Early Edition

A statutory of investigation should be carried out into the crimes of convicted sex abuser Michael Shine during his time working at Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda, an independent report has said.At least three state agencies are customers of a password company using Russian technology prompting national security concerns, an Irish Times investigation has found.Doctors have told The Irish Times that e-scooters have become the biggest cause of traumatic brain injuries in children.The prime suspect in the murder of the American woman Jamey Carney in Co Kerry last week, will be held by Jordanian authorities for 15 days to allow for an investigation.The Fifa World Cup is almost over, and hasn’t failed to display the twist and turns we love and expect. Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aughinish Alumina exports making their way to the Russian military supply chain cannot be ruled out, a government report is expected to say.The investigation into the killing of 43-year-old Jamey Carney is entering a new phase as attention shifts to the legal challenges in speaking to the main suspect, 28-year-old Ahmed Al Saqar, who fled to Jordan.The government has failed to engage with investigations into killings during the troubles in Northern Ireland, the head of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information has told The Irish Times.Montenegro has become closure to securing European Union membership, but barriers still remain. Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The State paid more than €1 million for a single deportation flight when returning 42 adults and children from Ireland to South Africa in June.The ‘rough sex’ defence didn’t work for Lorcan Murphy. The 38 year old Dubliner - jailed for murder in Hungary last week - wasn’t the first to try it either.The reality of building a life in Sydney, Australia? “It’s bloody hard to afford anything,” writes Irishman Cormac McConville.In 1941 Brian O’Nolan, better known as Flann O’Brien and Myles na gCopaleen, proposed a Book Handling Agency in The Irish Times. On Sunday evening, 85 years later, Flann’s idea became reality in a Berlin bar where a crack team of literary experts was on hand to make unread books look well-read.Ireland’s second oldest woman is remarkable not only for her age (107), but Walburga Monaghan’s son Michael says it’s her general health, too. She rarely gets ill, takes no medication and her mind is sharp enough to continue The Irish Times Simplex crossword, something she has been doing for as long as she can remember.Presented by Aideen Finnegan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The conflict between the US and Iran has escalated again after Donald Trump said he would reimpose the blockade on Iranian ports and charge a 20% tariff on any ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.Gardaí have seized one of Ireland’s largest organised crime arms dumps in more than a decade, uncovering machine guns, pistols, and drugs linked to a Polish gang.A new law giving women up to five days paid leave after a miscarriage before 23 weeks of pregnancy is to be brought before cabinet today.Many families are getting into debt covering school costs, according to the Irish League of Credit Unions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Possession, production and sharing of extreme or violent pornography could be effectively banned in Ireland under proposals being put to cabinet by the Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan this week.The Department of Justice was concerned about cuts to the Garda budget for security during Ireland’s EU presidency, internal documents have revealed.Research being led at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP) could help answer one of humanity’s oldest questions and pave the way for “greater understanding of the origins of life”, according to the astronomer leading the project.The GAA World Games begins today with hundreds of players from around the world gathering in Waterford.Yellow weather warnings for heat issued by Met Éireann come into effect this morning effecting countiesCork, Kerry, Limerick, Galway, Mayo. Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There has been more escalation in the exchange of fire between Iran and the United States.The brother of Mackenzie Michalski, who was murdered by a Dublin man in Hungary in November 2024, has said he is happy the man is off the streets having been handed 14 years in prison.Political correspondent Harry McGee explains why there is so much opposition to hare coursing in the Daíl.What does The Irish Times archive tell us about the perfect picnic over the years?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minister of State for Road Transport Seán Canney has told the Road Safety Authority (RSA) he was concerned about its “lack of visibility” following a series of road deaths late last year.The regulator for utilities has imposed a €31 million penalty on Uisce Éireann for failing to meet performance targets, relating to leakages and bad debts.The Government should recuse itself from negotiating legislation that touches on digital policy and corporate tax in Brussels during its Council of the EU presidency, given its “questionable track record” and cosy relationship with tech multinationals, a group of 50 academics have has said.Applicants to the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) scheme have raised concerns that plans to make their Personal Public Service (PPS) numbers publicly available could result in identity theft or fraud.Holiday itineraries, packing tips? There’s an AI app for that. Technology can take a lot of the guesswork out of summer breaks.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irish authorities granted gambling licences to six companies at the heart of a global network of black-market betting websites. Two Irish companies were also found to be processing payments for unlicensed gambling sites operating in Europe.Ireland’s richest political party, Sinn Fein, sold merchandising worth euro more than €405,000 last year, according to financial accounts filed with the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo).Ireland remains “well off-track” in cutting greenhouse gas emissions after a fall of just 2.2 per cent last year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).Columnist Laura Kennedy is writing movingly today about what it feels like to return home as an emigrant, remaking a new life in a familiar setting.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Olympic swimming coach George Gibney, who’s 77 with an address in Florida, has been found guilty of sexually abusing four girls more than 50 years ago.Authorities in France have evacuated 10,000 people because of wildfires burning out of control near the Spanish border. Fires are also raging in northern Spain, Portugal, and Greece.With Donald Trump reigniting his feud with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ahead of the Nato summit in Ankara this week, leaders in the military alliance have much bigger questions to answer.Personal records of children who were “boarded out” from religious institutions will be withheld from a new public archive set up to remember the abuse of women and children in 20th-century Ireland. Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New figures show some patients are waiting as long as 13 and a half years for community healthcare appointments like dietetics, ophthalmology and psychology.Ireland will chair EU meetings around new European Oceans legislation aimed at strengthening protection of Europe’s marine territory, undersea cables and pipelines, and improving ocean health.Gardaí have uncovered what’s believed to be the most sophisticated drugs-processing operation ever discovered in Ireland involving plywood soaked in liquid cocaine.Investigations are continuing into the death of a man in his 30’s following an incident at a pub in CountyCork on Saturday. Separately, investigations have been launched into the fatal shooting of a man in his 40’s in Dún Laoghaire on Sunday morning.JD Sports has been ordered to reissue thousands of gift cards to customers worth close to €250,000 after they were found to have expiry periods far shorter than allowed in Irish law.There are growing questions over the common travel area between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland amid immigration concerns.Presented by Andrew McNair.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taoiseach Michéal Martin has faced questions over exports from the Aughinish Alumina plant in county Limerick to aluminium smelters supplying the Russian military.The government will sign a new law requiring financial service providers to offer customers the right to speak to a human rather than an AI bot.A jury in the trial of a 77-year-old man on historic sex abuse charges will continue its deliberations today.Ireland will experience more warm weather this weekend, as the World Meteorological Organisation warns the El Niño weather phenomenon will intensify throughout the summer.Ryanair boss tells The Irish Times holidaymakers who booked early got better deals this summer than they did a year ago, despite rising fuel costs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Riad Bouchaker, who’s 52, has been found guilty of attempted murder in relation to the stabbing in Parnell Square in November 2023. Our legal affairs correspondent Mary Carolan recounts the events which left a child with life altering injuries.After authorities in Sweden froze the assets of a company owned by Rusal, which owns the county Limerick plant Aughinish Alumina, what next for the firm linked with exports to the Russian military machine?Ireland’s presidency of the EU has begun. What does it entail, and why does it matter?The entrepreneur Margaret E. Ward writes that return to work mandates, effectively ending remote or hybrid working models, is led by narcissistic CEO’s.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Government is seeking to fast-track legislation which will allow for the establishment of a State agency to deliver the planed Dublin metro project.The Ukrainian Government has rejected a donation from Ireland of a fleet of armoured combat vehicles to aid in the fight against Russia. The Defence Forces’ 27 light armoured tactical vehicles (LATVs) were first acquired 20 years ago but had a poor reputation and frequently broke down.While so many of us are going gaga for 90s culture, there are money lessons to be learned from that decade. Opting to have a “1990s summer” could amount to financial savings as well as nostalgia.Looking for a new show to binge watch in July? Kevin Courtney has a roundup of the best new shows streaming this month.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aughinish Alumina will be forced to pay up front for the costs of closing down the Co Limerick plant and repairing environmental damage in the area, under a new deal agreed with the State.Europe is being “flooded” by cheap vapes and e-cigarettes produced in Asia that often do not meet EU safety rules, dodge customs taxes and in some cases contain harmful and illegal substances, the head of the EU’s anti-fraud office has said.With more than one million taxpayer “units” paying tax at the higher rate of 40 per cent on their incomes and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the pressure is on to deliver some form of relief in this October’s budget.Meanwhile our Government parties are still dreaming of income tax cuts in forthcoming budgets, most economists are predicting various shades of financial Armageddon, writes Eoin Drea.Fifa president Gianni Infantino says it doesn’t make any additional revenue from them. Stadium fans loudly boo them and TV viewers blast them on social media, but the hydration breaks introduced in this World Cup have been the bonus money spinner of the tournament, writes Bernice Harrison today.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coalition leaders will consider plans to continue the reductions in excise on petrol and diesel, at least in part, beyond the July 31st deadline. However it is expected that the reductions introduced following the fuel protests in April will be tapered off over the coming months.The State is opting to retain out-of-date aircraft navigation systems as they are less susceptible to Russian jamming attacks compared to more modern technology, according to records obtained by The Irish Times.A marginal reduction in IT employment is probably one of the first manifestations of AI influencing the economy. John Fitzgerald writes that any future support measures need to be targeted at poorer households amid a gradual economic slowdown.From axe-throwing to augmented darts, Una Mullally is wondering what’s behind the rise in ‘competitive socialising’?Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“As it stands right now, Ireland isn’t in heatwave conditions,” says Holly O’Neill, a meteorologist from Met Éireann, “although we recognise that it is unusually warm, of course”.Dublin City Council (DCC) is to commission a new monument honouring the women of Ireland’s revolutionary period, as part of a broader effort to address the historic underrepresentation of women in public spaces.Thirty years on from the murder of investigative crime journalist Veronica Guerin, her family say it is they, rather than her killers, who have suffered the true life sentences.It’s the USA’s 250th birthday tomorrow, Saturday 27th June. As the victor of the 20th century, it not only possessed unmatched political and economic power, but embodied admired values of constitutional government and freedom. This did not last.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minister for Finance Simon Harris brought a group of “finance influencers” who run popular Instagram accounts into the Department of Finance this week to brief them on the new State savings scheme.Government TDs are seeking extra scrutiny of legislation scrapping the three-day waiting period for abortion services due to fears of a backlash over it being “railroaded” through the Dáil.Ireland’s heatwave is set to peak today with temperatures on course to top 30 degrees.Many CAO applicants change their lists of courses at this time of year for various reasons. Most are valid, of course, but Andree Harpur cautions against “the most dangerous one”.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The heatwave has caused chaos in a number of European countries. At least 40 people have drowned in France after entering seas and rivers.The US millionaire Jason Cardiff is facing extradition to the US on allegations he defrauded customers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars through the sale of products marketed for sexual performance, weight loss, and smoking cessation. He denies the charges. Women’s Aid received 62,275 disclosures of abuse against women and children last year, according to newly released figures.How likely is Andy Burnham to become the UK’s next Prime Minister?Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been told by a judge to expect a lengthy prison sentence after he was convicted of all 18 sex abuse counts, including the rape of a woman when she was in primary school.The UK will get a new Prime Minister following the announcement by Kier Starmer that he is to stand down. Our political editor Pat Leahy says he improved the relationship between the UK and Ireland.There is new legislation being proposed on dog breading to include a requirement that prospective buyers are shown a puppy’s biological mother on-site, and banning animals being handed over in car parks.Met Éirann has issues a yellow weather warning as a heatwave sweeps across Europe.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peace talks have been taking place in Switzerland between the US and Iran following the publication of an initial deal signed by Donald Trump last week.The Government is set to approve major new rail funding as part of the Shared Island initiative which it says will improve services and cut journey times on key cross-border services.Ireland’s waste management system is under fresh scrutiny amid concerns about plans to scrap rubbish bags in favour of wheelie bins in Dublin.Naomi O’Leary speaks to the social media sensation Caolan Robertson who is reporting on the war in Ukraine to over a million followers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A full memorandum of understanding has been published on the peace deal between Iran and the US including an end to the conflict on all fronts, a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and that Iran will not produce any nuclear weapons.The jury in the sex abuse case against Jeffrey Donaldson, who’s 63 and from Dromore, County Down, will continue its deliberations at Newry Crown Court today. He denies all charges. An amendment to Ireland’s abortion law removing the mandatory three day wait between initial consultation and access to termination will go to a vote in Seanad Éireann. What impact would the change have on pregnant women?Parents of dyslexic school pupils have their say on the assistance given to their children during the state exams.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A significant row has erupted between AnPost and the Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan over pay for its new chief executive, and Government authorization to raise the company’s borrowing limit for its future development strategy. Ireland has a strong economy and a resilient society, but “well-being data” shows a more complex picture where inequalities persist, a new Government report has found.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has become the face of Europe’s failure over Gaza, but that’s only half the story, writes Jack Power today.A stalled Dublin development is not where you’d expect to find a bird species that’s survival has been so precarious, Bird Watch Ireland put it on its Red List of Conservation Concern.“The day buses in Ireland started using central doors is the day an important and implied social contract started its decline,” writes Emer McLysaght in her column today.Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The timing of when the Natural History Museum will reopen, and the final budget for its redevelopment, remain unclear almost two years after it closed for refurbishment.Readers have been having their say on the UK’s plans to introduce social media ban for under 16s, with many of you believing it would be far more effective to ban harmful algorithms instead.The government’s new pilot scrappage scheme could help stretch your budget towards one of our pick of the best EVs under €25,000.The greater Wigan area west of Manchester is currently the centre of Britain’s political landscape due to the byelection this week involving Labour’s Andy Burnham. The area is usually more famous in the north of England for something else. Pies.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US has struck a deal with Iran which could pave the way for an end to the war, but key details are yet to be released.Terrence McKeever was found murdered by the IRA 40 years ago today.Concerns are growing over capacity and safety at Ireland’s main youth detention centre at Oberstown following new released documents.Ireland is well prepared for any potential cases of Ebola and the overall risk here remains low, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.With no team remaining unbeaten and the top three having to play in the third round, are we witnessing the best ever GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions says the Government risks industrial unrest unless it delivers a budget that supports working people.Survivors of abuse by Bill Kenneally will meet the Justice Minister this week, calling for a new law, making misconduct in public office a criminal offence.There has been a steady rise in the number of asylum seekers choosing to leave Ireland voluntarily according to the Department of Justice.The Irish Times In The News podcast examines rise of FIFA president Gianni Infantino.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two consultants are taking two separate judicial reviews against the HSE seeking the right to offer private care in new publicly funded surgical hubs.From Kharg Island in the Gulf of Hormuz Persian Gulf to Whiddy in Co Cork, the trickle-down effect of the Iranian oil crisis is starting to affect Ireland’s national oil reserve.Aughinish Alumina complained to the European Commission about difficulties the Co Limerick alumina plant faced shifting away from fossil fuels last year, due to a “lack of access to public funds”, notes of private discussions show.The controversial EU Migration and Asylum Pact comes into force in Ireland today, two years after Ireland signed up to the agreement.Long a touchstone for US investment in Ireland, Intel appears to be recovering from its recent troubles.Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The trial of Riad Bouchaker resumes today and the Central Criminal Court. He has pleaded not guilty to a number of charges relating to the stabbings in Parnell Square in 2023 in which several people, including children, were injured.Smaller pockets of protests occurred in Northern Ireland on Wednesday night following the knife attack on Steven Ogilvie in north Belfast on Monday. Around 200 people gathered in Newtownabbey, County Antrim, were a street sweeper was set on fire, and objects hurled at police.Independent Senator Tom Clonan has told the Oireachtas Health Committee his office is currently “inundated” with older people who are homeless.Irish children’s reading and maths skills have declined since the Covid-19 pandemic according to the latest Children’s School Lives study.Irish Rail officials have told an Oireachtas committee it wanted to terminate a contract with the firm behind a new IT management system as far back as last year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hundreds of protesters gathered on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast where a bus was hijacked and set alight, stoking racial tensions after a horrific attack on a man in his 40s on Monday night.The government needs to start preparing to relocate communities away from areas where repeat flooding or coastal erosion can’t be stopped, according to the Climate Change Advisory Council.And the village of Aughagower in Co. Mayo is preparing for the visit of Canadian prime minister - and grandson of Irish emigrants - Mark Carney this weekend. His second cousin Rosaleen Heraty will meet him for the first time.Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sean McGovern, a senior figure in the Kinahan cartel, has received what The Irish Times understands to be one of the longest gangland sentences in Irish history.There has been a rise in reports of wildlife habitat destruction, but according to new figures, prosecutions for it aren’t keeping up, according to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.An “exponential” rise in Irish language exemptions among school children could be “disastrous” for identity and education, according to a new study.Should Ireland consider overturning the ban on nuclear energy?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An Garda Síochána is facing what insiders are calling a “ticking time-bomb” of retirements as new projections show nearly 1,700 Garda members are due to retire over the next decade.Concerns have been raised over the number of landlords asking for sex in exchange for accommodation.A row has erupted over what’s believed to be the use of artificial intelligence in Irish politics after one TD submitted thousands of parliamentary questions this year which ministers say is draining resources.Sea swimmers in Dublin are being warned to stay out of the water at several of the city’s most popular bathing spots due to poor water quality.Doctors and midwives are raising alarm over the rise of so-called “free births,” where women give birth without any medical assistance.Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A confidential report by Swedish authorities claims the Russian billionaire, Oleg Deripaska, still controls the metals giant Rusal, which owns the Aughinish Alumina plant in County Limerick, despite sanctions meant to limit his power.Researchers at Maynooth University say the record for the hottest day ever in the month of May was smashed by more than 2 degrees, and it wouldn’t have happened without manmade global warming.The European Commission says peat cutting is taking place across parts of Ireland without planning permission, environmental assessments, or enforcement.A turf war is brewing between supermarket chains Lidl and Supervalue over planning permission for new stores.It’s day three of the state exams and The Irish Times speaks to one Leaving Certificate student and a careers consultant.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The planning system for commercial development is being exploited, sometimes for anticompetitive purposes through spurious objections, supermarket chain Lidl has said.There’s been a huge reaction from readers to Fintan O’Toole’s column this week which was about the row that’s kicked off between the Rotunda Hospital and the HSE and Department of Health.There could surely be no more appropriate or damning symbol of Donald Trump’s presidency than the sight of construction crews erecting a UFC cage on the White House lawn for his 80th birthday, writes Bobby McDonagh.Just about every time Séamas O’Reilly has heard Shergar mentioned in casual conversation, it has been from the mouths of the many salty old dogs he’s met in Derry pubs who’ve claimed to know the precise location where the world’s most famous stallion might be found – specifically because they themselves buried him there.Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People with petrol and diesel cars that are more than 13 years old are to be eligible for grants of €8,500 to purchase a new electric vehicle (EV) under a State scrappage scheme.The Rotunda maternity hospital has been warned it could have its funding pulled if it does not withdraw permission for consultants on public-only contracts to practise privately on its premises.60,000 students will not only have to sit the first paper of the marathon Leaving Cert exams today, but also listen to an unknown quantity of people telling them they “did terribly, but turned out just fine!” Jen Hogan has some advice for students and parents alike.John McManus writes in his column today that if Elon Musk succeeds in listing SpaceX on the stock market, “our pensions could be invested in this one-sided racket.”After a lifetime of being foot-shamed, Genevieve Carbery has ordered new shoes from Denmark: Duckfeet, size 8, and she is “finally liberated from the shame of the larger-footed woman.”Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The jury hearing the trail of former DUP leaderJeffrey Donaldson, 63, has been told he wrote a letter to one of the two alleged victims expressing “regret” and that he had sought God’s forgiveness. He denies 18 charges, include rape.Electric Ireland says prices will go up by 8 per cent, affecting around 1.1 million customers.New figures seen by The Irish Times reveal a sharp rise in arson attacks on council homes across Ireland.Health correspondent Shauna Bowers examines services for people with severe acquired brain injury.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are concerns ‘hostile’ agents may be among the 14,000 Russians granted Irish visas in the past four years.The Government hopes to make “swift progress” pushing forward negotiations on Ukraine’s stalled bid to join the European Union when Ireland holds the union’s rotating presidency in the second half of this year.Dating apps are struggling with the AI revolution as users lose faith. Can the industry recover?From today Trinity College Dublin is offering a course free of charge to anyone who wants it, in response to findings which highlight the prevalence of neurodivergence amongst users of drug addiction services. There was a warm reception for Bertie Ahern yesterday in Croke Park as members of the muslim community gathered for the feast of Eid al-Adha. Some 500 men, women and children had gathered for the seventh annual Eid celebration at the famed GAA stadium.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The names of dozens of Defence Forces personnel, including those involved in intelligence work and sensitive counterdrug smuggling operations, are being published online by the European Union, triggering safety concerns among members.A chill wind – why are wind farms drawing so many objections at a time of climate crisis?Does your household have the “two good salaries, but still feel broke” problem? You’re not alone. Financial planners say they are meeting an increasing number of comparatively high-earning households who say they’re still feeling the pinch.An email has kicked off a deluge of Letters to the Editor from readers who have “reached out” to express their irritation “in terms of” the most annoying phrases people are using in 2026.Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are tensions between left wing parties and Sinn Fein on the policy direction of Mary Lou McDonald’s party following its performance in the Dublin Central and Galway West byelections.Ireland’s Defence Forces are ramping up anti-drone measures to prepare for new threats.A search for the body of Seamus Maguire, one of the so-called disappeared who were murdered and buried in secret during the troubles, is to begin.Proposals to fund graduate-entry medical fees in exchange for mandatory service is being criticised as missing the point on why doctors leave Ireland.A Department of Enterprise presentation seen by The Irish Times shows growth in employment could be about to slow significantly.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Dáil has two new TD’s; Daniel Ennis from the Social Democrats and Sean Kyne from Fine Gael. Political correspondents Cormac McQuinn and Marie O’Halloran explain who they are.Plans to rezone a stretch of protected land along Dublin’s Liffey Valley could deliver a significant windfall for billionaires John Magnier and JP McManus.New figures from the HSE show more than 32,000 adults in Ireland are waiting over a year for an initial primary care assessment.Irish activists returned home on Saturday, following their detention in Israel after attempting to reach Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla aiming to deliver aid.The trial of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson begins this week.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Voters in Dublin and Galway are going to the polls in two byelections on Friday after intense canvassing in the closing days of the campaign and efforts by candidates to ensure their supporters turn up to vote.The Government has exceeded its annual spending target by an average €5.1 billion in each of the last three budgets, new figures from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) indicate.Meanwhile, spending in the justice and transport areas seem set to be hit by the impact of the new levy being imposed across Government to offset a €640 million overrun in the education sector, an initial breakdown of the new savings being sought suggest.Ask any millennial which novels they remember reading as a child, and odds are they’ll list the fictional famine tale Under the Hawthorn Tree as one of them. In today’s Me Myself and Ireland, its author Marita Conlon McKenna says the inspiration to write it came during a ghostly dream.“I’m such a fan of this city and this country,” actor Paul Rudd tells Tara Brady while speaking about his new movie Power Ballad, which was filmed on location in Dublin.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meta is to cut 350 jobs from it’s Irish workforce amid a global round of layoffs affecting around 8000 roles worldwide.RTÉ has faced tough questions at an Oireachtas committee about newly disclosed salaries.More than 40 leading climate scientists are warning Ireland against adopting a controversial new way of measuring greenhouse emissions.Planned changes to the electoral register following revelations that there are more registered voters than residents in some areas.When might the result of the Dublin Central and Galway West byelection results be announced? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

200 users of so-called dodgy boxes used to illegally stream live TV have been issued with cease and desist notices.Rents across Ireland have just shot up at the fastest rate ever recorded, rising 4.4% in just three months, according to Daft.ie.More boats in the aid flotilla heading for Gaza have been intercepted by Israeli forces, crew members have said.What do we know about what happened to Yves Sakilas, who died shortly after being restrained by security guards in Dublin last Friday.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irish diplomats in Brussels have been warned to be on high alert for lobbying by the tobacco industry.The European Commission has signalled tighter restrictions on exports that could be used by Russia’s military, following concerns raised about materials leaving the EU.Fear of homelessness is increasingly trapping people in sexually abusive situations, according to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.The couple who built a house in Co. Meath without planning permission face a legal bid by the council to recover costs for its demolition.An A.I. tool being used in a primary school is helping teachers plan lessons and answer pupil’s questions, but are teacher’s concerns about the technology being addressed?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are serious questions about betting activity linked to Friday’s by-election in Dublin Central in which $1 million (€860,000) was placed and then withdrawn with little or no profit.Immigration, the cost of living and housing are among the main issues on voters minds in Dublin Central and Galway West.Taoiseach Micheál Martin has used Fianna Fáil’s centenary Ard Fheis to defend the party’s record and set out its priorities in Government.Tusla has brought in bodyguards to protect staff at a special care unit in north Dublin as staffing shortages reach critical levels.Changes have been made to in-flight catering on Irish deportation flights after pork sausages were served on a charter flight to Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinn Féin’s Janice Boylan leads the race for the Dublin Central by election according to a new Irish Times/ TG4 poll.A UK Labour MP has stepped down paving the way for Andy Burnham to run for parliament and potentially topple Prime Minister Kier Starmer.New rules for childminders are putting pressure on the sector, with some now saying they’re thinking about quitting altogether.There was a record surge in eviction notices at the start of 2026, just before new rental rules came into effect.Donald Trump was at a state banquet in Beijing on Thursday, hosted by Xi Jing Ping. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland’s national debt could approach a quarter of a trillion euro by the 2030s, the head of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) will tell an Oireachtas committee on Thursday.Aggressive driver behaviour, speeding, poor cycling infrastructure, and the increased size of vehicles, is deterring women from getting on their bikes, research by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has found.Allies of Britain’s health secretary Wes Streeting were phoning Labour Party MPs last night asking them to back him in an imminent heave against the UK prime minister Keir Starmer.‘I have been left half a property with a sibling. What is the best way to proceed?’ Whether you sell the home and split the proceeds, or one sibling buys the other out – try not to bring solicitors into the equation, writes Joanne Hunt in the first of our new weekly column ‘Ask a Lawyer.’The excellent Rivals, an adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s bonkbuster, in which 1980s rich people enthusiastically bonk (English for having sex), is back on Disney+ this week. So Patrick thought he’d take this opportunity to write a short history of sexy telly.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A spotlight is being shone on the condition of council housing after plans to regenerate one of Dublin’s most neglected flat complexes were halted. Janice Maguire shares a bed with three of her youngest sons. Two sleep at the bottom, and one at the top next to her.Keir Starmer’s future as the British prime minister is looking increasingly untenable following a string of cabinet resignations yesterday.Michael McDowell says he wants a fair minded discussion on one-off rural housing. But his views will likely have the Irish Times letters page hopping for the next few days.Several US and Canadian ice hockey stars have emerged as investors in the proposed €250 million ice hockey arena for Dublin.You’ve heard of the Wild Atlantic Way – now check out a proposal for the Literary Way. Arts Over Borders is an organisation hoping to do for Irish literature what the coastal route has done for tourism.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two thousand ambulance staff in the Unite and SIPTU unions begin a 24-hour strike this morning in a long running dispute over pay.The media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán has released its first complains insights reports showing RTÉ attracted the highest number of complains between 2023 and 2025.Guns bought on the dark web are now one of the biggest challenges facing An Garda Síochána, according to the Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly.Overseas holiday bookings have dropped sharply, with some travel companies reporting a fall of up to 25 per cent despite assurances that there will not be a jet fuel shortage, and falling prices to some destinations.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than 30 vacant and derelict properties bought by Dublin City Council for social housing since 2017 remain unused, and may no longer be viable for refurbishment, because of their extreme state of dilapidation.The assets declared in Aubrey McCarthy’s return to the Seanad register of interests are being examined by political correspondent Cormac McQuinn today.Since the Iran war began, financial markets have shown faith that Donald Trump and the ayatollahs will bring the war to a speedy conclusion. But John Fitzgerald doesn’t have the same faith and believes Ireland should prepare for the real possibility that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for much of 2026.Miami has a reputation as a city for beautiful people, and Co. Louth sisters Sidhbh and Neasa Gallagher are working at the core of this idea with their plastic surgery business.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fine Gael’s Seán Kyne holds the slimmest of leads over Independent Ireland rival Noel Thomas in the Galway West by election campaign, according to an Irish Times and TG4 opinion poll published on Friday.Ireland is recycling more waste, but not fast enough to meet national targets, according to a new report from the Environmental Protection Agency.The race is on to trace dozens of passengers who disembarked from the cruise ship at the centre of a deadly hantavirus outbreak before isolation measures were implemented.Russia’s Victory Day parade takes place tomorrow, but will be significantly scaled back due to the threat of Ukrainian drones.Irish Times readers give their thoughts on calls for more regulation on drinking alcohol in airports.Workplace perks appear to be becoming rarer and economists say it reflects a shift in power away from employees.Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost 300 adult asylum seekers who claimed they were children were placed in Tusla children’s centres in the last four years. Separately, Tusla is to launch an appeal in the Supreme Court on whether parents already in receipt of civil legal aid can recover legal costs in special care cases involving their children. The US and Iran are to begin peace negotiations. The Iranians are understood to be demanding reparations for the damaged caused during the war and tolls for ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. Streaming giants are spending billions on blockbuster series. Our columnist Patrick Freyne asks whether the storylines are worth it. Robot vacuums promise a zip line out of doing the housework, but are they really much more than a gimmick? Ciara O’Brien reviews a new model. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.