Immigration and the rise and fall of the Irish far right in 2024
Violence continued to grow along with the disinformation campaigns targeting asylum seekers, but far-right candidates failed to turn their large social media followings into votes
Referendum news and stories covering amendments to the Irish Constitution - with analysis and results. The family and care referendums were resoundly defeated in March 2024. Referendums on a Unified Patent Court and the ability to vote from abroad in Presidential elections are expected to be held next.
Violence continued to grow along with the disinformation campaigns targeting asylum seekers, but far-right candidates failed to turn their large social media followings into votes
The image which Ireland presented to the world at the end of 2024 was one of unusual stability
The family and care referendums were soundly rejected, Leo Varadkar most unexpectedly stepped down, and there was a decided turnaround in parties’ fortunes
There are lessons for Ireland from the US election about the disconnect between establishment voices and the feelings of the electorate
Michael McDowell describes party whip system as ‘one of the strictest in the free world’
Almost four in 10 No voters said uncertainty over the phrase ‘durable relationships’ was reason they voted that way
Government repeatedly claimed referendums had no immigration implications
The Government maintained throughout the campaign that the amendment would not affect taxation, succession, or family law
Officials warned of ‘consequential legislative change’ that could be needed if definitions were left to courts
Finding that a third of respondents believed it was definitely or probably true that a “small, secret group of people is responsible for making all major decisions in world politics” should dent some general complacency
After peaking at 24% in January, mentions of immigration have declined month-on-month, falling to 12% in the latest poll
The conservative one-TD party is riding high after being the only party to call for no-no votes in the family and care referendums so disastrously lost by the Government parties in March
Department of Children suggestion that State take ‘reasonable measures’ to uphold rights of carers rejected by other departments
Asked if hate speech law could be dropped like disability proposals, Taoiseach says Government ‘listening to the Irish people’
The calculation has clearly changed following the results of the votes on care and the family
It was due to be held in June, but the failure to pass the family and care amendments have made this uncertain
‘Lessons learned’ from heavy defeats in family and care referendums a factor in Coalition’s considerations on vote originally planned for June
Officials in Minister for Public Expenditure’s office cautioned colleagues in Minister for Equality Roderic O’Gorman’s department on State’s ‘mandatory obligation’
Recent referendums have been the main focus of the public’s attention this last month as housing and immigration slip into second and third place
Minister for Social Protection looking at a review of means tests and various payments
The results raise questions over the future of these exercises in deliberative democracy
HSE acknowledged ‘significant unmet need’, with Sinn Féin calling for ‘massive’ funding increase
Overwhelming No-No vote in the referendums does not mean social change has stalled
The sneering backfired on the Yes side
In Ireland invisible carers save the state €20 billion each year. When my five-year-old son, Ted, was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2022, I became one of them
David McWilliams: Political centre must offer something to those who cherish liberal values, openness, tolerance and decency
Does last week’s anti-establishment revolt contain the seeds of a change?
Relations across the cultural chasm in the Coalition have been deteriorating for months, with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail ministers increasingly given to mutterings about their Green colleagues
Your essential end-of-week politics catch up: Ministers’ relief to go wheels-up for St Patrick’s Day
Government handed No campaigners a shovel to more deeply entrench woman inside the home
Is the view that the 'ordinary people of Ireland would always get their politics right in the long run' still valid?
Leading voices from the No campaign call for a new approach from advocacy groups that appear out of step with the people they represent
Files show officials battled over legal and financial risks as Coalition honed proposals to change the Constitution
Sinn Féin has succeeded in becoming an establishment party, but perhaps too convincingly for its own good
Radio: Today with Claire Byrne, Drivetime and Liveline all hear why so many people voted against the Government’s proposed changes to the Constitution
Department of Finance records prompted No campaigner Michael McDowell to accuse the Coalition of misleading voters
We asked readers who voted No in last week’s family and care referendums why they rejected the proposed changes to the Constitution
The true culture-war divide in the UK is public exasperation with the trivia that obsesses the political class
Mother of profoundly disabled boy challenges refusal of maximum care allowance in appeal of ‘systemic importance’ for carers
Lack of independent scrutiny raises questions about spending of public money in family and care referendums
Even if we live in an era where the duties of parenting are becoming more fairly shared, it is the case that parental and other caring duties fall more on women
The far right regards the vote as a big breakthrough, as they should
‘My gut told me that it wasn’t the right move,’ says Fianna Fáil Senator Lisa Chambers
Coalition politicians turn fire on proposed hate crime law, saying new legislation should be abandoned
Ireland’s Global Greening is over, but the Great Global Scattering of Ministers is only warming up
What has taken the place of Catholic doctrine as a governing ideology is a passionless managerialism
We want to hear from readers on why they rejected the proposed changes to the Constitution
Constituency by constituency breakdown of the vote
Hate speech legislation, stalled in the Seanad, now considered another potential electoral hazard, in addition to review of speed limits
Reasons for No votes are nuanced, but several things are now crystal clear
‘Volatility and unpredictability in Ireland even greater than in 2020,′ says Cabinet source after referendums defeated
Spoils of victory have been picked up by those individuals and groups who urged the public to mark X in their No columns
Senator Michael McDowell, seen as the principal driving force behind the No campaign, lost the power of speech once the scale of the Government’s loss became apparent. All he could do was purr
Michael McNamara says no votes in family and care referendums cast Irish parliament in ‘a very dim light’
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices