, writes the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.Children are being groomed into criminality from the age of six in deprived areas where “there is
Russian arms manufacturing, cost of living measures and driving test delays
The Irish Times can reveal that the Aughinish Alumina plant in Co Limerick is supplying Russian smelters whose aluminium ends up with a trading firm that then provides materials to dozens of Russian arms manufacturers. The cabinet is meeting this morning to finalise measures to help with the cost of living aimed at controlling inflation rising because of the war in Iran.
Rising seas, the cost of living, and replacing stolen bicycles
The World Meteorological Organisation has warned that Earth’s climate is swinging increasingly out of balance, and there are potentially severe consequences for Ireland. The government is expected to agree today measures to try to control rising costs. The Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland has published a report saying people coming here on general work permits are routinely exploite
Energy prices surge, the government considers measures to help and AI in the workplace
Oil and gas prices have surged following attacks on energy infrastructure in the Middle East. EU leaders have been considering steps to secure Europe’s supply and the Irish government is expected to announce measures next week. Monthly payments to those accommodating Ukrainian people in their spare rooms or second homes will be wound down over the next year.&nbs
