comment and analysis

This is my father and it's the first time we met
This is my father and it's the first time we met
'I want to be a bloody dentist for Halloween — why are the 'girl' costumes always cute?'
'I want to be a bloody dentist for Halloween — why are the 'girl' costumes always cute?'
Halloween highlights how boring and unimaginative dividing clothes into 'boys' and 'girls' is, writes 10-year-old Alice Griffin 

Tue, 27 Oct, 2026

UN General Assembly Israel
Israelis go to the polls today to decide the fate Benjamin Netanyahu
What has allowed the Israeli prime minister to remain through prosecution, political defeat, and the Hamas attack and catastrophic security failure of October 7, 2023?

Tue, 27 Oct, 2026

Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit to Australia - Day Four
S Terry Prone: Hidden dread over allegations against father cast Meghan Markle's image in new light
As the duchess of Sussex's patience was been painted as coldness in the eyes of many, the media now owes her some sympathy

Mon, 26 Oct, 2026

US-POLITICS-VOTE-TEXAS
How candidates are quietly talking about climate change — three strategies you’ll see in US midterm elections
Voters’ current concerns about inflation could make climate messages involving affordability especially effective and will offer some insight into whether Democrats’ energy affordability message will resonate in the 2028 presidential election

Mon, 26 Oct, 2026

TOPSHOT-VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-AUDIENCE
TP O'Mahony: The Vatican has never hesitated in serving its own interests
If we are expecting the American pope to fight Maga, we are probably looking in the wrong place, writes TP O'Mahony

Mon, 26 Oct, 2026

PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT-WEST BANK-SETTLERS
‘You don’t cut down a blessing’: Why Palestinian olive trees represent family, history and resistance
As settler attacks and restrictions threaten Palestine’s olive harvest, novelist Susan Abulhawa explains the trees’ deep ties to family, identity and survival

Sat, 24 Oct, 2026

Irish Budget 2027
Legal aid reforms: Tackling 'perverse incentives' or creating a 'false narrative'?
Justice minister Jim O'Callaghan and solicitors are as far apart as ever on the issue of free legal aid payments

Fri, 23 Oct, 2026

Removing right to cook from Trabolgan's Ukrainian residents denies their humanity
Removing right to cook from Trabolgan's Ukrainian residents denies their humanity
In the 2010s, there was a media storm set off by reports that the thousands of people in Direct Provision were not permitted to cook for themselves. The State was forced to concede, yet here we are again.

Fri, 23 Oct, 2026

DRCC consent ad had a very important point, and it's been lost in all the noise
DRCC consent ad had a very important point, and it's been lost in all the noise
If my son understands that no means no for him and that is always respected, then he will understand consent when he is told no later in life, writes Ciara Ní Bhroin 

Fri, 23 Oct, 2026

HSE Temple Street spinal surgery review
Despite so much money and time, parents are still waiting on answers over CHI scandals
It is no wonder many have lost confidence in finding a resolution to the issue any time soon, as calls were made to move the inquiry to the Department of the Taoiseach

Fri, 23 Oct, 2026

international criminal court ICC in the hague
Ireland must protect its interests by fighting back against the chilling effect on the ICC
A major global power is now simultaneously protecting suspected war criminals while undermining international systems of accountability, writes Andrew Forde

Fri, 23 Oct, 2026

Alice Through The Looking Glass European Premiere - London
What will 2026 make of Ali G, now just one twit among many?
In my favourite Ali G interview, Belfast Sammy Wilson was asked if he was Irish. When the DUP politician answered sternly, 'no, I’m British', a perplexed Ali replied, 'so is you just here on holiday?'

Fri, 23 Oct, 2026

APTOPIX Gaza University Tent Camp Photo Essay
Denying visas to Palestinians in the midst of genocide is immoral and cruel
Our international conference on Palestine planned for Maynooth University had to be cancelled, because Ireland's government wouldn't grant visas to Palestinians

Thu, 22 Oct, 2026

My harmless kids' book was banned — it's a wider problem than people know
My harmless kids' book was banned — it's a wider problem than people know
My children's picture book, Lola at the Library, is banned in the US — and I fear the piecemeal political activism taking books off shelves there could be on its way here

Thu, 22 Oct, 2026

Taoiseach urged to intervene on study visas for Gazan students
Dear Micheál Martin and Jim O’Callaghan: Let me study in Ireland so I can help my people in Gaza
An open letter from a Gaza doctor, appealing the refusal of his visa to study in Ireland

Thu, 22 Oct, 2026

Edinburgh, Scotland 22nd August. Day 11 Edinburgh International Book Festival. Pictured: Sally Rooney, lives in Dublin, where sh
Sally Rooney book row shows how vulnerable our freedom is
There is a real irony in Irish booksellers providing banned books for British readers after so many years of censorship here

Thu, 22 Oct, 2026

FRANCE-SOCIAL-DEMO-RIOTS-UNREST-CLASHES
Riots in France may end like Paris '68 — and Marine Le Pen could be the biggest winner
Jean-Luc Mélenchon wants students and workers to unite on the streets. But the ultimate beneficiary of such agitation could be the French right wing, writes Emmanuelle Schon-Quinlivan

Wed, 21 Oct, 2026

Female TDs haven't gone quiet — they're being drowned out
Female TDs haven't gone quiet — they're being drowned out
Ten years of Dáil questions show women still raise the issues that attract the most abuse, but their share of the record is shrinking 

Wed, 21 Oct, 2026

Mick Clifford: An Garda Síochána knew of holster safety issue before shootings of two gardaí
Mick Clifford: An Garda Síochána knew of holster safety issue before shootings of two gardaí
Eddie Connell accidentally shot himself. Days later, Colm Horkan was murdered. Issues with Garda-issued kit were implicated in both cases — and Garda HQ knew about the problem all along

Tue, 20 Oct, 2026

Fianna Fail think in - Tullamore
Jim O'Callaghan has much in common with Micheál Martin but lacks Taoiseach's pragmatism 
Jim O'Callaghan could learn from Micheál Martin's pragmatic side which is partly the reason for his longevity as Fianna Fáil leader and Taoiseach

Tue, 20 Oct, 2026

New derelict property tax needs wider brief and local ringfencing
New derelict property tax needs wider brief and local ringfencing
The Government's new derelict property tax could be a backward step for rural areas if it is not implemented correctly, writes Robert Burns

Tue, 20 Oct, 2026

MSPs debate child care plans
Childcare is infrastructure — and we need to start treating it that way
Childcare is one barrier to women’s participation in the workforce, but it rarely exists in isolation, writes Deirdre Mortell

Tue, 20 Oct, 2026

Irish Budget 2027
Paul Hosford: Anonymous briefings are not the place to discuss Patrick O'Donovan's future
Culture minister labelled assertions that he has become a liability for this Government as the 'ultimate betrayal' last week, amid continued concerns over his health

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Solicitors Protest sign4
ieExplains: Why are solicitors escalating their strike action against legal aid reforms?
From Monday, some solicitors are withdrawing from all criminal defence work

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Tuam mother and baby home: 80-year-old hopes her DNA will identify her niece's remains
Tuam mother and baby home: 80-year-old hopes her DNA will identify her niece's remains
Alison O’Reilly met Mary on her visit to the forensic lab which seeks DNA from relatives to identify remains of babies in the Co Galway institution — and they want more relatives to come forward

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Gavin Nugent: Why are environmentalists still pushing the politically toxic carbon tax?
Gavin Nugent: Why are environmentalists still pushing the politically toxic carbon tax?
If today's extraordinary prices have not produced a dramatic collapse in fossil-fuel consumption, what additional behavioural change do we realistically expect from another incremental increase now, asks former Green Party adviser Gavin Nugent

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Liz Carolan: Who was the Government AI conference actually for?
Liz Carolan: Who was the Government AI conference actually for?
Our FDI strategy has become a pair of golden handcuffs — which was evident in the Government's deference to Big Tech 

Sun, 18 Oct, 2026

Trump Threatens DC Takeover If Janeese Lewis George Wins Primary
Why the Republicans' voter fraud messaging may backfire
Setting expectations of a disappointing or untrustworthy result will reduce motivation for people to go out and vote

Sat, 17 Oct, 2026

Wimbledon 2026 - Day Twelve - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Patrick Holloway: Why a casual game of tennis in Crosshaven brings out my inner Wimbledon champion
Patrick Holloway explores the fantasies, frustrations and childhood rivalries that turn an ordinary game of tennis into something much bigger

Sat, 17 Oct, 2026

As a 15-year-old growing up in West Belfast, Disco Pigs changed my life
As a 15-year-old growing up in West Belfast, Disco Pigs changed my life
Enda Walsh is putting his money where his mouth is by returning to Cork to direct this production. The city should be proud of it 

Fri, 16 Oct, 2026

Closing pubs and clubs early just moves the party elsewhere and removes the safety net
Closing pubs and clubs early just moves the party elsewhere and removes the safety net
Ireland has the youngest population in the EU, but with fewer venues than 25 years ago. And when clubs shut early, the party goes elsewhere — often at the expense of safety, writes Aoife Imray

Fri, 16 Oct, 2026

APTOPIX Trump Netanyahu
Trump's sham 'peace plan' for Palestine is a year old, more than 1,500 have been killed in Gaza since
A year ago this week, October 13, 2025, President Donald Trump unveiled what he called his comprehensive peace plan for Israel and Palestine. Fintan Drury’s recent book, Genocide: Sponsoring the Destruction of Palestine, examines the West’s role in Israel’s campaign in Gaza in the context of the events of that day.

Thu, 15 Oct, 2026

Irish Budget 2027
Jack Chambers makes conciliatory noises as unions emboldened by show of strength
Union leadership took his remarks on 'Prime Time' to signal a softening of the Coalition’s position — but Government sources say it is merely a reiteration of his position

Wed, 14 Oct, 2026

Deepfake concerns
The Danish approach to copyright and deepfakes: Is this a model for the EU?
The proposal offers Europe a valuable starting point because it places a simple principle at the centre of the debate: people should not lose meaningful control over their identities and creations merely because technology makes impersonation cheap and convincing

Wed, 14 Oct, 2026

Mother and her son and daughter do laundry together
A tenner for your troubles — mothers get the short straw yet again in the budget
As a country we do not place enough value or worth on a mother’s or a woman’s contribution to society, and Budget 2027 illustrated that clearly, writes Ciara Ní Bhroin

Wed, 14 Oct, 2026

Scottish data centres
Environment a major blind spot in the AI Summit agenda
The EU is pushing massive AI expansion, driven by concerns over digital sovereignty, ie having control over its own digital resources and security

Wed, 14 Oct, 2026

CAO first round of offers
Paul Hosford: Strikes a test of Government's ability to balance fiscal responsibility with workforce expectations
The State, at many levels, is a decent employer

Tue, 13 Oct, 2026

The death of Anne Fitzsimons severs our last link with cultural artifact Bungalow Bliss
The death of Anne Fitzsimons severs our last link with cultural artifact Bungalow Bliss
Anne and her husband Jack did more to house the rural working class than the State did, writes Lorcan Sirr 

Tue, 13 Oct, 2026

Solar energy
Low-income working households falling through retrofit scheme gaps
While Ireland's social welfare system looks after people at the bottom when it comes to retrofitting supports, people one step above them are largely on their own

Tue, 13 Oct, 2026

Road safety on Ireland's motorways
Ciarán Cannon: No, Seán Canney, 'everybody' is not responsible for road deaths
As road deaths rise, the Government dropped planned reforms of the RSA and increased public transport fares — and now the minister seems to be disavowing political responsibility, writes Ciarán Cannon

Mon, 12 Oct, 2026

Close Up of a Professional Office Specialist Working on Desktop Computer in Modern Technological Monitoring Control Room with Di
Are universities equipped to catch foreign influence and national security risks?
Ireland has given its universities a new responsibility in assessing international research partnerships for foreign influence and national security risks, now it needs to help them deliver it

Mon, 12 Oct, 2026

US-VOTE-POLITICS-ELECTION
Meet the ‘independent voters’ who will likely decide which party triumphs in the 2026 midterm elections
From disapproval of Donald Trump's handling of the economy to the war in Iran, independents appear to be veering towards the Democrats

Sat, 10 Oct, 2026

SPAIN-DEMONSTRATION-SOCIEDAD-HOUSING-EVICTION-POLITICS
Colin Sheridan: An 87-year-old woman sparked a general election in Spain. Can its politicians now deliver on housing?
In November's election, prime minister Pedro Sánchez must now persuade people that another term will change circumstances they cannot endure much longer, writes Colin Sheridan

Fri, 09 Oct, 2026

Mark Zuckerberg at G8 in Deauville, France
Zuckerberg's Waterford neighbours should keep Hawaii in mind
The GAA clubs promising funding by the Zuckerbergs are delighted — but they might have more complicated new benefactors than they think

Fri, 09 Oct, 2026

Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation protest - Dublin
Public sector strikes likely as unions and Government cannot agree on agenda for talks
As public sector strikes look, unions are demanding that pay increases be the first agenda item to open negotiations, but Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government will not accept "unilateral preconditions" before discussions.

Thu, 08 Oct, 2026

Irish Budget 2027
ieExplains: What is the new personal investment account and should I put my money into it?
Here's all you need to know about the new Government investment scheme

Thu, 08 Oct, 2026

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Suzanne Harrington
Suzanne Harrington

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