Fine Gael

The latest news, analysis and comment on Irish political party Fine Gael

‘Netflix levy’: Fine Gael MEPs urge Minister to meet organisation pushing for charge on TV streaming services

Minister for Media Patrick O’Donovan indicates no intention to introduce additional charge

Sinn Féin to chair Oireachtas justice and defence committees

Government parties take lead positions on housing and infrastructure panels

Fine Gael councillor gets ‘significant sanction’ for comment on ‘the Jews’

Punam Rane suspended from party rights and privileges for 18 months, Simon Harris confirms

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy bears ‘no ill will’ after winning confidence motion

Taoiseach accused Opposition of ‘mob politics’, while Sinn Féin leader said Verona Murphy’s role was ‘delivered’ by Michael Lowry

Verona Murphy: Motion of confidence in Ceann Comhairle passed in Dáil

Wexford TD says she bears no ill will to those who brought motion and ‘her door is always open’

More than half of all third-level students could face an increase of up to €1000 in college fees this year

Annual ‘student contribution’ has been lowered to €2,000 from €3,000 for past three years

Michael Lowry gave two fingers to the public. Their message back to the Government is equally concise

Political careers of Tipperary North TD and Verona Murphy should have been over long before either got into this mess

More than 950 Irish exporters face Trump tariffs

Seen & Heard: Flatley and McGregor, housing bottlenecks, and Fine Gael support slips

Leo Varadkar confirms he will feature in RTÉ travel show and rules out presidential bid

Former Fine Gael leader also confirms he begins advisory role with US-based PR firm Penta on April 10th, a year and two days after he stepped down as taoiseach

Speaking rights for Michael Lowry would not be on my list of issues critical to our democracy

Row is yet more evidence of politicians’ preoccupation with trivia as storm clouds gather abroad and housing crisis worsens at home

‘I would not even consider voting for that horrid man’: Councillors respond to Conor McGregor’s bid for presidential nomination

Mixed martial arts fighter wants run in this year’s election to succeed Michael D Higgins

Conor McGregor presidential bid: All but one of 188 councillors would not vote for MMA fighter, survey shows

Councillors are bracing for a chaotic bid to seek presidential nomination

Verona Murphy will survive vote of confidence as Ceann Comhairle but at what cost to her standing?

Row over speaking rights has put all other Dáil business in abeyance for two months

Independent senator Aubrey McCarthy expresses interest in possible Áras run

Businessman and charity co-founder the latest person to reveal they are considering presidential tilt

‘I fully intend to continue’: Verona Murphy rejects ‘unfounded allegations’ of partiality and ‘will remain’ as Ceann Comhairle

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy responds as Opposition publishes no-confidence motion

Michael Lowry gives masterclass in smug ingratitude amid Dáil chaos over speaking time

Two-digit TD for Tipperary gloated dismissively as Opposition raged over Ceann Comhairle’s decision to bring Dáil confrontation over speaking rights to abrupt end

Housing land dezoned in Dundalk despite regulator’s intervention

The site, owned by Glenveagh, had been earmarked for some 500 new homes

Conor McGregor’s presidential hopes are a warning to the Government parties to unite behind a strong candidate

Heather Humphreys is an obvious contender - but will Fianna Fáil go along with it?

Lucinda Creighton’s Vulcan Consulting opens office in Belfast

Conor Houston is appointed as Northern Ireland director at the firm

North, South and across party lines, voters are open to remaking Ireland’s institutions after reunification

Different changes draw varying levels of support and hostility, but change in general has backing

Daily Mail owner Lord Rothermere in a spot of bother with his Dublin tenants

Plus: Marc MacSharry will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree; Sammy Wilson’s silence; and Henry Kelly’s political allegiance

Plans to base combat jets at Shannon airport at annual cost of €100m

Simon Harris says he is convinced of need to acquire combat jet aircraft to ‘deter and detect’ airborne threats as part of massive increase in defence spending

‘An ugly lack of respect:’ How a row over a small group of Independent TDs has darkened the Dáil’s atmosphere

Another effort to resolve the increasingly bitter Dáil speaking rights controversy ended in disarray this week. Where to now?

Senators and clerk of Seanad to oppose recount petition

Cllr Angela Feeney claims she was refused a full recount by returning officer during Seanad elections

Taoiseach erupts at Sinn Féin lecturing others about doing the right thing while canonising IRA slaytriots

Ceann Comhairle tells Micheál Martin to stop carrying on like a child following goading by Pearse Doherty over Michael Lowry

Fine Gael nominates Mairead McGuinness to run for EPP vice-president role

Longford-Westmeath TD Micheál Carrigy has been elected as parliamentary party chairman

Former justice minister criticises McDonald’s tribute to late IRA figure ‘Bik’ McFarlane

Charlie Flanagan describes tribute as ‘nauseating’

Proposals to change triple lock potentially ‘very dangerous’ – Sinn Féin

Government insists plans will not infringe on Ireland’s military neutrality

Speaking rights row set to reignite as opposition insists those who support Government must not speak on their Dáil time

Government Chief Whip Mary Butler set a deadline of Wednesday for submissions from political parties about Dáil reform and speaking rights

Fianna Fáil interventions on housing prompt puzzlement in Fine Gael

Mood ahead of first Cabinet housing subcommittee more taut than might have been expected, following interventions by Taoiseach Micheál Martin

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil divided over proposed tax breaks for developers to boost supply of homes

Simon Harris warns over failed policies of the past, but Micheál Martin’s party wants drastic action to meet housing targets

Call for urgent investigation into ‘alarming surge’ in accommodation booking scams

Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty says there has been a 900% increase in scams related to booking.com in last two years

Owning its own home pays for Fine Gael when it comes to funding elections

Plus: Rose of Tralee’s ongoing financial troubles; Dermot Desmond’s club advocacy; and rugby publicans’ qualified grand slam

Department of Transport strongly backs Dublin Airport expansion and easing of passenger gap

Transport docs

Greens to lose €850,000 a year, Social Democrats and Aontú to gain in new funding allocation

Exchequer funding given to nine parties obtaining at least 2 per cent of first preferences

Evanne Ní Chuilinn tells Seanad that brother’s struggle with addiction led her to politics

Making her maiden Seanad speech, former sports broadcaster says brother would be ‘very proud’

Five Sinn Féin TDs write to Tánaiste demanding Dáil statement on Senator Martin Conway

Five female politicians ask Simon Harris to explain why Senator Conway paid €10,000 to charity after allegedly acting inappropriately to female colleague

Legislation to increase number of Ministers rushed through Dáil, passing by 92 votes to 72

Labour finance spokesman Ged Nash describes the legislation as a ‘jobs for the boys Bill’ and says the new posts will cost State €7.5 million over five years

Tánaiste says it was ‘appropriate’ that senator resigned Fine Gael whip after arrest

Circumstances that led to Martin Conway’s resignation were distressing and there will be ‘a full investigation’, Simon Harris says

New senators set out stalls as Mark Daly of FF elected unopposed as Cathaoirleach

Almost all 60 senators spoke on first day of new Seanad as Irish unity, disability and housing among platforms for future debate

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