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’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
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
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
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
The number of couples availing of free in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment in Ireland has increased by 50 per cent within a year, RTE reported citing the figures from the Health Service Executive (HSE). Since the State-funded fertility treatment rollout in September 2023, approximately 1,700 couples have been referred for IVF. Initially, around 100 couples … Read more
New figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) revealed that electric vehicle (EV) sales hit a record high in January, with 4,925 EVs registered. This marks a 20 per cent increase from the 4,093 registered in January last year. Overall, new car registrations rose by 7 per cent to 33,521, compared to … Read more
An Post has announced that the price of a standard stamp will rise by 25 cent to €1.65 later this month. The increase, which takes effect on 27 February for personal customers and 1 March for business users, reflects rising wage costs, higher operational expenses, and a continued decline in letter volumes. Letter volumes have … Read more
The number of new job vacancies on hiring platform IrishJobs fell by 9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024. Sectors such as manufacturing, IT, finance, and science recorded decreases in job postings, according to the latest Jobs Index from IrishJobs. Despite several high-profile companies calling employees back to the office, the level of … Read more
Starting Friday, speed limits on most local roads across Ireland will be reduced from 80 km/h to 60 km/h in a bid to enhance road safety and curb accidents. Later this year, the default speed limit on national secondary roads will also be lowered, dropping from 100 km/h to 80 km/h. This adjustment aims to … Read more
Nearly two weeks after Storm Éowyn struck Ireland, approximately 25,000 premises remain without electricity, with some potentially facing power outages until the weekend. This continues to affect communities following a peak outage that left 768,000 customers in the dark on January 24th. ESB Networks Regional Manager Siobhan Wynne has identified Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, and Leitrim … Read more
A recent Studyclix Student Survey has revealed concerning trends in Irish education, with almost 20% of Leaving Certificate students admitting to using artificial intelligence tools for their project work. The survey, covering 1,300 sixth-year students, shows a dramatic increase in AI usage, with 71% having tried tools like ChatGPT and 60% using AI for school-related … Read more
A new report from the National Paediatric Mortality Register (NPMR) reveals concerning trends in Ireland’s child mortality rates, with infant mortality rates plateauing and now exceeding the European Union average. The comprehensive study, analyzing data from 2019 to 2023, shows that Ireland’s rate of 3.2 deaths per 1,000 live births is now higher than the … Read more
Three more lives have been lost on Irish roads since Thursday morning, bringing this year’s road fatality count to 14, as gardaí conducted extensive road safety operations during the bank holiday weekend. Despite reduced traffic due to Storm Éowyn, more than 1,000 drivers were caught exceeding speed limits across the country. Several serious speeding incidents … Read more
Households across Ireland may have to navigate the next winter without once-off payments such as electricity credits, as the Government considers scaling back these interventions for the first time in years, The Irish Times reported. According to the report, senior coalition sources indicated that such payments, which have been a key feature of every budget … Read more