Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan taken ill at event in Limerick
Fine Gael TD earlier accused party colleagues of ‘ultimate betrayal’ for comments on his health
Patrick O’Donovan
Politician
In making a mess of the budget, Patrick O’Donovan may have done us a favour
If public service broadcasting is to retain public trust and integrity, it must be insulated from political pressure
TG4 set to pay for ministerial messing
Allocation almost 17% lower than broadcaster had targeted for the year in its most recent strategy paper
Income from ‘broken’ television licence fee down €5.7m in first nine months
Projected 715,401 television licences to be sold for the year likely to generate about €114.46m, down €8.5m on last year
The remaking of Jack Chambers
Not yet restored as a leadership contender perhaps, but the Minister for Public Expenditure’s stock is higher than it has been for a long time
Lots of Ministers floated budget ideas that failed to materialise, Simon Harris says
No desire in Government to ‘rerun’ drama over RTÉ governance, Simon Harris says
‘They were all sick of each other by then’: Inside the Government rooms where the budget was made
Fraught last-minute haggling in back rooms dominated the final days of negotiations as spending Minister Jack Chambers dug in
The Irish Times view on the budget process: flawed and short-termist
The system’s shortcomings have been laid bare by the absurd contortions over funding for RTÉ
Budget 2027 continues extraordinary rise in State spending
Inside Politics: Hard to know who’ll blink first in standoff between Government and public sector unions
RTÉ likely to get back €20m lost in Budget 2027 ‘if it proves reforms are on track’
Taoiseach and Tánaiste’s offices intervene with Patrick O’Donovan ahead of crunch meeting with broadcaster’s leadership
Last-minute €20m funding cut for RTÉ could have messy consequences
Broadcaster is unlikely to touch its big tent poles, but the breadth of its offering could suffer and some shows could be delayed
RTÉ DG says he has confidence in Minister after ‘constructive’ meeting on funding
Broadcaster’s managing director and chairman Terence O’Rourke met Patrick O’Donovan for just over an hour
Inside the unexpected Budget 2027 move that has shocked RTÉ
In the News podcast: Jack Horgan-Jones has the latest on a Budget 2027 row
Irish Government was warned last year that RTÉ funding was too low
Coimisiún na Meán said broadcaster would face ‘particularly acute’ cash flow issues in 2027
Does Patrick O’Donovan’s explanation for €20m RTÉ funding cut add up?
Row between Minister and State broadcaster raises questions about who knew what in Government about decision
Most skirmishes before and after the budget featured Patrick O’Donovan
Inside Politics: Minister has central role in row over the ‘culture card’ and his decision to cut State subvention to RTÉ by €20 million
Minister signalled Government was set to ‘renege’ on RTÉ deal in budget talks
Minister told Jack Chambers broadcaster’s €260m allocation could not be maintained without more funding for his department
TG4 and Screen Ireland budget funding amounts to ‘cut’ in real terms, industry warns
Concern for independent production sector after €20m reduction in State funding for RTÉ
RTÉ ‘caught off-guard’ by €20m cut in funding in Budget 2027
Patrick O’Donovan said he was not happy with progress to date on broadcaster’s transition ‘more agile, smaller’ organisation
Chambers and O’Donovan at odds over ‘culture card’ idea
No funding to enable prepaid €100 voucher for concerts and cultural events, says Minister for Public Expenditure
Budget 2027 tax cuts to benefit middle-income earners by up to €1,500
Tax-free threshold for inheritance tax from parents to children is expected to increase by €20,000 to €420,000
Budget 2027: Rent tax credit could increase to €1,200 per person at higher level
Universal reduction of €150 in college fees on the cards
Royal Hospital Kilmainham conservation plan edges closer as OPW and Imma tensions ease
Office of Public Works and Irish Museum of Modern Art hold ‘constructive’ talks following previous disagreement
Irish film and TV industry mounts late push for enhanced regional tax break in budget
Film producer David Puttnam calls for Government to ‘spread Ireland’s screen industry across the country’
Budget 2027: Measures on pensions, welfare, income tax and more take shape
Continued acrimony in some quarters on Friday evening as many departments moved towards settling their budget
More than 50 people expressed interest in becoming new Arts Council director
Three people were shortlisted for high-profile role before Shona McCarthy secured job in August
Irish-British governments conduct first joint exercise to plan for subsea cable attack
‘Eastern Pearl’ first exercise of its type, with plans for more complex British-Irish co-operation amid Russian aggression
Unrest, confusion and conflict in Coalition over sports capital grant announcement
TDs describe the issue as a ‘childish mess’ as row about timing continues
Budget 2027: Ministers lobby for spending, and for little passion projects
Inside Politics: Every 16-year-old in the State would be given a €100 ‘culture voucher’ under plans being considered
Budget 2027: Teenagers set to receive €100 voucher for cultural events
Minister for Finance rules out abolition of stamp duty for first-time homebuyers in budget
Social media age limits: Von der Leyen hits on control-shift alternative
Providing proof of age will present big obstacle to EU plan
EU to bring in minimum age limit of 15 to set up social-media accounts
Tech giants will be required to verify age of users under draft proposals due this week
EU to curb teenage access to social media but stop short of outright ban
Move comes amid concern Big Tech cannot be trusted to protect children from harmful content
Irish screen industry joins global call for ‘Netflix levies’ to fund local film and TV
Government has effectively shelved the proposal despite recommendations from media regulator and cross-party committee
Children need EU states to agree on social media ban, says O’Donovan
Minister calls for unity of purpose, as in the future, people will say, ‘you had the opportunity to do something for us, and you did nothing’
Simon Harris says he holds out hope that GAA integration will ‘get over the line’ in 2027
Organisations want guarantees around protection and promotion of women’s sports, says minister
Local tragedies as worthy of commemoration as national events, Taoiseach says in Dromcollogher
Fire in Limerick cinema claimed lives of 48 people in September 1926 after a candle fell on a reel of nitrate film
Minister Patrick O’Donovan says life has changed ‘dramatically’ since falling ill in Brussels
O’Donovan was attending an event for Ireland’s EU presidency when he became unwell in Brussels
Plan to set 13 as EU-wide minimum age for social media access to be discussed
Fianna Fáil MEP calls on European Commission to take a stronger line against social network Meta following the conclusion of a US legal action
Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan to return to duties after illness
TD previously revealed his epilepsy and said his ‘worst nightmare’ was that people would think he was drunk during an episode
New Arts Council chief takes on a troubled organisation in tough political climate
Shona McCarthy will need to retain support of an Arts Minister not reluctant to speak his mind
RTÉ’s top 10 highest earners in 2025 included nine members of senior management
Former radio presenter Claire Byrne is the only on-air talent to feature in top 10 highest paid staff last year
The Irish Times view on the digital wallet: a solution seeking a problem
The likely uses for the wallet remain unclear
Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s has jolted EU into belated action
Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan wants restrictions on online access for children in place by the end of this year
Ireland’s new digital wallet could store driving licence, birth cert and passport
The use of the app will not be compulsory and older forms of ID will still be usable
Politicians bemoan RTÉ’s failures, then make them worse
No enterprise could absorb an 18-year price freeze on its primary revenue stream while costs keep climbing
Dunderrow sexual abuse survivors secure mediation process with Government over redress
Group of 19 women in their 60s and 70s plan legal action against the State
Imma warns it will not be able to fund pensions this year
Allocation of €321,000 sought in Budget 2026 to cover costs but only €45,000 granted, says museum
Patrick O’Donovan ‘safe and well’ and recovering with family after falling ill in Brussels
Minister last year revealed he was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2016 and managing the condition ever since.
New trail highlights Irish roots of nearly half of US presidents
Series of commemorative trees and interpretive panels will celebrate the historical connections between Ireland and leaders of the United States
Screen time can damage under-twos’ development, landmark UK study warns
Researchers warn screen use at such a young age may increase overstimulation and have implications for eye health and childhood obesity
State should buy Easter Rising ‘flag of truce’, FF TD says
White linen handkerchief used by Capt Michael William O’Reilly due to be offered for sale in upcoming auction
New An Post CEO’s salary should reflect ‘risks on the horizon’, O’Donovan suggests
Board proposed annual salary of about €360,000 for David McRedmond’s successor
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Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
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