Cork City residents submitted the highest number of complaints to Uisce Éireann claiming their tap water had made them ill, according to new figures revealing nearly 1,000 such complaints nationwide over the past two years. Of the 973 total complaints received by the national water utility regarding water-related illnesses, 105 came from Cork City residents … Read more
Ireland’s national electricity grid operator EirGrid issued formal system alerts on two separate occasions last year when power supply margins reached concerning levels, according to newly released information. In addition to these full alerts, which were previously known as “amber alerts,” the grid operator issued five further warnings throughout 2023 indicating that electricity supply was … Read more
Education Minister Helen McEntee has unveiled plans to offer permanent contracts to all newly qualified teachers starting in September 2025, once they have completed their induction year and secured a teaching position for the following academic year. The initiative, announced as teachers’ union congresses begin their annual meetings, aims to address what unions have described … Read more
Minister of State Neale Richmond has affirmed that Ireland will not follow other nations in cutting international aid budgets and is instead pushing for increased funding, despite global economic challenges. Speaking during an official visit to Sierra Leone and Liberia, where he toured Irish Aid projects, Richmond highlighted the strategic importance of maintaining and potentially … Read more
The future of a planned €1.5 billion data centre campus in Ennis is being threatened by what its developer describes as “bureaucratic inertia” in securing necessary grid connections, despite having cleared significant planning hurdles. Art Data Centres Ltd CEO Tom McNamara has expressed “serious frustration” at what he called “continued delays by EirGrid” in issuing … Read more
The Department of Education has announced plans to introduce a new National Therapy Service in Irish schools, with implementation beginning in the 2025/26 academic year, initially focusing on special education schools. The program will first introduce Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy services within special education settings, with plans to eventually expand to include … Read more
Irish homeowners applying for energy efficiency upgrades through the Warmer Homes Scheme may face longer waiting periods due to surging application numbers, according to Environment Minister Darragh O’Brien. While waiting times for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) program had significantly decreased between 2022 and 2024, Minister O’Brien warned that recent developments could reverse … Read more
Independent Irish bookshops report minimal immediate effects one month after Amazon’s dedicated Irish website launch, though concerns persist about potential long-term consequences for the local retail landscape. When Amazon.ie launched in March, promising over 200 million products with euro pricing and one-day delivery, the retail giant’s arrival was welcomed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin as “good … Read more
Online accommodation platforms including Airbnb and Booking.com could face substantial financial penalties amounting to millions of euro under Ireland’s new short-term letting regulations set to take effect in May 2026. The measures, outlined in the newly published General Scheme of the Short Term Letting and Tourism Bill, establish a mandatory registration system for all short-term … Read more
Two significant locations with deep astronomical heritage—Birr Castle Demesne in Offaly and Dunsink Observatory in west Dublin—have been added to Ireland’s tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Properties today, coinciding with World Heritage Day celebrations. Minister James Browne announced the additions, noting that increasing Ireland’s number of UNESCO World Heritage Properties remains a key government … Read more
A preferred 18km route for the proposed Luas light rail service in Cork has been unveiled, with a public consultation now open until June 9. The route would run from Ballincollig to Mahon Point, featuring 25 stops including key locations like Munster Technological University, Cork city centre, Kent Station, and Blackrock. Plans also include a … Read more
Met Éireann has warned that Ireland is set to experience increasingly “unsettled” weather conditions over the Easter weekend, with heavy rainfall and potential flooding expected in parts of the country. Status Yellow rain warnings have been issued for Cork and Kerry, coming into effect at 11pm tonight and remaining in place until noon on Friday. … Read more
Revolut has introduced instant access savings accounts for users of its ‘Revolut <18’ app, tailored for children aged 6–17 and linked to a parent or guardian’s main account. This new feature is designed to help young users grow their pocket money by earning daily interest—just like adult accounts—with no cap on how much interest they … Read more
Major pharmaceutical companies have issued a stark warning to the European Commission that they may redirect up to €100 billion in planned European investments to the United States and other regions. According to a report in the Irish Times, a letter signed by several pharmaceutical heavyweights—including Ireland-based operations of Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and MSD (known … Read more
A geomagnetic storm is expected to make the Aurora Borealis visible throughout Ireland tonight, though cloud cover may interfere with viewing opportunities in some areas. Professor Peter Gallagher of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) Dunsink Observatory confirmed to The Journal that a “big solar storm” occurred two days ago, sending a burst of … Read more