politics

Cabinet briefing - Dublin
'Difficult challenge' to bar scrambler bikes from public roads, says justice minister
Scramblers remain legal to own in Ireland, and restricting their importation would require engagement with the European Commission

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Galway West and Dublin Central by-elections likely to take place in May
Galway West and Dublin Central by-elections likely to take place in May
One was elected Ireland's President, the other became the World Bank's MD. Voters will now choose who will take the Dáil seats vacated by Catherine Connolly and Paschal Donohoe

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

FIANNA FAIL ARD FHEIS
'Polish MEP snorted at me like a pig': Cynthia Ní Mhurchú makes complaint against Jacek Ozdoba
Ireland South MEP also criticised committee chair saying the noises and Bogdan Rzonca's response risked 'giving the impression of bias and misogynistic behaviour towards female MEPs'

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Orange warnings in place as Dáil descends into shouting match over flood defences
Orange warnings in place as Dáil descends into shouting match over flood defences
Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty and Tánaiste Simon Harris chastised by Leas-Cheann Comhairle John McGuinness for repeated clashes during Leaders' Questions

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

File Photo Minister for Health Leo Varadkar will launch the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill which sets out to reduce the damage tha
Government has no plans to raise minimum unit price for alcohol
Measure was first introduced in 2022 in a bid to reduce serious illness and death from alcohol consumption

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Lawyer holding document and speaking to jury in courtroom
Counselling records only admissible in court where risk of unfair trial exists
Cabinet approves legislation limiting use of counselling notes in trials, alongside historical justice measures and new bail provisions

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Social Media Apps - BeReal and Others
Government plans PPS-based age checks for online platforms to protect children
Ireland plans to introduce PPS-based age verification for social media platforms this year to protect children online

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Martin Heydon defends Bord Bia chairman from Sinn Féin's motion to dismiss
Martin Heydon defends Bord Bia chairman from Sinn Féin's motion to dismiss
Agriculture minister Martin Heydon said that Sinn Féin had not sought a briefing from Bord Bia board members in advance of calling for Larry Murrin's removal

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Desperate Woman
Minister seeking legal advice on statutory paid leave for pregnancy loss
'There is now a shared understanding across Government that pregnancy loss requires a specific, compassionate response,' a cross-party group discussing the legislation has said

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Homeschooling: Hands of an Unrecognizable Child Drawing While Sitting on her Mother's Lap, Lockdown Activities Concept (Overhead
Childminders working from home should not pay commercial rates, says Foley
Children’s Minister Norma Foley says childminders operating from their own homes should not face commercial rates charges

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Irish housing
Paul Murphy and Micheál Martin clash over handling of X AI nudification issue
Paul Murphy accused the Government of failing to act on AI-generated abuse, claims strongly rejected by the Taoiseach

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Government to examine licensing and sale of scrambler bikes amid crackdown
Government to examine licensing and sale of scrambler bikes amid crackdown
Ministers say a new ban on scramblers in public spaces will remove ambiguity for gardaí and strengthen enforcement

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Wasting renewable energy 'unnecessary and unforgivable' when households live in energy poverty
Wasting renewable energy 'unnecessary and unforgivable' when households live in energy poverty
Dáil committee told more than €1.4m of clean renewable wind energy was being 'dispatched down, or wasted, every single day' and could be redirected to homes in fuel poverty

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Grace Lynch funeral
Cabinet plans to ban scrambler bikes from Irish roads after the death of Grace Lynch 
The move comes in the aftermath of the death of 16-year-old Dublin teenager Grace Lynch after being hit by a scrambler last month

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

FRANCE-ELON-MUSK-LAUNCH-GROK-ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE-NEW-VERSION
X spurns TDs and senators as Paris office is raided for allegedly facilitating child abuse images 
Google, Meta, and TikTok will be at Oireachtas media committee but — even amid the Grok 'nudification' scandal — Elon Musk's social media company is refusing to show up

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

New homes under construction.
More judges needed to help cut red tape in planning cases, minister told 
Dáil housing committee said in order to ensure judicial reviews were heard promptly and without delay, additional judges should be appointed, with other staffing needs met as required

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

X's AI chatbot Grok
X refuses to appear before Oireachtas media committee amid Grok controversy
The committee will meet on Wednesday with representatives from Meta, Google, and TikTok to discuss online regulations

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Taoiseach Micheal Martin visit to Wexford
Taoiseach concedes housing shortfall but insists 50,000 homes a year is achievable
The Taoiseach said stronger investment conditions could drive housing supply higher, while confirming a St Patrick’s Day White House visit

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Taoiseach Micheal Martin visit to Wexford
'You’re a Cork man, aren’t you? You’re forever getting flooded': Taoiseach called on to do more
Micheál Martin was in Enniscorthy on Monday to see the damage caused by last week's flooding

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

DISABILITY COALITION PROTEST
'Our messaging is fact': Disability groups hit back at minister over 'food or heating' claims
The social protection minister said: 'I do not want a misleading and dangerous message to go out that people must choose between food and heating.'

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Accelerating Infrastructure launch
Office refuses to say how many ministers are repaying incorrect pension deductions
Documentation provided to the public accounts committee on December 24 confirmed that the miscalculation for former and current ministers was €360,000

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Cyber Attack
MEPs discuss HSE ransomware attack during 'frightening' debate
Experts also warned of the potential for offshore wind farms to be hacked and shut down, as well as threats from drones and smart cars

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

TDs hit with price hike in Dáil bar and restaurant
TDs hit with price hike in Dáil bar and restaurant
Food prices have increased across Leinster House menus, though meals remain subsidised and wine prices were left unchanged

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Garda Commissioner should resign if scrambler bike crackdown fails, TD says
Garda Commissioner should resign if scrambler bike crackdown fails, TD says
TDs say existing powers are not being used, as Cabinet prepares new ban following Grace Lynch’s death in Finglas

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Roderic O’Gorman 'still facing threats and social media abuse'
Roderic O’Gorman 'still facing threats and social media abuse'
'I never got homophobic abuse until I was 39, a minister, and there’s a gang outside Leinster House with a noose," says Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman.

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Tánaiste accuses Sinn Féin of 'breaking political consensus on Ukraine'
Tánaiste accuses Sinn Féin of 'breaking political consensus on Ukraine'
The Dáil earlier this week debated a motion seeking approval for Ireland to take part in a EU loan of €90 billion to support Ukraine

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

Phil Hogan seeks Government support in running for key United Nations job
Phil Hogan seeks Government support in running for key United Nations job
The role of director general of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is due to be filled later this year

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

Coronavirus - Mon Jan 18, 2021
Almost 17,000 people were homeless in Ireland over Christmas 
Figures released by the Department of Housing show 11,546 adults and 5,188 children were homeless in December

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

New homes under construction.
Figures show Government faces its 'ultimate housing test' this year, experts say
'If we don’t see an improvement in the first half of 2026, then it’s certain that 2026 will be another year of missed Government targets.'

Thu, 29 Jan, 2026

Fine Gael TDs defend minister after Fianna Fáil criticism over schools investment
Fine Gael TDs defend minister after Fianna Fáil criticism over schools investment
Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne said he would not apologise for 'representing schools within my constituency', while questioning the criteria to select projects to prioritise

Thu, 29 Jan, 2026

New home completions hit highest level since 2011 despite missing 2025 target
New home completions hit highest level since 2011 despite missing 2025 target
Apartment construction drove a sharp rise in housing output last year, though completions still fell short of Government targets

Thu, 29 Jan, 2026

Irish Government formation
Heneghan votes against Government on €400 emergency payment for people with disabilities
Barry Heneghan, a Government-supporting independent TD, has voted against the Government and backed the motion by the Social Democrats

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Plans to ban scramblers on roads will be brought to Cabinet as early as next week
Plans to ban scramblers on roads will be brought to Cabinet as early as next week
Stricter regulations will also be placed on e-scooters and e-bikes under the plans

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Primary School Coat Pegs
'Not acceptable' children with special needs having to travel long distances to access school place, minister says
Education minister Hildegarde Naughton said she acknowledged parents' 'frustrations' and said the Government was spending €3bn a year on special education

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Tenancy Agreement
New rent laws will 'rip up vital protections' for tenants, Labour says
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said allowing landlords to reset rents to market value between tenancies would rip up the vital protections altogether, and called for a rent freeze to give 'real breathing space' for tenants

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Government turns to TikTok to highlight risks of cosmetic surgery abroad
Simon Harris calls for social media ban for under-16s
Simon Harris said there had to be a 'baring of teeth' and enforcement of the age of digital consent

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Little boy or child sitting alone on floor in front of the school after suffering an act of bullying
Children, aged 7, arriving at school under the influence of drugs, Oireachtas committee told
TD says young pupils are being 'groomed' and used as 'drug mules'

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

ieExplains: What is the triple lock — and why the Government wants to abolish it
ieExplains: What is the triple lock — and why the Government wants to abolish it
The Government plans to remove UN approval from overseas troop deployments, reshaping Ireland’s long-standing defence and neutrality framework

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Taoiseach to make formal Dáil apology to survivors of industrial homes
Taoiseach to make formal Dáil apology to survivors of industrial homes
Deal was reached between the Government and four hunger strikers campaigning for better support

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Government must consider how it will fill 'hole in the exchequer' caused by electric vehicles 
Government must consider how it will fill 'hole in the exchequer' caused by electric vehicles 
Irish Fiscal Advisory Council says extra expenditure needs to be financed through 'sustainable means that are going to stick around'

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

South Africa G20
Ireland invited to attend G20 leaders summit in Miami
US formally invited Ireland to join the summit as an 'observer country'

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Accelerating Infrastructure launch
Government to cut its 'massive' spend on external consultants by using 'central pool of expertise'
It is estimated that the top 10 consultancy firms in Ireland have been paid over €2bn by the Government over the last 13 years

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Dublin children deaths
Taoiseach to ask why HSE wanted to limit scope of inquests into deaths of children killed by mother
Andrew McGinley, the children's father, last year asked that a two-year period of his ex-wife Deirdre Morley’s psychiatric care be examined at the forthcoming inquests

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Tenancy Agreement
Housing minister admits some rents will rise under new legislation
While new bill offers fixed tenures to new tenancies, it also allows landlords reset rents to market rates where a renter leaves of their own volition

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Grace Lynch death
Transport minister signals scrambler bike ban after Dublin teenager’s death
Transport minister and Taoiseach say legislation will follow teenage death as calls grow to ban scrambler bikes in public spaces

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Paschal Donohoe resignation
TD tells AI minister X has 'lied' to her about disabling Grok's nudification function
TD Paul Murphy told Niamh Smyth today: 'I just got someone in my office, with my consent, to undress me (using Grok).'

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

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