First-time buyers are leading a surge in mortgage approvals, with April figures showing significant growth in both value and volume as Ireland’s property market maintains momentum despite ongoing challenges. New data from the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland reveals that mortgage approvals reached €1.5 billion in April, representing a 14% increase in value and 4% … Read more
Almost half of Irish adults rate their do-it-yourself abilities as poor, with 49% giving themselves just two stars or less out of five for home maintenance skills, according to a new nationwide survey. The research, commissioned by insurance broker Gallagher and conducted among 1,000 Irish adults by iReach, reveals a significant lack of confidence in … Read more
The National Museum of Ireland opened a landmark exhibition today featuring rare medieval manuscripts that highlight Ireland’s profound influence on European intellectual and cultural development during the early medieval period. The free exhibition, titled “Words on the Wave: Ireland and St. Gallen in Early Medieval Europe,” launched at the National Museum today, May 29, offering … Read more
The Health Products Regulatory Authority has issued a warning about a recent surge in online advertisements promoting dangerous fake or unauthorised medicines, with scammers fraudulently using the HPRA’s own logo to mislead consumers. The regulatory authority says fraudulent advertisers are falsely claiming their unapproved products are “endorsed by the HPRA,” using the health watchdog’s official … Read more
Calls to Ireland’s National Rape Crisis Helpline exceeded 20,000 for the first time in 2024, reaching a record high of 22,700 contacts as demand for support services continues to grow significantly. The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, which operates the 24-hour helpline supporting survivors of sexual violence across the country, reported a 20% increase in contacts … Read more
Ireland is on track to miss its 2030 carbon emissions targets by over 50%, potentially triggering tens of billions of euros in EU fines that climate experts say could have been better spent helping citizens and the economy transition to cleaner energy. New Environmental Protection Agency figures reveal a stark picture of Ireland’s climate performance, … Read more
Construction of Dublin’s long-awaited MetroLink underground rail project may not begin until 2028, according to testimony the National Transport Authority will deliver to an Oireachtas transport committee today. The timeline represents another significant delay for the ambitious public transport project, which aims to provide underground rail connectivity across Dublin. The NTA will inform committee members … Read more
Ireland will require up to 8,000 additional public hospital beds by 2040 to meet the healthcare demands of a rapidly growing and ageing population, according to a major new study. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) report, funded by the Department of Health, paints a stark picture of the capacity challenges facing the Irish … Read more
Irish weather forecasters are warning of unsettled conditions ahead, with heavy downpours and potential thunderstorms set to dominate the June bank holiday weekend. Met Éireann has issued its preliminary forecast for the long weekend, cautioning that while specific details may change, the current pattern of changeable weather looks likely to persist through the coming days … Read more
Unemployment rates have dropped significantly in some of the country’s most deprived areas, narrowing the gap between them and more affluent communities, according to new research by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). Drawing on Census data from 2016 and 2022, the study, commissioned by Pobal, examined changes in socioeconomic conditions and barriers to … Read more
The Irish government will today propose over 200 amendments to the long-delayed Mental Health Bill, focusing particularly on how involuntary patients receive treatment when they cannot consent to care. Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler and Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill are bringing the substantial changes to Cabinet as they push to advance legislation that … Read more
The estimated number of people in employment during the first quarter of 2025 stood at just under 2.8 million, marking a 3.3 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. According to the latest Labour Force Survey from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the unemployment rate also edged up slightly to 4.3 per … Read more
The government has published sweeping defence legislation that will allow military personnel to be suspended during criminal investigations and fundamentally change how Irish troops are deployed overseas. The General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025, a 41-page document published last week, introduces significant changes to how Defence Forces personnel face discipline, interact with international … Read more
The Irish Road Haulage Association has launched a campaign calling for tractors and slow-moving agricultural vehicles to be banned from motorways, citing serious safety risks and traffic disruption. Under current regulations, agricultural vehicles including tractors are permitted on motorways provided they can maintain a minimum speed of 50 km/h. When towing trailers, both the tractor … Read more
Parents are being urged to stop removing children from school during term time for family holidays, as new figures reveal primary school pupils lost almost 360,000 school days to family trips last year. The figure represents nearly triple the pre-pandemic level, prompting warnings from school principals about the serious emotional and social damage caused by … Read more