IRELAND

Government to redraft defective building blocks bill to improve fairness for homeowners

Government to redraft defective building blocks bill to improve fairness for homeowners

Housing Minister James Browne will bring a memo to Cabinet today seeking priority redrafting of legislation governing remediation for homes affected by defective building blocks, with proposed amendments designed to improve efficiency and fairness for thousands of affected families. The amendments follow extensive consultation with affected homeowners and advocacy groups in Donegal, where the crisis … Read more

Ireland faces significant climate risks to infrastructure and economy within five years

Ireland faces significant climate risks to infrastructure and economy within five years

Ireland must take urgent action within the next five years to address significant climate-related risks to its critical infrastructure, according to a major new assessment by the Environmental Protection Agency that warns of potential catastrophic impacts by century’s end. The National Climate Change Risk Assessment identifies 115 climate risks facing the country, with 43 classified … Read more

Ireland to fast-track construction of nearly 1,000 new prison spaces

Ireland to fast-track construction of nearly 1,000 new prison spaces

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan will today announce to Cabinet an accelerated plan to deliver almost 1,000 additional prison spaces across the country before the end of the decade, with construction now scheduled to finish a full year ahead of the original timeline. The ambitious expansion programme will see significant capacity increases at five key prison … Read more

Electric and hybrid cars drive new vehicle sales growth despite traditional fuel decline

Electric and hybrid cars drive new vehicle sales growth despite traditional fuel decline

New car sales have risen 2.4 percent in the first five months of this year, powered by strong demand for electric and hybrid vehicles even as traditional petrol and diesel car purchases continue to fall. The automotive market is experiencing a clear shift toward electrification, with electric vehicle sales jumping 23 percent and regular hybrid … Read more

Bank of Ireland cuts fixed deposit interest rates by quarter point

Bank of Ireland cuts fixed deposit interest rates by quarter point

Bank of Ireland has announced a 0.25% reduction in interest rates on its 12 and 18-month fixed-term deposit accounts, effective from Thursday as the bank responds to European Central Bank policy changes. The rate cuts will see the bank’s Advantage 12-month fixed-term savings account drop from 2.00% AER to 1.75%, while the 18-month product will … Read more

Nordic Consortium bids €1.3 billion for Ireland's largest hotel group Dalata

Nordic Consortium bids €1.3 billion for Ireland’s largest hotel group Dalata

A consortium led by Swedish property company Pandox AB and Norwegian firm Eiendomsspar AS has made a €1.3 billion takeover bid for Dalata Hotel Group, Ireland’s largest hotel operator. The cash offer of €6.05 per ordinary share represents a 5% premium to Dalata’s closing price on Monday, as the consortium seeks to acquire the company … Read more

Income gap between rich and poor widens by nearly €1,000 under previous government

Income gap between rich and poor widens by nearly €1,000 under previous government

Income inequality increased dramatically during the previous government’s five-year term, with the gap between high and low earners expanding by €963 annually, according to a new analysis by Social Justice Ireland. The comprehensive report reveals that while middle and low-income households saw their income gap narrow by €204 per year, the divide between the wealthiest … Read more

Government launches plan to triple restorative justice meetings between criminals and victims

Government launches plan to triple restorative justice meetings between criminals and victims

The government has unveiled an ambitious two-year action plan to dramatically increase face-to-face meetings between criminals and their victims, aiming to expand restorative justice programmes that currently reach fewer than 1% of court cases. The Probation Service has set targets to increase court referrals to restorative justice programmes by 10% annually over three years, potentially … Read more

Western counties face afternoon of heavy rain and unseasonable strong winds

Western counties face afternoon of heavy rain and unseasonable strong winds

Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow weather warning for three western counties as heavy rain and unusually strong winds are set to batter the region this afternoon and evening. The weather alert comes into effect at 2pm today for counties Galway, Mayo, and Kerry, continuing until 10pm as Ireland’s recent spell of unsettled weather … Read more

Residential Tenancies Board IT project becomes latest public sector cost overrun

Residential Tenancies Board IT project becomes latest public sector cost overrun

A new computer system for the Residential Tenancies Board has exceeded its original budget by 157%, costing taxpayers an additional €5.2 million while being delivered nearly two and a half years late without all promised features. The online tenancy registration system, initially budgeted at €3.3 million, ultimately cost €8.5 million when it finally became operational … Read more

Major transport disruptions expected as bank holiday events draw crowds to Dublin

Major transport disruptions expected as bank holiday events draw crowds to Dublin

Irish Rail has announced significant service disruptions this weekend, with the complete closure of the rail line between Connolly Station and Dún Laoghaire affecting thousands of commuters during the June bank holiday weekend. The closure, running from today through Monday June 2nd, is due to major engineering works between Connolly and Blackrock stations, which will … Read more

Medical card holders must pay for new pharmacy prescription service despite state funding gap

Medical card holders must pay for new pharmacy prescription service despite state funding gap

Medical card holders will be required to pay out of pocket for a new pharmacy prescription service set to launch by the end of 2025, as the government has allocated no state funding to cover the costs for Ireland’s most vulnerable patients. The service, designed to allow pharmacists to prescribe treatments for eight common conditions … Read more

Ireland faces dentist crisis as training places remain static for three decades

Ireland faces dentist crisis as training places remain static for three decades

Ireland is grappling with a severe dentist shortage as the number of college training places has remained virtually unchanged for nearly 30 years, despite significant population growth and increasing demand for dental care. Fine Gael TD Colm Burke has raised urgent concerns about the crisis, revealing that the number of dentists providing public dental care … Read more

Hospital overcrowding crisis continues as nearly 8,200 patients treated on trolleys in May

Hospital overcrowding crisis continues as nearly 8,200 patients treated on trolleys in May

Ireland’s hospital overcrowding crisis persists with nearly 8,200 patients forced to receive treatment on trolleys and in inappropriate spaces during May, according to new figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. The concerning statistics reveal that 75 children were among those admitted to hospital without proper bed accommodation, highlighting the severity of the ongoing … Read more

Ireland sees drop in foreign visitors despite strong recovery from 2023

Ireland sees drop in foreign visitors despite strong recovery from 2023

Ireland welcomed 528,100 foreign visitors in April 2025, marking a 4% decline from the same month last year, according to new statistics released by the Central Statistics Office. While visitor numbers dropped compared to April 2024, the figures show a robust 14% increase when measured against April 2023, indicating continued recovery in the tourism sector … Read more