Ellen Coyne

US stops funding peacebuilding project for island of Ireland after 40 years Programme to prevent young people being recruited by paramilitaries among scheme’s initiatives

US stops funding peacebuilding project for island of Ireland after 40 years

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Pretty strong criticism from Varadkar of the policies his former colleagues are now pursuing

Thanks Laura!

Chartered flights now ‘routine’ says Minister as 63 South Africans deported Fifty four adults and nine children were flown from Ireland to South Africa on Saturday night

Chartered deportation flights are now a “routine” part of Ireland’s immigration system, as 8th flight took off last night

It comes as former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned the Government may be engaging in “performative cruelty” in its new immigration law.

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

New €1m Government meeting room will protect communications with world leaders, says Martin Facility to be approved to provide ‘Nato proof’ space for discussions with foreign governments

New €1m Government meeting room will protect communications with world leaders, says Martin

"surveillance is everywhere," according to the Taoiseach

www.irishtimes.com/politics/oir...

Around 4,000 industrial school abuse survivors could qualify for new supports Health, housing and education entitlements follow 51-day hunger strike by campaigners

Around 4,000 industrial school abuse survivors could qualify for new supports

www.irishtimes.com/politics/oir...

Dublin mayor Ray McAdam to seek FG nomination for Dáil seat vacated by Paschal Donohoe Fine Gael councillor becomes the latest politician to seek selection to run in byelection in Dublin Central scheduled for May

Dublin mayor Ray McAdam to seek FG nomination for Dáil seat vacated by Paschal Donohoe

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Statement from the ITA from late last night:

Survivors of thalidomide drug to be offered formal State apology Commitment for move given following meeting of representatives with Taoiseach and Tánaiste

Survivors of thalidomide drug to be offered formal State apology

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Sinn Féin councillor Janice Boylan selected to contest Dublin Central byelection Gillian Sherratt, who gained national prominence as a campaigner for her son, Harvey, was also being considered as a candidate

Sinn Féin councillor Janice Boylan selected to contest Dublin Central byelection

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

State apologies may come easier with time, but practicalities of following them up may get harder There have been warnings within Government about cost of what will likely be biggest redress scheme in country’s history

(Back to work after brief sick leave!)
When Bertie Ahern stood up to offer a historic state apology to child abuse victims, he started a trend that every Taoiseach after him has followed.

As apologies get easier with time, practicalities of action gets harder

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/soci...

Really Good, Actually

Vast majority of bookings for short-term lets in Ireland are entire homes Critics of short-term letting argue it takes properties off the market that could be sold for housing or rented out

Very interesting from Jack Horgan-Jones - overwhelming majority of short term lets are entire homes.

Nine out of ten bookings on short-term lettings platforms in Ireland were for entire homes, internal Government documents reveal.

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/hous...

New State-backed loans being considered to keep graduate doctors in Ireland James Lawless is considering incentives geared toward stemming the flow of emigration among doctors

Graduate doctors could be encouraged to stay in Ireland through a new State-backed loan, which would be offered on the condition recipients go on to work in the Irish health service.

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

This is how I remembered to run out and get lemons before the shop closed 🫡

New €100m Rotunda Hospital critical care unit for women and infants denied planning permission Conservation groups objected on the grounds that the new building would damage the Georgian square’s prospect of long-term regeneration.

18th century architecture > 21st century obstetric and neonatal healthcare, for some reason.

www.thejournal.ie/rotunda-hosp...

Martin looks to shatter Scappaticci silence Taoiseach’s Dáil naming of Freddie Scappaticci as infamous M15 agent Stakeknife will pressure British government to follow course

Last politics digest of the week for me! ☕️

In naming Scappaticci in the Dail, Taoiseach tries to shatter the bell jar of silence that the British govt placed on the identity of MI5 agent Stakeknife, through its inflexible doctrine of “neither confirm nor deny”

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Agencies that help run the State have been warned they could face higher prices for laptops and may have to start using pre-owned devices, with industry experts warning the shortage is expected to last for two years

Global computer shortage could affect civil service, hospitals and gardaí Supercomputers used to train AI models are disrupting technology supply chains all over the world

Hospitals, An Garda Síochána and Government departments are among hundreds of public service bodies that could be affected by a global shortage of computers and laptops caused by artificial intelligence (AI).

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Healy-Rae secures U-turn on short-term lets Inside Politics: preferred pronouns in schools, and incentives for immigrants to join the Defence Forces

This morning's politics digest should be in your inbox imminently, or you can read it here ☕️

Michael Healy-Rae’s win leaves questions about Government’s zeal for ending homelessness

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

U-turn on regulating short-term lets: striking a balance or a sop to Michael Healy-Rae? With two rental properties and 300 Airbnbs, Killarney is a battleground for housing need versus tourism

U-turn on regulating short-term lets: striking a balance or a sop to Michael Healy-Rae?

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Short-term let restrictions will only apply to towns with populations over 20,000 after Government rowback Minister for Tourism says opposition from Norma Foley and Michael Healy-Rae not the reason for change of approach

Short-term let restrictions will only apply to towns with populations over 20,000 after Government rowback

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/hous...

Several Irish citizens detained by Ice in US sought official help, says Government Taoiseach says he will raise concerns about treatment of undocumented Irish with Donald Trump in Washington

Several Irish citizens have sought official help after being arrested and detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), according to the Irish Government.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that the treatment of people in Ice facilities was a “concern

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Ireland may enact age limits for social media even without EU agreement, says Simon Harris New digital wallet will represent ‘important first step’, says Tánaiste

New: The Government may “plough on” with its own national age limits for social media, after some European countries decided to try to ban children under 15 or 16 from certain social networks.

This would be a change in approach from previous plan to do it via EU

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Epstein fallout could affect Ireland through Starmer Micheál Martin urged to raise issue of Irishman held for in US by Ice for five months despite having valid work permit

Good morning ☀️

Politics digest should be in your inbox shortly, or you can read it here

Epstein files fallout could affect Ireland through Keir Starmer and in a more opaque way

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Death of Defence Forces apprentice in 1991 examined by tribunal Oliver Mullaney (19) had been in the military for only 20 months at time of his death at Devoy Barracks in Naas

The death of a 19-year-old apprentice at a Defence Forces barracks some 35 years ago is being examined by a tribunal into complaints of abuse within the military.

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

Tech firms lobby EU commissioner Michael McGrath in advance of law targeting addictive apps Proposal would include crackdown on design geared to encourage compulsive behaviour and ‘unfair personalisation’ in adverts

Big tech companies have been lobbying EU justice commissioner Michael McGrath, in advance of his bringing forward a law that could crack down on addictive apps and targeted online advertising.

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

As part of its work with the oversight group set up post Women of Honour, the defence forces started compiling this information quarterly in the middle of 2024. After two (2️⃣ ✌️) attempts I got an anonymised version under Freedom of Information which shows the range of offences investigated or alleged

Eight Defence Force members under investigation or went to court accused of sexual offences Another six faced accusations of sexual assault within the military in 2025

Eight members of the Defence Forces were either under investigation or appeared before the courts accused of sexual offences last year.

Another six faced accusations of sexual assault within the military in 2025.

www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...

I was talking on the podcast about how it doesn't seem credible for the Govt to suggest it can't do a domestic law setting age limits for social media, that it has to be at EU level. Tanaiste now implying in his latest Substack that it could be done at national level after all: