Overseas intelligence agencies’ following well worn playbook for recruiting in Ireland ‘Influence operations’ by Russia and China are not uncommon as reports allege an Oireachtas member is working as an asset for Russian security servicesTue Oct 08 2024 - 06:00
Coalition minds focus on election dates - just not when the All Blacks are in townYour essential end-of-week politics catch up as Greens go to the wall over budget baby boostFri Oct 04 2024 - 13:19
Chambers and Donohoe privately raised concerns around scale of child benefit paymentsBudget 2025: Chambers and Donohoe cautioned colleagues about expenditure growth in once-off measuresFri Oct 04 2024 - 06:00
In the room where the budget happened: how the multibillion giveaway deal was done over tea, coffee and custard creamsAbout €1 billion in giveaways was added in the final days of internal Coalition negotiations amid tense meetings against the backdrop of an approaching general electionFri Oct 04 2024 - 06:00
‘Bonanza’ budget that pumps billions into economy repeats Ireland’s past mistakes, State watchdog warnsSpending boost set ‘to stoke inflation’, adding an estimated €1,000 to cost of a typical household’s yearly outgoingsTue Oct 01 2024 - 21:46
Budget 2025 main pointsBudget 2025: USC cut to 3%; extra credits for renters; 10,000 new social homes to built and free public transport for under-9sTue Oct 01 2024 - 17:54
Budget 2025: What we know so far – from tax cuts to pension increases and free schoolbooksThis year’s measures will be framed around tax and spending package of €8.3bn, with cost-of-living bundle worth roughly €1.5bnTue Oct 01 2024 - 06:45
Budget 2025: Two double child benefit payments expected in near €2bn cost-of-living package Extension of the Help to Buy scheme to 2029, and extra tax on vulture funds expectedSun Sept 29 2024 - 22:15
Inheritance tax threshold to hit €400,000 under giveaway budgetHouseholds to benefit from extension to reduced 9% VAT rate on energy bills into next yearSat Sept 28 2024 - 06:00
Budget 2025: Tax cut, mortgage interest relief and other measures in Coalition’s final roll of the diceUSC, inheritance tax, childcare, child benefit, social welfare, college fees, VAT rate: How the budget will affect parents, students, renters, mortgage holders, farmers, pensioners and carersSat Sept 28 2024 - 06:00
Residential zoned tax to go ahead as planned in February, as pre-Budget deal struckThe Green Party objected to the delay to introduce a tax to prevent land hoarding which they said was like ‘hiding food in a famine’Fri Sept 27 2024 - 19:04
Cost breakdown on €1.4m Government Buildings security hut revealedCost of metal roof likened to Donald Trump’s hair was €60,000, while pavilion structure cost €283,231Fri Sept 27 2024 - 12:51
Budget 2025: Tax cut for income up to €70,000 and added student and rent supports dueScale of childcare funding is proving to be a sticking point in talks between ministers but deal is expected on residential zoned land taxFri Sept 27 2024 - 11:15
Sinn Féin seeks lower taxes and €4 billion more spending than Coalition plans in budgetBudget 2025: Party promises to abolish Universal Social Charge for workers earning €45,000 or lessThu Sept 26 2024 - 14:08
Minimum wage hikes in budget could see PRSI threshold increase for employersGovernment expected to increase minimum wage following recommendation by Low Pay CommissionThu Sept 26 2024 - 06:00
Extra CCTV for Dublin areas with high antisocial behaviour among plans for CabinetIncreased housing adaptation grants and ban of XL Bully dogs are also on agendaThu Sept 26 2024 - 06:00
Tánaiste says €1.4m cost of Government Buildings security hut is ‘ridiculous’ Details of cost emerge at committee meeting where politicians quizzed OPW on €336,000 Leinster House bike shelterWed Sept 25 2024 - 21:14
Fianna Fáil TDs accused of breaking embargo on announcement of sports capital grant fundingFine Gael source accuses Coalition partner of ‘Ballymagash’ politicsTue Sept 24 2024 - 21:24
OPW to review ‘fatally flawed’ systems for signing off on spending in wake of Leinster House bike shedOireachtas Commission hears civil servant employed at principal officer level can sign off on up to €500,000 worth of spendingTue Sept 24 2024 - 06:00
‘Leaked’ Michael D Higgins letter to Iran: What has happened and is it really a big deal?President says he believes the letter was ‘circulated from the Israeli embassy’, a claim denied by IsraelMon Sept 23 2024 - 17:15
Plans to introduce hate speech laws droppedPlanned hate speech laws were criticised by Government backbenchers, free speech groups and Elon MuskSat Sept 21 2024 - 06:00
Slow-motion decoupling: as an election draws closer, faultlines in Government are becoming clearerDividing lines are becoming unavoidable as the Coalition parties seek to differentiate themselves from each other in the eyes of votersSat Sept 21 2024 - 06:00
Stripping back of hate crime legislation was inevitable but marks a dark day for targeted communitiesPolitically, the move forward will inevitably be construed as a clearing of the decks in advance of an electionSat Sept 21 2024 - 06:00
Senior doctors back Donnelly bid for electronic patient records investment via Apple windfall‘Our health system continues to rely on an antiquated records model,’ says Irish Hospital Consultants Association chiefFri Sept 20 2024 - 17:16
Cheap loans for builders and more money for Irish Water among Ministers’ proposals for Apple tax billionsMinister for Housing Darragh O’Brien is understood to be targeting expanded funding for the Land Development Agency to build 20,000 homes by 2030Fri Sept 20 2024 - 06:00
Small business ‘subsidy’ sought by Greens to boost footfall in townsParty policy in line with the objective of revitalising and investing in town centres to avoid derelictionFri Sept 20 2024 - 02:00
Apple taxes: ‘Dublin-Shannon bullet train’ among ideas TDs advance for €14bnClarity on where to invest money will be given on Budget day, says TaoiseachWed Sept 18 2024 - 20:15
Pension tax relief rises to cover pots of up to €2.8m by 2029 under Cabinet plansLimit had caused problems for filling senior Garda and civil service rolesWed Sept 18 2024 - 16:10
Energy credits and welfare lump-sums would be part of €1.5bn cost-of-living budget packageBudget 2025: Energy credits will be worth less than the three payments of €150 rolled out in last year’s budget.Wed Sept 18 2024 - 06:00
Fianna Fáil TDs seek more money in budget for roadworks in row with GreensBackbenchers are seeking to make up a €40m shortfall in improvements highlighted by road paving industryTue Sept 17 2024 - 22:07
Minister’s intervention stalls refugee accommodation centre opening in Co LimerickPatrick O’Donovan raised issues with his Cabinet colleague Roderic O’Gorman over proposed facility in his constituencyTue Sept 17 2024 - 18:03
Social Democrats will not go into government ‘to make up numbers’, says Holly CairnsParty will run as many candidates as possible in the coming general election with names selected for about half of constituenciesTue Sept 17 2024 - 12:12
Dairy farmers warn climate change plans will be ineffective if more money not allocated to themMilk producer Lakeland Dairies says Government now facing ‘dilemma’, in letter to Minister for Agriculture and Coalition leadersMon Sept 16 2024 - 19:54
Sinn Féin would spend €1bn of Apple windfall on investment in working class communities - McDonaldTargeted capital investment could ‘transform communities’ suffering from neglect, party leader saidMon Sept 16 2024 - 13:42
After Apple ruling, should Ireland be worried about what comes next?Apple case decision comes at a tricky moment for Ireland’s industrial policy, for so long pegged on taxSat Sept 14 2024 - 06:00
Budget 2025 to include €3bn boost for infrastructure including housing, Chambers saysBetter water and energy services will also be paid for out of this allocation, Minister for Finance says in interview with The Irish TimesSat Sept 14 2024 - 06:00
British government orders inquiry into murder of Pat Finucane by UDASolicitor was shot dead in Belfast home in February 1989 by loyalist paramilitaries in attack found to have involved state collusionWed Sept 11 2024 - 18:49
Concern in Coalition at fallout from €13bn Apple tax rulingMinister for Finance pushes back against idea ruling could make Ireland a less attractive place to investWed Sept 11 2024 - 05:47
Dublin Airport passenger cap is ‘antiquated’, Minister says Comments from junior transport minister James Lawless come ahead of meeting with Michael O’LearyTue Sept 10 2024 - 19:23
Apple tax case windfall will not change spending plans in budget, Ministers insist Irish Government says it will ‘respect the findings’ of EU court ruling ordering computing giant to repay taxesTue Sept 10 2024 - 16:19
Help-to-Buy scheme proposal would see more applicants able to claim highest payment of €30,000Proposal costed at €40m would mean more applicants able to claim highest payment of €30,000Mon Sept 09 2024 - 06:00
Phil Hogan appointed to internal Fine Gael election committeeFormer EU commissioner who resigned after Golfgate scandal has built an extensive advisory business since stepping back from politicsSun Sept 08 2024 - 18:02
Cosy British-Irish relations a welcome change, but to achieve reset considerable work required Jump-starting warm bilateral understanding complex and delicate as both sides pursue common ground after a corrosive decadeSun Sept 08 2024 - 17:16
Government open to reviewing stamp duty for investment funds that bulk-buy houses, says MinisterNo agreement reached yet on increasing rate, says Darragh O’Brien, following calls from Neale Richmond to double rate to 20%Sun Sept 08 2024 - 16:49
Labour fails to land high-profile candidates to join party’s general election ticketFormer Dublin footballer Philly McMahon and Dr Rhona Mahony among those contactedSat Sept 07 2024 - 06:00
Norma Foley vows school sexual abuse commission will be set up ‘as quickly as possible’Minister for Education says she has convened a high-level group ‘which will progress the work that is needed to establish’ a commissionSat Sept 07 2024 - 06:00
Time limit on school abuse inquiry being considered to speed redress package for survivorsGovernment seeking to balance establishment of full commission of investigation with not unduly delaying redress payments to survivorsFri Sept 06 2024 - 06:00
‘People are open to us again’: Labour strategises on how to turn optimism into votesLabour Party’s first call after election will be to Greens and Soc Dems – but it needs to secure seats for that to matterThu Sept 05 2024 - 06:00
Budget 2025: No more tax breaks for landlords in budget, says Minister for Finance Jack Chambers ‘Consensus within Government’ that threshold around inheritance tax too low and options under review to shift that, says MinisterWed Sept 04 2024 - 19:21
Schools abuse: Sorrow of religious orders just ‘hollow words’ if redress funding doesn’t follow, says HarrisAn Garda Síochána appeals to victims to come forward but says there may be limitations as to the action it can take in some casesWed Sept 04 2024 - 16:33
