Saying no is not Simon Harris’s favourite part of the jobThe decent people who protested last week have a choice to make next time they’re on the streets
Government and civil servants uneasy over President’s choice of first overseas tripCatherine Connolly will meet Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, but not her counterpart, the king of Spain
Micheál Martin survives week of internal Fianna Fáil dissent, but is a bigger heave on the way?The Government’s response to the fuel protests exposed a fissure within the party, ‘loss of connectivity’ with grassroots supporters, and accusations of top-down leadership
Patrick O’Donovan admits making ‘hames’ of comments on fuel protests coverageMinister was accused of ‘sinister’ intervention on coverage of fuel blockades
New law will undo hundreds of historic gay sex convictionsDáil debate hears of horrific penal system and climate of fear in which gay men lived or left Ireland to escape
Will Jim O’Callaghan’s Army threat against fuel protesters come back to haunt Fianna Fáil?Inside Politics podcast with Hugh LinehanListen | 45:55
Pace of events in Irish politics over the past chaotic week has been dizzying to say the leastElsewhere in the world, a summer of travel disruption may be looming if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war
The Kingdom divided: mixed views in Kerry on Michael Healy-Rae leaving GovernmentIn the heartland of the Healy-Rae political dynasty, opinions differ on whether the Independent TD was right to quit his junior ministry
Irish unity must let Protestants stay British if they want, says GAA president‘The Orange Order is as important to Unionists as the GAA is to those in the nationalist community’
State’s authority will be challenged again. We need to be readyLast week’s events are clear warning to Government and gardaí about scale of what may come
‘Massive numbers’ of creches across Dublin lying unused and unusable, committee hears Creches built as part of developments ‘to meet the bare bones of a planning requirement’ are too small, politicians told
Fundamental shift in political landscapeThere is a troubling disconnect between the Taoiseach and voters. Micheál Martin must reconnect with the people or stand down
Micheál Martin has enough support to resist FF leadership challenge, survey suggestsMinisters and TDs rally behind Taoiseach, but 25, mostly rural, TDs did not respond to Irish Times poll
Legal challenge to inquest into IRA man killed in SAS ambush is rejectedTony Doris had planned to kill former Ulster Defence Regiment soldier
Security in Europe ‘a key focus’ for Ireland’s EU presidency, says Taoiseach in BerlinMicheál Martin and Friedrich Merz discuss impact of rising energy prices and the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine
Northern Executive requests urgent meeting with Keir Starmer over ‘breaking point’ financesOver 300,000 low-income households to receive £100 vouchers to counter rise in price of home heating oil
People Before Profit calls for new phase of protests through strikesParties accuse Coalition of ‘splashing the cash’ on developers and landlords while ignoring workers
Gas company seeks to cut off supply to school that owes thousands in arrears, PAC hearsSome principals and teachers going to work two hours early to ‘mop out schools when it rains’
Fianna Fáil TDs rally behind Micheál Martin as prospect of leadership heave fadesJim O’Callaghan ally John Lahart joins other party figures in backing FF leader a day after the party’s three youngest TDs voice criticism
President calls meeting to consider constitutionality of International Protection BillCatherine Connolly will meet her Council of State on Monday to discuss controversial immigration legislation passed by Dáil
Peak student numbers in schools reached last year, Dáil committee to hearDepartment of Education to say its capital funding is on ‘a more steady and sustainable footing’
Taoiseach under pressure from Fianna Fáil backbenchers as Healy-Rae fallout continuesThree Fianna Fáil TDs issue statement strongly criticising direction of party
Fianna Fáil backbenchers are at it again as pressure mounts on MartinRenewed unrest and questions about future of Micheál Martin’s leadership in the wake of a destabilising week of fuel protests
Who represents the Irish people?The organisers of the fuel protests had neither the right nor the authority to speak on behalf of ‘the people of Ireland’
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs believe both parties left damaged after tumultuous 10 daysRenewed questions over Taoiseach’s future while need to reconnect with core voters identified within Fine Gael
Taoiseach to discuss energy-price crisis during visit to German leader in BerlinMeeting with Friedrich Merz part of preparatory work for Ireland’s EU presidency
International Protection Bill passed in Dáil vote after three-hour debateMost significant reform of immigration law in State’s history passed and now goes to President
Fact check: Has Ireland really introduced the ‘largest fuel assistance package in Europe’?Britain introduced no measures for the current fuel crisis but has not reversed the 6 cent cut in excise from 2022
‘Our politics are not working’: Young Fianna Fáil TDs rebuke Coalition in strong statement‘We must face that reality that the social contract is strained to breaking point,’ says trio of representatives
No ‘irreparable damage’ to US-Ireland relations, says US ambassador to EU‘You don’t have to agree with President Trump on everything,’ says Andrew Puzder
Ireland’s renewable energy is benefiting data centres, not households, says Social DemocratJennifer Whitmore accuses Government of allowing data centres get all the benefits of renewable energy
Consumer watchdog finds no evidence of fuel price gouging in era of spiralling costs Costs increasing in line with wholesale price, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission tells Oireachtas committee
Departure of Healy-Raes underlines the depth of this crisis for the GovernmentInside Politics podcast with Hugh LinehanListen | 42:10
Fuel protests fallout: Sharp exhanges in Dáil as Taoiseach and Sinn Féin leader trade accusationsMary Lou McDonald: ‘I condemn all forms of intimidation; one thing I do not lack is courage’ as she accuses Government of ‘losing confidence of public’
Vaccines for older people could reduce dementia risk by 20%, committee hearsGeriatrician calls for set vaccination schedule for older adults similar to childhood programme
Jim Gavin says presidential campaign was ‘tough’ on familyFormer Fianna Fáil candidate rules out future election bids following experience in short-lived race
Healy-Rae resignation: Foley expresses surprise, says no one in Government knew in advanceHealy-Rae put out video 24 hours earlier endorsing Government’s supports package, says Minister for Children
Healy-Raes’ withdrawal leaves three-legged Coalition stool looking a bit wobblier Michael Healy-Rae resigns as junior minister amid fuel protest fallout as Government wins confidence vote but faces stability questions
Fuel protests aftermath: Reaction to Fintan O’Toole’s article on protest leaders The worrying language used by protest leaders reminded me of the early days of Maga in the US
Government reliance on social media is a communication failureMany people no longer use these platforms
Coalition suffers first major defection as Michael Healy-Rae resignsKerry TD charged the Government with having ‘let the people down’ and `losing its way, not listening'
Michael Healy-Rae resigns as Minister of State after Government ‘let the people down’Coalition survives confidence motion in Dáil following handling of fuel protests
Law does not appear to give Minister power to direct review of media coverage of protestsSeeking to direct the holding of such a review would be contrary to spirit of European law, according to academic
Government survives confidence vote after surprise Michael Healy-Rae resignation Sharp exchanges in Dáil debate as Coalition accused of ‘abandoning the Irish people’ by Mary Lou McDonald amid fuel crisis
Analysis: Michael Healy-Rae resignation leaves Coalition looking more brittleThe prospect of tougher times ahead for the Government is not unlikely as it looks weaker and more brittle
Patrick O’Donovan not seeking media coverage review of fuel protests despite suggestion he wouldTánaiste says no need for ‘any sort of formal review’ into RTÉ’s coverage as party colleague comes in for criticism
Left-right divide clearer after fuel protests: What to watch for in Dáil confidence debateTensions not exclusive to the Coalition as Sinn Féin and Social Democrats find themselves walking a tightrope
Politicians return to Leinster House and straight into clash over fuel protests Confidence motion to be debated in the Dáil this afternoon
O’Donovan’s comments on media coverage of fuel protest ‘sinister and deeply disturbing’, NUJ says Minister for Media suggests RTÉ report used to encourage protesters to Whitegate refinery
Fuel support package is a failure of our climate obligationsA new template for protesting has now been established – block first, negotiate later
Government and civil servants uneasy over President’s choice of first overseas tripBy Jack Horgan-JonesSat Apr 18 2026 - 06:00
Inside Politics PodcastWill Jim O’Callaghan’s Army threat against fuel protesters come back to haunt Fianna Fáil?Listen | 45:55
Micheál Martin survives week of internal Fianna Fáil dissent, but is a bigger heave on the way?By Harry McGee
Pace of events in Irish politics over the past chaotic week has been dizzying to say the leastBy Cormac McQuinn
Could Labour have done anything to avoid electoral wipeout in 2016? Collapse, part threeListen | 51:53
People Before Profit calls for new phase of protests through strikesParties accuse Coalition of ‘splashing the cash’ on developers and landlords while ignoring workers By Marie O’HalloranThu Apr 16 2026 - 19:37