Good morning.
Ministers retired to Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park last night for a brainstorming session about long-term priorities and plans to accelerate policy delivery this year.
Outside, meanwhile, an actual storm was howling. With floods reported around the country and commuter chaos in Dublin the weather was the topic on everyone lips yesterday – and on the front pages today. Met Éireann said that the risk of flooding would continue for the rest of the week. There was disruption to road, rail and the airport, while at one stage 20,000 homes were without power.
The Government announced financial assistance would be available for people flooded out of their homes, with the Taoiseach telling the Dáil that the Department of Social Welfare would “provide immediate needs payments and others supports where required”, while the Department of Enterprise would look at a business support scheme.
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There was massive flooding in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, in Kilkenny and other parts of the southeast, in Wicklow and in areas of south Dublin around Rathfarnham. There was criticism of the Government’s record in preparing for extreme weather. Labour TD Ciaran Ahern told the Dáil that Whitechurch stream in Rathfarnham burst its banks before the area was flooded.
“Unfortunately, the Whitechurch flood alleviation scheme commenced construction approximately three years ago, yet it is still not completed,” he said.
Permission granted in late 2020 for the scheme was challenged by the Ballyboden Tidy Towns Group, though the group ultimately failed in its legal challenge, which reached the Supreme Court in 2022, we report. Make of that what you will.
Anyway, with climate scientists warning that extreme weather events are becoming more likely and will occur more regularly, climate adaptation and mitigation will become increasingly important. It might be an idea to do flood defences rather more quickly. We can hardly say we weren’t warned.
The bad weather is due to continue. But fear not – the National Emergency Co-ordination Group is meeting. Stay tuned for their advice: “I would advise drivers to heed signage about flooded roads,” the Minister, James Browne, said last night. Vital stuff.
Our front page story is here.
Trinity academic Brian Caulfield argues that the big problem isn’t the weather – it’s that our transport infrastructure is inadequate.
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In the Dáil, there were sombre exchanges about the death of Grace Lynch, struck by a scrambler motorbike in Finglas on Sunday. Mary Lou McDonald accused Taoiseach Micheál Martin of failing to listen to “working class communities”.
“Neighbourhoods being terrorised by antisocial behaviour involving these bikes is nothing new, with gangs driving scramblers dangerously, harassing and intimidating people and delivering drugs, with countless accidents and a constant sense of menace.”
Martin promised to “everything and anything” to get scramblers off the roads.
Dáil report here.
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First shots were also fired in the Dáil on the Residential Tenancies Bill, which will, depending on who you believe, either see already sky-high rents increase further (Opposition) or finally stimulate more much needed investment in new apartments and therefore increase the supply of places to rent (Government). Actually, it might do both. But there’s going to be a right row before it does either of those things.
Our lead story today shows that the value of mortgage drawdowns is up – but the market remains half-strangled.
Another bill to come is the Defence Amendment Bill, which will end the triple lock. “This will be the final nail in the coffin of Irish neutrality,” Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney told the Taoiseach. Maybe. But it will be a long funeral, that’s for sure. Like the rent and tenancy changes, the Government will face a battle in the Dáil on this, and a loud campaign on the streets.
Here’s our analysis.
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Guess who’s going where for St Patrick’s Day? Cormac McQuinn has the details.
Best reads
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White House in retreat from claims about Minnesota killing.
Michael McDowell on the “chainsaw massacre” of US politics.
Ellen Coyne reports on the suggestion by junior minister Niamh Smyth to class internet platforms as publishers, thus making them responsible for content on the sites. Don’t hold your breath.
Playbook
Wednesday is usually a long day in the Dáil, though today is not an especially late finish: business starts at 9am and concludes 12 hours later after the weekly votes. Leaders questions is at noon, and the debate on the Government’s new international protection bill starts just after 5.30pm and goes on until 9pm.
The Seanad has statements on the nitrates directive and on artificial intelligence.
A busy day at the committees will see discussions on, inter alia, child and adolescent mental health services, facilities for people with disabilities, issues facing the taxi industry, pensions, competitiveness, hot school meals, funding for Life programmes (it’s an EU gig), high performance athlete welfare, accelerating infrastructure delivery, equine passports and the microchipping of dogs. Something for everyone there, surely.
