🏛️

Politics

Stormont Parties Clash Over First Minister's Role in Drumcree Protest as No-Confidence Motion Threatened

Stormont's power-sharing executive is under severe strain as the DUP threatens a no-confidence motion against First Minister Michelle O'Neill over her participation in the Garvaghy Road protest, while Sinn Féin accuses the DUP of using the Drumcree crisis to destabilise the institutions. The Assembly has been consumed by the dispute, with normal legislative business largely suspended.

Conor Brennan1 Oct 2026👁 24

Politics

Taoiseach Signals State Pension Rise Will Exceed €7.50 as Budget 2027 Countdown Begins

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has hinted that the State Pension increase in Budget 2027 will be higher than the €7.50 per week figure that has been widely reported, as the government enters the final days of negotiations ahead of the October 6 budget announcement. The signal comes as the coalition faces pressure from pensioner groups and opposition parties.

Conor Brennan

5 min read1 Oct 2026

Politics

FAI Chiefs Face Oireachtas Grilling Over Israel Fixtures as Goalkeepers Left Out of Player Vote

FAI chief executive David Courell and president Paul Cooke faced a rigorous Oireachtas committee hearing over the association's decision to fulfil Nations League fixtures against Israel, with TDs revealing that the goalkeeping unit was never consulted in the player vote. The FAI estimated it would face €5.5 million in immediate costs if it had refused to play.

Conor Brennan

5 min read1 Oct 2026

Politics

Taoiseach Tells Sinn Féin He Won't Intervene Directly in Drumcree as Dáil Unites on Garvaghy Road Crisis

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has told Sinn Féin he will not intervene directly in the Drumcree standoff, insisting the matter is for the Northern Ireland institutions to resolve, while the Dáil united in expressing concern about the crisis and calling for a negotiated resolution. The Taoiseach has expressed support for the appointment of an international mediator but stopped short of the direct intervention that nationalist politicians sought.

Conor Brennan

5 min read30 Sept 2026

Politics

Budget 2027: Government Finalises €8.5bn Package with Income Tax Cuts and Energy Supports Ahead of October 6

The government is finalising a €8.5 billion Budget 2027 package ahead of its presentation on October 6, with measures expected to include an increase in the higher income tax threshold to €46,000, a postponement of carbon tax increases on home heating oil, and a new €600 grant for households installing solar battery storage. The package is smaller than last year's €9.4 billion allocation.

Conor Brennan

5 min read30 Sept 2026

Politics

Stormont Teeters on Brink as DUP Accuses Sinn Féin of Defying Rule of Law Over Drumcree Protest

The Northern Ireland Executive is facing its most serious political crisis since the restoration of devolution, with the DUP accusing First Minister Michelle O'Neill of breaching her Pledge of Office by joining protests against the Drumcree parade ruling and Stormont described as teetering on the brink of collapse. Both parties are accused of using the crisis to mobilise their bases ahead of the Assembly election due by May 2027.

Conor Brennan

5 min read30 Sept 2026

Politics

Drumcree Crisis Pushes Stormont to Breaking Point as DUP Pursues No-Confidence Motion Against O'Neill

The Drumcree standoff has triggered the most serious political crisis at Stormont since the restoration of devolution, with the DUP pursuing a formal no-confidence motion against First Minister Michelle O'Neill after she joined protesters on the Garvaghy Road. Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots publicly rebuked O'Neill for failing to attend the chamber to answer urgent questions, while the Orange Order called for the resignation of the PSNI Chief Constable.

Conor Brennan

6 min read29 Sept 2026

Politics

ESRI Warns of Food Price Surge and Tax Base Fragility as Government Faces Budget 2027 Crunch

The Economic and Social Research Institute has warned that Ireland faces persistent food price inflation of 3.6% in 2026 and 3.3% in 2027, while the country's tax base is more fragile than previously understood due to deep dependence on a small number of multinational corporations. The ESRI also found that health spending is running 8.9% above last year's levels, far exceeding the 5% full-year projection.

Conor Brennan

5 min read29 Sept 2026

Politics

Minister O'Brien Seeks Cabinet Approval for €2,000 Boiler Scrappage Scheme to Launch in January

Environment Minister Darragh O'Brien is seeking Cabinet approval for a €2,000 boiler scrappage grant that would top up existing SEAI heat pump grants of up to €12,500, potentially offering households a combined €14,500 to switch from oil and kerosene heating. The scheme, planned to launch in January 2027, is part of a broader energy package that also includes a €600 grant for domestic battery storage.

Conor Brennan

6 min read29 Sept 2026

Politics

Budget 2027: Coalition Faces Crunch Decisions on Energy Credits, Minimum Wage and Teacher Pay as October 6 Looms

With Budget 2027 just eight days away, the coalition government faces a series of crunch decisions on energy credits, the minimum wage, and teacher pay, with TDs from both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil expressing concern about the framing of the €8.5 billion package. A teacher work-to-rule is set to begin on October 5 — the day before the budget — adding further pressure to the government's position.

Conor Brennan

5 min read28 Sept 2026

Politics

Drumcree Crisis Puts Stormont's Future in Question as DUP and Sinn Féin Trade Accusations Over Rule of Law

The Drumcree parade crisis has placed the future of the Stormont power-sharing institutions in serious doubt, with the DUP accusing First Minister Michelle O'Neill of breaking the law by participating in the Garvaghy Road blockade and Sinn Féin counter-accusing the DUP of using the rule of law as a political weapon. Political analysts warn that the mutual breakdown of trust could make it impossible to govern effectively.

Conor Brennan

5 min read28 Sept 2026

Politics

Abortion Three-Day Wait Debate Intensifies as HSE Experts Tell Oireachtas Committee Rule Has No Clinical Basis

Senior HSE officials have told the Oireachtas Health Committee that there is no clinical justification for the mandatory 72-hour waiting period for abortion services in Ireland, as the committee scrutinises a Sinn Féin bill to abolish the rule. The testimony has intensified the political debate, with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil TDs divided on the issue.

Conor Brennan

5 min read28 Sept 2026