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Ireland

PRSI Rates Rise by 0.15 Points from Today as Third Annual Increase Hits Workers and Employers

Pay-Related Social Insurance contribution rates in Ireland have increased by 0.15 percentage points from today, 1 October 2026, as the third annual rise in a phased plan to bolster the State Pension fund takes effect. Employees on the standard Class A rate now pay 4.35 per cent, while employers face a standard rate of 11.40 per cent.

Conor Brennan1 Oct 2026👁 23

Ireland

Dáil Debates Right to Housing Constitutional Amendment as Bill Reaches Second Stage

The Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Right to Housing) Bill 2026 has reached its Second Stage in Dáil Éireann, with TDs debating whether to enshrine a constitutional right to housing in Ireland. The Private Member's Bill, sponsored by TD Rory Hearne, has attracted cross-party interest but faces significant government resistance.

Conor Brennan

5 min read1 Oct 2026

Ireland

Women's Fury at Private Maternity Care Phase-Out Laid Bare in Emails to Health Minister

Hundreds of women have written to Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill accusing her of 'grandstanding', 'bullying', and ignoring their concerns over the phased elimination of private maternity care in publicly funded hospitals. The correspondence, released under Freedom of Information, reveals deep anger at a policy that has already seen two hospitals cease offering private obstetric services.

Conor Brennan

5 min read1 Oct 2026

Ireland

Irish Factory Output Surges to Near Five-Year High in September as Export Orders Expand

Ireland's manufacturing sector recorded its strongest output growth in nearly five years during September 2026, with the AIB Manufacturing PMI rising to 55.5 and export orders expanding at a three-month high. The surge comes despite a decline in business confidence, with manufacturers citing global economic uncertainty as a source of concern.

Conor Brennan

5 min read1 Oct 2026

Ireland

Kerry CAMHS Families Launch High Court Action After Being Excluded from State Compensation Scheme

Around a dozen families whose children received formal apologies from the HSE for deficient care at Kerry CAMHS have launched High Court legal actions after being excluded from the State's non-adversarial compensation scheme. Solicitors for the families describe the exclusion as unfathomable, noting that some siblings within the same family were accepted into the scheme while others were not.

Conor Brennan

6 min read30 Sept 2026

Ireland

Storm Leaves 5,000 Homes Without Power Across Ireland as ESB Networks Works to Restore Supply

Around 5,000 homes and businesses across Ireland remain without power following a period of strong winds and heavy rain that caused widespread outages, with ESB Networks crews working to restore supply. The south and west of the country were most severely affected, with Met Éireann warning drivers to remain vigilant about localised flooding and difficult road conditions.

Conor Brennan

5 min read30 Sept 2026

Ireland

Australian Firm REA Group Pays €248m for 35% Stake in Daft.ie and DoneDeal Owner Distilled

Australian property and digital advertising firm REA Group has agreed to pay €248 million for a 35% stake in Distilled, the Irish parent company of Daft.ie, DoneDeal, PropertyPal, and Used Cars NI, valuing the entire business at approximately €708 million. The deal marks a significant vote of confidence in Ireland's digital marketplace sector and will see REA Group gain exposure to both the Republic and Northern Ireland markets.

Conor Brennan

5 min read30 Sept 2026

Ireland

Over 100,000 Public Sector Workers Begin Work-to-Rule as Pay Dispute Escalates Toward October Strikes

More than 100,000 public sector workers across Ireland have begun a work-to-rule and withdrawal of goodwill as a pay dispute escalates, with nationwide 24-hour strikes planned for October 14 and October 21 if the government fails to open formal negotiations on a successor pay agreement. Teachers' unions have reported near-unanimous support for action, with INTO members voting 99.5% in favour.

Conor Brennan

5 min read30 Sept 2026

Ireland

Civil Service Work-to-Rule Threatens to Derail Ireland's EU Council Presidency as Unions Clash Over Exemptions

A civil service work-to-rule action beginning this week is expected to significantly disrupt Ireland's six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, with the AHCPS instructing senior officials to refuse out-of-hours travel to Brussels, Luxembourg, and Strasbourg. The action, part of a broader pay dispute following the expiry of the national pay deal in June, has no exemption for EU presidency work despite a carve-out for Budget Day preparations.

Conor Brennan

5 min read29 Sept 2026

Ireland

New Irish Citizenship Rules Could Leave Long-Term Residents Waiting 22 Years to Naturalise

Proposed changes to Irish naturalisation law would increase the residency requirement from five to eight years and introduce mandatory language and civics tests, potentially leaving some long-term residents waiting more than two decades to become Irish citizens. The Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2026 has been approved for drafting by Cabinet but has not yet been published or passed by the Oireachtas.

Conor Brennan

5 min read29 Sept 2026

Ireland

Children's Hospital Contractor BAM Submits €983m in Claims as Project Completion Date Shifts for 20th Time

The contractor building the National Children's Hospital, BAM Ireland, has submitted claims totalling €983 million in disputed costs, though the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board has determined and awarded only approximately €110 million — around 7% of the total claimed. The project's completion date has been shifted 20 times in six years, and the hospital's opening remains uncertain.

Conor Brennan

5 min read29 Sept 2026

Ireland

Father and Daughter Killed in Offaly Workplace Tragedy at Banagher Precast Concrete Facility

A father in his 50s and his daughter in her 20s were killed in a workplace incident at the Banagher Precast Concrete facility in County Offaly on Monday morning, with the Health and Safety Authority launching a formal investigation into the circumstances. The company, which employs over 250 staff, described the event as an unprecedented and devastating tragedy.

Conor Brennan

5 min read29 Sept 2026