Leading economist John FitzGerald has called for “proper” taxation of property owners to address Ireland’s growing wealth inequality, as housing represents an unprecedented share of national household wealth. Speaking on Newstalk radio, FitzGerald highlighted that homes account for almost 70% of Ireland’s net household wealth – significantly higher than the eurozone average of just over … Read more
The Irish Government has issued a €122,000 tender for an independent consultancy to evaluate the impact of the groundbreaking Birth Information and Tracing Act, which revolutionized access to adoption and birth records in Ireland. The comprehensive review, mandated under the 2022 legislation, will assess how the act has performed since giving people unrestricted access to … Read more
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has warned against using the Irish tricolour to mark territory or intimidate people from migrant backgrounds, expressing concern about the flag being deployed for “completely inappropriate reasons.” Speaking on RTÉ Radio One, O’Callaghan drew parallels to territorial marking in Northern Ireland, where flags are used to delineate communities. He emphasized the … Read more
Ryanair has increased its free personal baggage allowance from today, expanding dimensions from 40x25x20cm to 40x30x20cm, while simultaneously resisting European Union proposals for mandatory free carry-on luggage. The Irish budget airline completed its Europe-wide rollout of larger bag sizers, increasing free baggage volume from 20 to 24 litres – enough space for “a few more … Read more
Ireland’s prison system is operating “far beyond its limits” with overcrowding reaching unprecedented levels, the Irish Prison Service director general has warned in a stark assessment of the crisis facing the country’s correctional facilities. Caron McCaffrey revealed that prisoner numbers have surged to 5,581 as of August 13th – representing 120% of maximum capacity – … Read more
Ireland has unveiled a comprehensive National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People, promising significant reforms across education, employment, and healthcare services to improve accessibility for the country’s 1.1 million disabled citizens. Taoiseach Micheál Martin launched the landmark strategy at Dublin’s Mansion House, describing it as “a landmark moment for the advancement of disability rights in … Read more
Irish nationals working in Ireland earn significantly more each week than their non-national colleagues, with substantial pay gaps emerging across different nationalities, according to new Central Statistics Office data. Irish workers recorded median weekly earnings of €762.72 compared to €672.76 for non-nationals, though the figures reveal striking variations among different countries of origin. Indian nationals … Read more
Ireland is expanding free public transport access to all children under nine years old from Wednesday, extending the benefit to an additional 236,000 youngsters aged five to eight. The initiative fulfills a commitment made in last year’s budget and means children can now travel free across all Transport for Ireland services using a TFI child … Read more
Ireland’s inaugural satellite, designed and built entirely by University College Dublin students, has successfully completed its groundbreaking Earth-orbiting mission and will de-orbit within days. EIRSAT-1, a shoebox-sized CubeSat launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base in December 2023, achieved all its scientific objectives during its operational period. The satellite’s … Read more
August 2025 marked Ireland’s fourth warmest August on record, with an average temperature of 16.83°C, according to Met Éireann. It was also the ninth warmest month overall in 126 years of recorded data, continuing a six-month streak of unusually high temperatures. The highest temperature of the month was 28°C, recorded on Tuesday, August 12th. Sunshine … Read more
Dublin City Council has finally contracted a company to deliver 300 secure bike storage bunkers across the city, a decade after first piloting the scheme in 2015. Bleeper Bikes, the dockless bike-sharing company operating in Dublin since 2017, will provide and maintain the new facilities under a contract potentially worth €10 million excluding VAT. The … Read more
Dublin City Council is launching a new enforcement programme targeting households without waste collection contracts in areas plagued by illegal dumping, as part of efforts to tackle what officials describe as a serious littering crisis. The initiative will begin with a pilot phase in Dublin’s North Inner City, which has been named Ireland’s most littered … Read more
Irish consumers are grappling with significant food price increases, with costs rising 5% over the past year while overall inflation climbed to 1.8%, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office. The latest flash estimate from the EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices reveals food costs alone surged 0.4% between July and August, contributing … Read more
Irish health insurance customers are facing steep premium increases linked to ongoing Sláintecare reforms, with some paying up to €700 more annually as the healthcare landscape undergoes significant transformation. Major insurers VHI, Laya and Irish Life have all announced their second round of premium hikes this year, citing increased costs as more medical consultants move … Read more
The National Screening Advisory Committee is calling on the public to help shape Ireland’s health screening programmes, with submissions accepted until September 12th. The annual consultation invites contributions from both members of the public and healthcare professionals to inform the committee’s recommendations to the Minister for Health on new screening programmes or changes to existing … Read more