Irish government

The Central Bank will impose new financial rules on real estate funds, warning that a massive sale of assets by these entities could destabilize the sector. In its latest financial stability review, the regulator said real estate funds now hold 40% of the Republic’s commercial residential real estate assets, worth an estimated 23 billion euros, …

The government plans to introduce security legislation that will allow it to exclude “high risk” telecommunications providers from being used in critical parts of Ireland’s next generation broadband network. The Cabinet decided to give Communications Minister Eamon Ryan the legal authority to conduct assessments of potential providers of 5G services – the replacement mobile broadband …

Wind Energy Ireland called on the government to focus on lowering the price of renewable energy and lowering electricity bills for families and businesses. The industry body revealed during a webinar today that despite some of the best wind power resources in Europe, the price of wind power last year at the first auction in …

Historian Catherine Corless, whose tireless research has shed light on the deaths and burials of hundreds of children at Tuam’s Mother and Baby House, has been honored with the Irish Red Cross Ensemble Award of his achievements. s Corless joins a prestigious list of past winners, including the late Pat Hume and WHO Executive Director …

Sinn Féin has denied suggestions that it lacks coherent climate change policies or takes populist positions on the issue. Party climate change spokesperson Darren O’Rourke has said he supports the targets set in the government’s climate legislation – halving emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050 – but insisted that Sinn Féin disagreed on …

Supermacs owner Pat McDonagh said the water hookup charges put a “grip” on commercial development, saying he was quoted € 720,000 to connect a motorway service spot he developed. His comments follow similar criticism from some politicians and the Construction Industry Federation, which has suggested that Irish Water seeks to fund its work through high …

Future carbon budgets for every sector of the economy “will require fundamental changes” affecting the way people live and work, said Climate Minister Eamon Ryan. He was speaking after the publication of the new global carbon budgets proposed by the Advisory Council on Climate Change, as the country imposes for the first time a statutory …

With the cautious lifting of restrictions at a time when cases are rampant, the contours of what “living with Covid” will mean are taking shape. Tuesday’s announcement that Friday’s reopening would continue, but with terms and conditions, signaled two things: first, it will be a catch-up as it goes; second, living with Covid means living …

A leader of the Greens said that the multi-party talks on the formation of a new German government have “a long way to go” and will have to bridge important political differences. Center-left Social Democrats, Green environmentalists and pro-business Free Democrats held their first round of talks on a possible coalition on Thursday. If they …

Student leaders pleaded for immediate government support after their food bank ran out of supplies in less than 50 minutes following unprecedented demand from starving students. Just days after the Cabinet meeting at University College Cork (UCC), students lined up for food as the UCC Students’ Union (UCCSU) reopened its food bank on campus for …

Protesters will descend on Leinster House today demanding better services for women. Activists are not only protesting against Covid restrictions that prevent partners from going to hospital with pregnant women, but also against the level of maternity services in general. 3 Many hospitals still need to ease maternity restrictionsCredit: Alamy 3 TD of the Social …

Details of a compensation plan for thousands of homeowners whose properties have been significantly damaged by mica will only be released “weeks” after the budget. But Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the package put in place “will be one of the biggest financial support programs ever announced for anything.” He told Independent TD Thomas Pringle …

Ireland could become overly dependent on natural gas from the UK for power generation by 2030 due to dwindling domestic sources, the energy watchdog will warn on Tuesday. The Public Services Regulatory Commission (CRU) will argue that it would be “prudent” for a future role for liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be examined by the …

The government must set a plan in the next budget for the removal of more than € 2 billion in fossil fuel subsidies per year; the vast majority of which are indirect supports to industry, according to the environmental pillar (PE). The body, which represents all of the country’s major environmental groups, said the move …

SURVIVORS of Ireland’s brutal industrial schools have been waiting for more than 10 months for a government response to comments made about their needs. In early 2020, the government, through the Department of Education, asked active survivor groups to compile a submission that would show the current and realistic needs of survivors. Tom Cronin, an …

Rents across Ireland rose at a rate of 7% nationwide for the second quarter of 2021, a level of increase that the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) described as a ’cause for concern’. The report focuses on the period in which the country left the lockdown and notes a particular increase in rents in suburban areas …

The Attorney General acts privately for the former directors of Independent News & Media in their dealings with High Court inspectors investigating the affairs of the company. The inspectors were appointed by the High Court following a request by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE), the state’s business law enforcement authority. Following …

GOVERNMENT’S HEAD-IN-THE SAND approach to the proliferation of power-hungry data centers threatens our energy security, foreign investment, jobs and climate action goals. Why? We don’t know because the government hasn’t done even a rudimentary cost-benefit analysis. What is the government’s policy on data centers? A 17-page document from 2018, titled Government Statement on the Role …

The government is concerned about the quality of Ireland’s water as around half of the country’s waterways are now in poor condition or worse, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said. On Monday, the department released its draft watershed management plan, a strategy overseeing the improvement of rivers, estuaries and other areas, which will now be subject …

Hotels and guesthouses in Laois and across the country have had another exceptionally difficult year due to Covid. The average room occupancy rate for 2021 is 25% for the Midlands / Mid East region, including Laois since the start of the year, according to the latest research from the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) . With …

The government is “exploring all options” to ensure that purpose-built student accommodation remains in use for students, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told Dáil as protesters gathered outside Leinster House. Officials from the business and housing departments met Wednesday evening to discuss the issue and there will be “further announcements in the coming weeks,” Varadkar said. Mr …

The government has not decided to delay construction of the Metrolink until 2027, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation. However, he is unable to say when construction of the project will begin. It comes after Labor TD Duncan Smith yesterday asked Transport Minister Eamon Ryan for urgent clarification on MetroLink metro plans …

The government has made it “absolutely clear” that the state’s energy infrastructure will be able to supply the electricity needed for projects such as a multibillion-euro Intel chip factory, the minister said. Environment Eamon Ryan. Ireland is said to be one of three countries on a shortlist as a location for some of the company’s …

The judges chose their shortlist of five finalists in The Irish Times Best Place to Live in Ireland 2021 competition, which is supported by Randox Health. The five locations are: Clonakilty, Co Cork; the city of Galway; Glaslough, County Monaghan; Killarney, County Kerry; and the city of Waterford. Over the summer, more than 2,400 members …

SETTING TIME LIMITS on how long an employer can put a worker on probation should be considered by the government, according to Tánaiste and Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Leo Varadkar. He also confirmed that he wanted to ensure that more reasonable notice periods were given to employees when their work was of an unpredictable …

A Co Donegal priest has said one of the reasons he will be holding his first communions this weekend is because he fears an increase in Covid-19 infections in the coming weeks. Father John Joe Duffy of St Michael’s Church in Creeslough will celebrate First Communion with 18 students from two local schools. It will …

Des O’Malley, who was a dominant figure in Irish politics for four decades, has died at the age of 82. r O’Malley was less than two years of TD when he was appointed Minister of Justice in a government in crisis, affected by a cabinet plot to import weapons for the IRA, as sectarian violence …

The government must limit the interest rates charged by approved lenders despite concerns previously raised by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe that such a move could exclude some lenders from the market. The government announced Monday that it has approved the drafting of the Consumer Credit (Amendment) Bill 2021, the main purpose of which is to …