BIG STORIES

Ireland signals potential end to rent pressure zones as property owners welcome change

Ireland signals potential end to rent pressure zones as property owners welcome change

Property owners have welcomed Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s suggestion that Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) could be replaced with an alternative system. The Irish Property Owners’ Association (IPOA) expressed strong support for potential changes to the current regulations, which limit annual rent increases to 2% in designated high-pressure areas. Currently effective until December 2025, RPZs were introduced … Read more

Man arrested after 3 injured in suspected knife attack in Dublin’s Stoneybatter

Man arrested after 3 injured in suspected knife attack in Dublin’s Stoneybatter

A man has been arrested following a suspected knife attack in Dublin that left three people hospitalised, leaving the local community in shock. Gardaí responded to the “serious incident” at around 3pm on Sunday, after an “awful random attack” took place across multiple streets in the Arbour Hill area of Stoneybatter. Emergency services attended the … Read more

Cliffs of Moher coastal trail to remain closed for 2025 tourist season

Cliffs of Moher coastal trail to remain closed for 2025 tourist season

Cliffs of Moher trail, a key visitor attraction in Co Clare, is set to remain closed, or at least partially inaccessible, for the 2025 tourist season due to safety concerns. The Cliffs of Moher, which welcomed nearly 1.5 million visitors last year, will see its coastal walking trail remain out of action after a Sport … Read more

Ireland pledges €20 million to UNRWA amid Gaza crisis and Israeli ban

Ireland pledges €20 million to UNRWA amid Gaza crisis and Israeli ban

Ireland has announced a significant €20 million funding package for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), reinforcing its support for humanitarian efforts in Gaza. The announcement by Tánaiste Simon Harris comes at a crucial time, as UNRWA faces operational challenges following an Israeli ban that took effect on January 30. This latest contribution … Read more

Ireland reports first case of Clade I Mpox in traveler from Congo

Ireland reports first case of Clade I Mpox in traveler from Congo

Ireland has recorded its first case of Clade I mpox, according to a recent announcement from the Health Service Executive (HSE). The case was identified in an Irish resident who had recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the virus is known to be actively circulating within local communities. Clade I mpox, … Read more

Child truancy in Ireland surges as court summons to parents nearly double

Child truancy in Ireland surges as court summons to parents nearly double

School attendance concerns in Ireland have reached a new high, with recent Tusla data revealing a significant spike in truancy-related court summonses issued to parents. The child and family agency’s latest figures show that 111 families were summoned to court in 2024 over their children’s school attendance, representing a dramatic increase of 81 cases compared … Read more

Indian nationals were top earners in Ireland in 2023, CSO data shows

Indian nationals were top earners in Ireland in 2023, CSO data shows

Indian nationals had the highest median weekly earnings in Ireland in 2023, earning approximately €883.74 per week, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). They were followed by UK nationals, who earned a median of €745.71 per week, while Irish nationals had median weekly earnings of around €728. At the lower end … Read more

Ireland needs 93,000 new homes annually to meet demand, Davy report warns

Ireland needs 93,000 new homes annually to meet demand, Davy report warns

Ireland must build 93,000 homes per year between now and 2031 to meet housing demand, according to a new report by stockbroker Davy. This estimate far exceeds the Coalition’s Programme for Government target, which plans for 300,000 new homes between 2025 and 2030. In 2023, only 30,000 homes were built—falling short of the government’s 33,000 … Read more

Ireland considers revamping weather warning system following Storm Éowyn

Ireland considers revamping weather warning system following Storm Éowyn

Ireland’s government is contemplating significant changes to Met Éireann’s weather warning system, following the unprecedented impact of Storm Éowyn. Environment and Climate Minister Darragh O’Brien has indicated that Ireland might adopt aspects of the UK’s impact-based warning approach, moving away from the current system that relies primarily on wind speed measurements. The existing Irish system … Read more

Storm Éowyn: Controversy erupts over ESB’s plan to pass repair costs to consumers

A significant debate has emerged over who should bear the financial burden of repairing widespread damage caused by Storm Éowyn, as Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik strongly opposes the ESB’s suggestion that repair costs will be passed on to consumers through future electricity bills. The controversy ignited after ESB Chief Executive Paddy Hayes revealed that … Read more

January 2025 breaks global temperature records, further signs of climate crisis

January 2025 breaks global temperature records, further signs of climate crisis

In a concerning development for global climate change, January 2025 has been confirmed as the warmest January ever recorded, according to the latest data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The month’s average global air temperature reached 13.23°C, marking a significant 0.79°C increase above the 1991-2020 January average. This alarming milestone demonstrates the accelerating … Read more

New Garda recruitment drive launches with three-week application window

New Garda recruitment drive launches with three-week application window

The Irish national police force, An Garda Síochána, has kicked off its latest recruitment campaign, offering ambitious individuals the opportunity to join their ranks as Garda trainees. The announcement comes with a tight three-week application window, signaling the organization’s urgency in strengthening its workforce. The recruitment drive is backed by a substantial €375,000 promotional campaign, … Read more

HSE warns of cancer risks from vaping and illegal tanning products

HSE warns of cancer risks from vaping and illegal tanning products

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has issued stark warnings about the potential health risks associated with vaping and an illegal tanning product known as the ‘Barbie drug’, highlighting emerging health concerns during a recent cancer prevention webinar. Edward Murphy, the HSE’s Tobacco Free Ireland Programme manager, delivered a sobering message about vaping, cautioning that emerging … Read more

Study challenges effectiveness of school phone bans on student performance

Study challenges effectiveness of school phone bans on student performance

A groundbreaking study from the University of Birmingham has found that banning mobile phones in schools does not lead to improved academic performance or better mental health outcomes among students. The research, which compared 1,227 students across 30 different secondary schools, challenges common assumptions about restrictive phone policies in educational settings. The peer-reviewed study revealed … Read more