Ireland has too many quangos and too many lawyers feeding off its clientelist politics
Tackling the State’s problems requires structural change to decentralise and redemocratise power
Government
Criminals set up fake Irish Government agency for counterfeit maritime certs
Forged documents allow ships to pass port inspections, skirt employment law and safety rules
Irish renewable energy policy gets a badly needed reality check
National Economic & Social Council charts a way through the energy minefield
Costs holding back Ireland as a renewables exporter, Nesc warns
‘To lead in clean energy, we need to invest strategically, contain costs and work more closely with our neighbours’
Data centres could consume as much electricity as two million Irish homes by 2030, report predicts
But share of total power demand for data centres predicted to fall to 16 per cent by 2050
Slowing pace of capital project delivery has knock-on effects for Irish society
High Court challenges can add three to five years to a project
Ireland’s online safety code can continue but further legal challenges likely over regulation
Government believes code is crucial in protecting children from dangers in digital world
Minister for Justice to tell Cabinet preferred candidate for next Garda Commissioner
Current commissioner Drew Harris to remain in role until September 1st
Local authorities told to zone more land for housing, as national target more than doubles
Councils to be asked to collectively zone enough land to hold 83,000 new homes per year
Spending on infrastructure makes sense, cutting VAT on hospitality is madness
However, unless the planning system is reformed, I’m unlikely during my lifetime to ride the metro or drink Shannon water from my tap
The Covid files: what the government was told and how it coped in the early days of the pandemic
A trove of unpublished documents shows the information given to government as it made radical decisions affecting people’s lives
Tom Parsons: Intercounty players give us something money can’t buy, so why are they left out of pocket?
Research commissioned by the GPA found players absorb €4,602 in unreimbursed costs on average each year
Mapping the hidden black gold that is peat soil
The maps we use have profound implications for calculating greenhouse gas emissions from our land sector
Most farmers could earn more money by planting trees - why don’t they?
Tree planting in Ireland is at its lowest level since 1946 despite grants and premiums
Government’s spending overruns amount to ‘poor planning’, Fiscal Council says
Budgetary watchdog assails Government’s projections
Will the Government’s big projects survive the next downturn?
Inside Politics podcast with Hugh Linehan
Environment watchdog recommends mandating registration of private drinking water supplies
Unregistered supplies serving schools, nursing homes, sports clubs and self-catering accommodation may pose health risk, notes EPA
Ireland’s latest investment plan: A sceptic’s guide
A bad outcome on US-EU tariffs would be the acid test of where Government priorities lie
National Development Plan to help Ireland meet climate goals, says Taoiseach
Government notes need to provide backing for development of ‘low-carbon transport projects’, such as MetroLink, before 2030
National Development Plan shows the Government is about to bet big on capital expenditure
Investment surge pledged by Coalition, especially in the areas of water, energy infrastructure and housing
Ban on inshore fishing of sprat to protect whales, birdlife and other sea mammals
Cabinet approves ‘actions to safeguard Ireland’s marine biodiversity and coastal communities’
National Development Plan main points: how much is being spent and what are the big winners?
NDP is a total investment of €275.4bn from 2026-2035
State agencies to implement new rules aiming to enhance transparency in political ads
Introduction of alcohol warning labels to be deferred for two years, Ministers to hear
Budget to focus on long-term gains at cost of short-term pain
Spending on infrastructure to rise as cost-of-living measures unlikely to feature
Ireland’s infrastructure to be ‘transformed’ over next decade with €200bn plan
Ministers to be warned to rein in current spending
Plans to invest €200bn in Ireland’s infrastructure over next decade set to be unveiled
Revised National Deveopment Plan being billed as one of largest ever capital expansion programmes in State’s history
Ministers sought multiples of available funding as part of national plan review
Spending on five key areas yet to be resolved in advance of launch of revised National Development Plan next week
Warning labels on alcohol an idea from ‘different time’, Minister warned Cabinet colleague
Minister for Enterprise asked Minister for Health to pause plans for alcohol health warnings due to global economic uncertainty
Sex abuse in schools: State accused of ignoring its liability for redress
Louise O’Keeffe, who took State to court over failure to protect her, questioned Government’s guidance on issue
Green Party leader calls on Government to retain funding of key climate projects
Announcement of €5m district heating fund comes amid concerns over possible rollback of climate spending as revised NDP is finalised
Voters grow bolder in backing stronger EU response to Trump tariffs but no sign of consensus
Poll shows Sinn Féin voters join Fianna Fáil and Fine Gaelers in circumspect response to Occupied Territories Bill
Government ‘feckless’ with public money, Social Democrats claim in budget row
Tánaiste hits out at Sinn Féin error on supermarket ownership - ‘I know who owns SuperValu’
Climate Council warns against ‘dumb’ proposal to allow forestry on peatlands
Government policy needs further overhaul to address low planting rates
Cern decision by Cabinet opens up particle research opportunities for Ireland
UCD to expand its research capacity to coincide with membership of the famous laboratory in Switzerland
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
The GlossOpens in new window
Read the digital edition of The Gloss magazine now
Family NoticesOpens in new window
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices