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xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_crime-law"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/crime-law/courts" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Courts</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/property" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Property</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_property" aria-label="Show Property sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_property"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/residential" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Residential</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/commercial-property" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Commercial Property</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/interiors" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Interiors</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/food" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Food</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_food" aria-label="Show Food sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_food"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/drink" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Drink</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/recipes" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Recipes</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/restaurants" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Restaurants</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/health" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Health</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_health" aria-label="Show Health sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_health"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-family" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Family</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-fitness" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Fitness</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-wellness" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Wellness</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-fitness/get-running" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Get Running</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Life & Style</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_life-style" aria-label="Show Life & Style sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_life-style"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fashion" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Fashion</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/tags/beauty/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Beauty</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Fine Art & Antiques</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Gardening</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">People</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/travel" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Travel</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/culture" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Culture</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_culture" aria-label="Show Culture sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_culture"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/art" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Art</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/books" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Books</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/film" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Film</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/music" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Music</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/stage" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Stage</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/tv-radio" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">TV & Radio</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/environment" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Environment</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_environment" aria-label="Show Environment sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_environment"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/environment/climate-crisis" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Climate Crisis</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/technology" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Technology</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_technology" aria-label="Show Technology sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_technology"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/big-tech" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Big Tech</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/consumer-tech" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Consumer Tech</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/data-security" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Data & Security</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/gaming" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Gaming</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/science" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Science</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_science" aria-label="Show Science sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_science"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/science/space" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Space</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/media" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Media</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/abroad" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Abroad</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/obituaries" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Obituaries</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/transport" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Transport</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/motors" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Motors</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_motors" aria-label="Show Motors sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_motors"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/motors/car-reviews/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Car Reviews</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/listen/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Listen</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Podcasts</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_podcasts" aria-label="Show Podcasts sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div 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Forecast</a></li><li class="section-menu--bottom-placeholder"></li></ul></div></div></div></nav></header><section role="main" class="b-it-right-rail-advanced__main" id="main"><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__full-width-1" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div id="arcad-feature-f0fBCVFzFQcD73k-1f2e2a4a98aea9" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 gKEhzJ arcad-feature" style="--mobile-display:none;--tablet-display:block;--desktop-display:block"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:970px"><div id="arcad_f0fBCVFzFQcD73k-1f2e2a4a98aea9" class="arcad ad-970x90"></div></div></div><div class="c-stack b-section-title" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><h1 class="c-heading">Editorials</h1></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/></div><div class="c-grid b-it-right-rail-advanced__rail-container"><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-interior-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-interior-item-1" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card b-flex-promo-card__right-left c-it-border__bottom c-it-border--mobile c-it-border--tablet c-it-border--desktop"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/26/the-irish-times-view-on-verona-murphy-confidence-ebbs-in-a-house-divided/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img fetchpriority="low" data-chromatic="ignore" alt="In a divided house, confidence ebbs in Verona Murphy" class="c-image b-flex-promo-card__mobile-image-3-2 b-flex-promo-card__desktop-image-16-9" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FEPI7I6UPCNLAKQ74SYDOC7WNM.jpg?smart=true&auth=964e5fd47cbe3b1423ffdf13b8ac5df56b2231d8672a7e408b397a8dc1f41771&width=274&height=154" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FEPI7I6UPCNLAKQ74SYDOC7WNM.jpg?smart=true&auth=964e5fd47cbe3b1423ffdf13b8ac5df56b2231d8672a7e408b397a8dc1f41771&width=200&height=112 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FEPI7I6UPCNLAKQ74SYDOC7WNM.jpg?smart=true&auth=964e5fd47cbe3b1423ffdf13b8ac5df56b2231d8672a7e408b397a8dc1f41771&width=400&height=224 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FEPI7I6UPCNLAKQ74SYDOC7WNM.jpg?smart=true&auth=964e5fd47cbe3b1423ffdf13b8ac5df56b2231d8672a7e408b397a8dc1f41771&width=600&height=337 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FEPI7I6UPCNLAKQ74SYDOC7WNM.jpg?smart=true&auth=964e5fd47cbe3b1423ffdf13b8ac5df56b2231d8672a7e408b397a8dc1f41771&width=800&height=449 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FEPI7I6UPCNLAKQ74SYDOC7WNM.jpg?smart=true&auth=964e5fd47cbe3b1423ffdf13b8ac5df56b2231d8672a7e408b397a8dc1f41771&width=1200&height=674 1200w" sizes="30vw" width="274" height="154"/></a></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/26/the-irish-times-view-on-verona-murphy-confidence-ebbs-in-a-house-divided/">In a divided house, confidence ebbs in Verona Murphy</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/26/the-irish-times-view-on-verona-murphy-confidence-ebbs-in-a-house-divided/">In their eagerness to copperfasten an impregnable majority, Government parties unwittingly set a booby trap for themselves</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><time class="c-it-promo-date" dateTime="2025-03-26T21:17:42.39Z">Wed Mar 26 2025 - 21:17</time></div></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card b-flex-promo-card__right-left c-it-border__bottom c-it-border--mobile c-it-border--tablet c-it-border--desktop"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/26/the-irish-times-view-on-the-uks-public-finances-labours-painful-cuts/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img fetchpriority="low" data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The UK government is forced into cuts to keep its public finances on track" class="c-image b-flex-promo-card__mobile-image-3-2 b-flex-promo-card__desktop-image-16-9" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/IDNYNC2IHPP6C2IPO6GNSQ6W34.jpg?smart=true&auth=649d0f61c249941098cfc6b8095166d7032d4d26961d6a9045616950874c872e&width=274&height=154" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/IDNYNC2IHPP6C2IPO6GNSQ6W34.jpg?smart=true&auth=649d0f61c249941098cfc6b8095166d7032d4d26961d6a9045616950874c872e&width=200&height=112 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/IDNYNC2IHPP6C2IPO6GNSQ6W34.jpg?smart=true&auth=649d0f61c249941098cfc6b8095166d7032d4d26961d6a9045616950874c872e&width=400&height=224 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/IDNYNC2IHPP6C2IPO6GNSQ6W34.jpg?smart=true&auth=649d0f61c249941098cfc6b8095166d7032d4d26961d6a9045616950874c872e&width=600&height=337 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/IDNYNC2IHPP6C2IPO6GNSQ6W34.jpg?smart=true&auth=649d0f61c249941098cfc6b8095166d7032d4d26961d6a9045616950874c872e&width=800&height=449 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/IDNYNC2IHPP6C2IPO6GNSQ6W34.jpg?smart=true&auth=649d0f61c249941098cfc6b8095166d7032d4d26961d6a9045616950874c872e&width=1200&height=674 1200w" sizes="30vw" width="274" height="154"/></a></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/26/the-irish-times-view-on-the-uks-public-finances-labours-painful-cuts/">The UK government is forced into cuts to keep its public finances on track</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/26/the-irish-times-view-on-the-uks-public-finances-labours-painful-cuts/">A downgrade in growth forecasts forced welfare and departmental cutbacks and the outlook is still difficult</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><time class="c-it-promo-date" dateTime="2025-03-26T21:10:00Z">Wed Mar 26 2025 - 21:10</time></div></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card b-flex-promo-card__right-left c-it-border__bottom c-it-border--mobile c-it-border--tablet c-it-border--desktop"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/25/the-irish-times-view-on-the-dail-row-am-embarrassing-spectacle/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img fetchpriority="low" data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The row over speaking rights in the Dáil was an embarrassing spectacle" class="c-image b-flex-promo-card__mobile-image-3-2 b-flex-promo-card__desktop-image-16-9" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/R35YKMURZ6242ULEED7NZ4ENHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=425dfa5a261ddb09c1690eaf614c661e86eb9114effdc5dd57cbeb3aa5120dae&width=274&height=154" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/R35YKMURZ6242ULEED7NZ4ENHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=425dfa5a261ddb09c1690eaf614c661e86eb9114effdc5dd57cbeb3aa5120dae&width=200&height=112 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/R35YKMURZ6242ULEED7NZ4ENHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=425dfa5a261ddb09c1690eaf614c661e86eb9114effdc5dd57cbeb3aa5120dae&width=400&height=224 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/R35YKMURZ6242ULEED7NZ4ENHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=425dfa5a261ddb09c1690eaf614c661e86eb9114effdc5dd57cbeb3aa5120dae&width=600&height=337 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/R35YKMURZ6242ULEED7NZ4ENHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=425dfa5a261ddb09c1690eaf614c661e86eb9114effdc5dd57cbeb3aa5120dae&width=800&height=449 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/R35YKMURZ6242ULEED7NZ4ENHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=425dfa5a261ddb09c1690eaf614c661e86eb9114effdc5dd57cbeb3aa5120dae&width=1200&height=674 1200w" sizes="30vw" width="274" height="154"/></a></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/25/the-irish-times-view-on-the-dail-row-am-embarrassing-spectacle/">The row over speaking rights in the Dáil was an embarrassing spectacle</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/25/the-irish-times-view-on-the-dail-row-am-embarrassing-spectacle/">Tuesday’s chaotic scenes and the behaviour of some deputies does not bode well for the efficient operation of this Dáil</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><time class="c-it-promo-date" dateTime="2025-03-25T21:20:00Z">Tue Mar 25 2025 - 21:20</time></div></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card b-flex-promo-card__right-left c-it-border__bottom c-it-border--desktop"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/25/headline-the-irish-times-view-on-the-us-governments-signal-leak-inviting-ridicule/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img fetchpriority="low" data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Startling story of Signal leak revives accusations of Trump administration's incompetence" class="c-image b-flex-promo-card__mobile-image-3-2 b-flex-promo-card__desktop-image-16-9" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EFDPYGECQJY7RNQO3KWN3ON2GU.jpg?smart=true&auth=ac9fa81dee7b48e6268c0aa3147a180e921c79da7761c2f2512ac5dde31290cb&width=274&height=154" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EFDPYGECQJY7RNQO3KWN3ON2GU.jpg?smart=true&auth=ac9fa81dee7b48e6268c0aa3147a180e921c79da7761c2f2512ac5dde31290cb&width=200&height=112 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EFDPYGECQJY7RNQO3KWN3ON2GU.jpg?smart=true&auth=ac9fa81dee7b48e6268c0aa3147a180e921c79da7761c2f2512ac5dde31290cb&width=400&height=224 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EFDPYGECQJY7RNQO3KWN3ON2GU.jpg?smart=true&auth=ac9fa81dee7b48e6268c0aa3147a180e921c79da7761c2f2512ac5dde31290cb&width=600&height=337 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EFDPYGECQJY7RNQO3KWN3ON2GU.jpg?smart=true&auth=ac9fa81dee7b48e6268c0aa3147a180e921c79da7761c2f2512ac5dde31290cb&width=800&height=449 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EFDPYGECQJY7RNQO3KWN3ON2GU.jpg?smart=true&auth=ac9fa81dee7b48e6268c0aa3147a180e921c79da7761c2f2512ac5dde31290cb&width=1200&height=674 1200w" sizes="30vw" width="274" height="154"/></a></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/25/headline-the-irish-times-view-on-the-us-governments-signal-leak-inviting-ridicule/">Startling story of Signal leak revives accusations of Trump administration's incompetence</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/25/headline-the-irish-times-view-on-the-us-governments-signal-leak-inviting-ridicule/">The actions may have been in breach of laws, which forbid government employees from using personal channels when conducting official business</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><time class="c-it-promo-date" dateTime="2025-03-25T20:30:00Z">Tue Mar 25 2025 - 20:30</time></div></div></div></article></div><div class="b-newsletter-block "><div class="c-stack b-newsletter-block__horizontal" data-style-direction="inherit" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="image-wrapper_side right"><div style="aspect-ratio:84 / 84;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="News Digests" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Fsandbox.irishtimes%2F2RXL6SYZVZCZFBDMDTNTNY33HA.png?auth=15f787193c09efa80935ca6d4dfb7f7754960702da17e8fa81b2323bc950c14b&width=84&height=84" 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href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/24/the-irish-times-view-on-the-national-planning-framework-imertia-is-inexcusable/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img fetchpriority="low" data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Govrnment inertia on property crisis is inexcusable" class="c-image b-flex-promo-card__mobile-image-3-2 b-flex-promo-card__desktop-image-16-9" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FPJHSVAENYZVWR6LCFRKLZKZM4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff66a62358c4f79c58e93353030d34e761700978ec9eb223291bcd45696ba2fa&width=274&height=154" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FPJHSVAENYZVWR6LCFRKLZKZM4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff66a62358c4f79c58e93353030d34e761700978ec9eb223291bcd45696ba2fa&width=200&height=112 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FPJHSVAENYZVWR6LCFRKLZKZM4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff66a62358c4f79c58e93353030d34e761700978ec9eb223291bcd45696ba2fa&width=400&height=224 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FPJHSVAENYZVWR6LCFRKLZKZM4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff66a62358c4f79c58e93353030d34e761700978ec9eb223291bcd45696ba2fa&width=600&height=337 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FPJHSVAENYZVWR6LCFRKLZKZM4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff66a62358c4f79c58e93353030d34e761700978ec9eb223291bcd45696ba2fa&width=800&height=449 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FPJHSVAENYZVWR6LCFRKLZKZM4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff66a62358c4f79c58e93353030d34e761700978ec9eb223291bcd45696ba2fa&width=1200&height=674 1200w" sizes="30vw" width="274" height="154"/></a></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/24/the-irish-times-view-on-the-national-planning-framework-imertia-is-inexcusable/">Govrnment inertia on property crisis is inexcusable</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/24/the-irish-times-view-on-the-national-planning-framework-imertia-is-inexcusable/">This Government is staring at the vista of its own abject failure to deliver on its single biggest promise</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><time class="c-it-promo-date" dateTime="2025-03-24T20:30:00Z">Mon Mar 24 2025 - 20:30</time></div></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card b-flex-promo-card__right-left c-it-border__bottom c-it-border--mobile c-it-border--tablet c-it-border--desktop"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/24/the-irish-times-view-on-the-funding-of-the-energy-transition-europe-needs-to-step-up/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img fetchpriority="low" data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Europe needs to step up to fund the energy transition" class="c-image b-flex-promo-card__mobile-image-3-2 b-flex-promo-card__desktop-image-16-9" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/7YPFU3GO4ZHWLJFHITCVIK52QU.png?smart=true&auth=05893e8ce607a4f9624be94b022ea7152a1407352ac35af7418a9edf0f5065d1&width=274&height=154" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/7YPFU3GO4ZHWLJFHITCVIK52QU.png?smart=true&auth=05893e8ce607a4f9624be94b022ea7152a1407352ac35af7418a9edf0f5065d1&width=200&height=112 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/7YPFU3GO4ZHWLJFHITCVIK52QU.png?smart=true&auth=05893e8ce607a4f9624be94b022ea7152a1407352ac35af7418a9edf0f5065d1&width=400&height=224 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/7YPFU3GO4ZHWLJFHITCVIK52QU.png?smart=true&auth=05893e8ce607a4f9624be94b022ea7152a1407352ac35af7418a9edf0f5065d1&width=600&height=337 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/7YPFU3GO4ZHWLJFHITCVIK52QU.png?smart=true&auth=05893e8ce607a4f9624be94b022ea7152a1407352ac35af7418a9edf0f5065d1&width=800&height=449 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/7YPFU3GO4ZHWLJFHITCVIK52QU.png?smart=true&auth=05893e8ce607a4f9624be94b022ea7152a1407352ac35af7418a9edf0f5065d1&width=1200&height=674 1200w" sizes="30vw" width="274" height="154"/></a></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/24/the-irish-times-view-on-the-funding-of-the-energy-transition-europe-needs-to-step-up/">Europe needs to step up to fund the energy transition</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/24/the-irish-times-view-on-the-funding-of-the-energy-transition-europe-needs-to-step-up/">If Ireland is to fulfil its wind energy potential, it will need billions in investment and that will be a difficult ask in the current environment</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><time class="c-it-promo-date" dateTime="2025-03-24T20:10:00Z">Mon Mar 24 2025 - 20:10</time></div></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card b-flex-promo-card__right-left c-it-border__bottom c-it-border--mobile c-it-border--tablet c-it-border--desktop"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/23/the-irish-times-view-on-the-threat-of-trumps-tariffs-ireland-prepares-for-the-unknown/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img fetchpriority="low" data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Ireland prepares for the unknown from Trump's tariffs" class="c-image b-flex-promo-card__mobile-image-3-2 b-flex-promo-card__desktop-image-16-9" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BF4K3XEZDGDRJ7MXP6C2AL6L4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=bf6021735f3895f2d827a0813a69ccfac660d875fef9c68138c9e041c4cf307d&width=274&height=154" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BF4K3XEZDGDRJ7MXP6C2AL6L4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=bf6021735f3895f2d827a0813a69ccfac660d875fef9c68138c9e041c4cf307d&width=200&height=112 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BF4K3XEZDGDRJ7MXP6C2AL6L4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=bf6021735f3895f2d827a0813a69ccfac660d875fef9c68138c9e041c4cf307d&width=400&height=224 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BF4K3XEZDGDRJ7MXP6C2AL6L4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=bf6021735f3895f2d827a0813a69ccfac660d875fef9c68138c9e041c4cf307d&width=600&height=337 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BF4K3XEZDGDRJ7MXP6C2AL6L4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=bf6021735f3895f2d827a0813a69ccfac660d875fef9c68138c9e041c4cf307d&width=800&height=449 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BF4K3XEZDGDRJ7MXP6C2AL6L4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=bf6021735f3895f2d827a0813a69ccfac660d875fef9c68138c9e041c4cf307d&width=1200&height=674 1200w" sizes="30vw" width="274" height="154"/></a></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/23/the-irish-times-view-on-the-threat-of-trumps-tariffs-ireland-prepares-for-the-unknown/">Ireland prepares for the unknown from Trump's tariffs</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/23/the-irish-times-view-on-the-threat-of-trumps-tariffs-ireland-prepares-for-the-unknown/">The US president has promised significant tariffs, but much remains unclear about what will happen</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><time class="c-it-promo-date" dateTime="2025-03-23T20:24:00Z">Sun Mar 23 2025 - 20:24</time></div></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card b-flex-promo-card__right-left c-it-border__bottom c-it-border--mobile c-it-border--tablet c-it-border--desktop"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/23/the-irish-times-view-on-the-crackdown-on-the-opposition-in-turkey-democrats-are-paying-a-price/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img fetchpriority="low" data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Democracy is under serious threat in Turkey" class="c-image b-flex-promo-card__mobile-image-3-2 b-flex-promo-card__desktop-image-16-9" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/Q6HXFAUABQOIBSJXQZWR6E3O7E.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ecd36c1c2301c7f91092678ce5486d6d986bcc12dac8753f3699617a4b6d761&width=274&height=154" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/Q6HXFAUABQOIBSJXQZWR6E3O7E.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ecd36c1c2301c7f91092678ce5486d6d986bcc12dac8753f3699617a4b6d761&width=200&height=112 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/Q6HXFAUABQOIBSJXQZWR6E3O7E.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ecd36c1c2301c7f91092678ce5486d6d986bcc12dac8753f3699617a4b6d761&width=400&height=224 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/Q6HXFAUABQOIBSJXQZWR6E3O7E.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ecd36c1c2301c7f91092678ce5486d6d986bcc12dac8753f3699617a4b6d761&width=600&height=337 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/Q6HXFAUABQOIBSJXQZWR6E3O7E.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ecd36c1c2301c7f91092678ce5486d6d986bcc12dac8753f3699617a4b6d761&width=800&height=449 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/Q6HXFAUABQOIBSJXQZWR6E3O7E.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ecd36c1c2301c7f91092678ce5486d6d986bcc12dac8753f3699617a4b6d761&width=1200&height=674 1200w" sizes="30vw" width="274" height="154"/></a></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/23/the-irish-times-view-on-the-crackdown-on-the-opposition-in-turkey-democrats-are-paying-a-price/">Democracy is under serious threat in Turkey</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/23/the-irish-times-view-on-the-crackdown-on-the-opposition-in-turkey-democrats-are-paying-a-price/">The arrest and charging of the main challenger to president Erdogan represents a new low</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><time class="c-it-promo-date" dateTime="2025-03-23T20:00:00Z">Sun Mar 23 2025 - 20:00</time></div></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card b-flex-promo-card__right-left c-it-border__bottom c-it-border--mobile c-it-border--tablet c-it-border--desktop"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/21/the-irish-times-view-on-the-eu-and-ukraine-europe-struggling-to-respond-at-speed/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img fetchpriority="low" data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The EU is struggling to respond at speed to the changing situation in Ukraine" class="c-image b-flex-promo-card__mobile-image-3-2 b-flex-promo-card__desktop-image-16-9" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6QQYGYO5JZ5Y4CCX6PV62NTYIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=d17c28d3ed27261af03baebc3e52a0d3b53bc70ea4650d3aba69be827f3a37c1&width=274&height=154" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6QQYGYO5JZ5Y4CCX6PV62NTYIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=d17c28d3ed27261af03baebc3e52a0d3b53bc70ea4650d3aba69be827f3a37c1&width=200&height=112 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6QQYGYO5JZ5Y4CCX6PV62NTYIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=d17c28d3ed27261af03baebc3e52a0d3b53bc70ea4650d3aba69be827f3a37c1&width=400&height=224 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6QQYGYO5JZ5Y4CCX6PV62NTYIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=d17c28d3ed27261af03baebc3e52a0d3b53bc70ea4650d3aba69be827f3a37c1&width=600&height=337 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6QQYGYO5JZ5Y4CCX6PV62NTYIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=d17c28d3ed27261af03baebc3e52a0d3b53bc70ea4650d3aba69be827f3a37c1&width=800&height=449 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6QQYGYO5JZ5Y4CCX6PV62NTYIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=d17c28d3ed27261af03baebc3e52a0d3b53bc70ea4650d3aba69be827f3a37c1&width=1200&height=674 1200w" sizes="30vw" width="274" height="154"/></a></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/21/the-irish-times-view-on-the-eu-and-ukraine-europe-struggling-to-respond-at-speed/">The EU is struggling to respond at speed to the changing situation in Ukraine</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/21/the-irish-times-view-on-the-eu-and-ukraine-europe-struggling-to-respond-at-speed/">With different views from leaders from northern and southern EU states, turning support in principle for Ukraine into a financial reality is not straightforward</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><time class="c-it-promo-date" dateTime="2025-03-21T20:30:00Z">Fri Mar 21 2025 - 20:30</time></div></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card b-flex-promo-card__right-left c-it-border__bottom c-it-border--desktop"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/21/the-irish-times-view-on-the-jfk-assassination-files-nothing-will-satisfy-the-conspiracy-theorists/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img fetchpriority="low" data-chromatic="ignore" alt="No matter what emerges from the JFK assassination files, conspracy theories will endure" class="c-image b-flex-promo-card__mobile-image-3-2 b-flex-promo-card__desktop-image-16-9" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/DZQV3WCMEJA4TELYGZ2H2GXHPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=797a3522863647df3f415753111269676c5130c61f25a867c073bfbf614a3685&width=274&height=154" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/DZQV3WCMEJA4TELYGZ2H2GXHPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=797a3522863647df3f415753111269676c5130c61f25a867c073bfbf614a3685&width=200&height=112 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/DZQV3WCMEJA4TELYGZ2H2GXHPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=797a3522863647df3f415753111269676c5130c61f25a867c073bfbf614a3685&width=400&height=224 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/DZQV3WCMEJA4TELYGZ2H2GXHPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=797a3522863647df3f415753111269676c5130c61f25a867c073bfbf614a3685&width=600&height=337 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/DZQV3WCMEJA4TELYGZ2H2GXHPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=797a3522863647df3f415753111269676c5130c61f25a867c073bfbf614a3685&width=800&height=449 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/DZQV3WCMEJA4TELYGZ2H2GXHPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=797a3522863647df3f415753111269676c5130c61f25a867c073bfbf614a3685&width=1200&height=674 1200w" sizes="30vw" width="274" height="154"/></a></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/21/the-irish-times-view-on-the-jfk-assassination-files-nothing-will-satisfy-the-conspiracy-theorists/">No matter what emerges from the JFK assassination files, conspracy theories will endure</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/21/the-irish-times-view-on-the-jfk-assassination-files-nothing-will-satisfy-the-conspiracy-theorists/">The events on that fateful day marked a loss of innocence and the beginning of a long collapse of public trust in institutions</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><time class="c-it-promo-date" dateTime="2025-03-21T20:00:00Z">Fri Mar 21 2025 - 20:00</time></div></div></div></article></div><div id="arcad-feature-f0fPptd6926V2XU-c874c621ea73f" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 kjbLvz arcad-feature" style="--mobile-display:block;--tablet-display:block;--desktop-display:block"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:fluidpx"><div id="arcad_f0fPptd6926V2XU-c874c621ea73f" class="arcad ad-fluid"></div></div></div><div id="fusion-static-enter:html-block-f0fGnelKcCqD3at" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fGnelKcCqD3at"></div><div><hr class></div><div id="fusion-static-exit:html-block-f0fGnelKcCqD3at" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fGnelKcCqD3at"></div><div class="c-stack b-results-list__wrapper" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-dereliction-levies-why-are-councils-failing-to-act/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt=" The Irish Times view on dereliction levies: why are councils failing to act?" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/D5Y6XU7H6RCP3ILXNFKEFYPQGI.jpg?smart=true&auth=f098e62b9977ba917243d37bbc7cce447da8eea852400b1af247773c68e994e6&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/D5Y6XU7H6RCP3ILXNFKEFYPQGI.jpg?smart=true&auth=f098e62b9977ba917243d37bbc7cce447da8eea852400b1af247773c68e994e6&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/D5Y6XU7H6RCP3ILXNFKEFYPQGI.jpg?smart=true&auth=f098e62b9977ba917243d37bbc7cce447da8eea852400b1af247773c68e994e6&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-dereliction-levies-why-are-councils-failing-to-act/"> The Irish Times view on dereliction levies: why are councils failing to act?</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-dereliction-levies-why-are-councils-failing-to-act/"><p class="c-paragraph">The chasm between rhetorical commitments and the grim and apparently unchanging reality is dispiriting</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-20T20:30:00Z">Thu Mar 20 2025 - 20:30</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-english-language-skills-changing-the-way-it-is-taught/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on English language skills: changing the way it is taught" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ZIXG74ROIJMMHEOROAYOG4SN64.jpg?smart=true&auth=ac0103d89b1da242b6c7f2d83bcab6c5f1b523266d9a83535cf1a36ccf2d340a&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ZIXG74ROIJMMHEOROAYOG4SN64.jpg?smart=true&auth=ac0103d89b1da242b6c7f2d83bcab6c5f1b523266d9a83535cf1a36ccf2d340a&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ZIXG74ROIJMMHEOROAYOG4SN64.jpg?smart=true&auth=ac0103d89b1da242b6c7f2d83bcab6c5f1b523266d9a83535cf1a36ccf2d340a&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-english-language-skills-changing-the-way-it-is-taught/">The Irish Times view on English language skills: changing the way it is taught</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-english-language-skills-changing-the-way-it-is-taught/"><p class="c-paragraph">A proposal for an oral assessment in the Leaving Cert English exam is a necessary step towards a better system</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-20T20:10:00Z">Thu Mar 20 2025 - 20:10</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/19/the-irish-times-view-on-the-partial-ceasefire-in-ukraine-a-deal-in-name-only/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on the partial ceasefire in Ukraine: a deal in name only" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/VFDIZPT3SMOIAFLPM2UTGTTORY.jpg?smart=true&auth=baca00928f730b4f9d445c7b6521b1300be063d79507794b449cea702e78703e&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/VFDIZPT3SMOIAFLPM2UTGTTORY.jpg?smart=true&auth=baca00928f730b4f9d445c7b6521b1300be063d79507794b449cea702e78703e&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/VFDIZPT3SMOIAFLPM2UTGTTORY.jpg?smart=true&auth=baca00928f730b4f9d445c7b6521b1300be063d79507794b449cea702e78703e&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/19/the-irish-times-view-on-the-partial-ceasefire-in-ukraine-a-deal-in-name-only/">The Irish Times view on the partial ceasefire in Ukraine: a deal in name only</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/19/the-irish-times-view-on-the-partial-ceasefire-in-ukraine-a-deal-in-name-only/"><p class="c-paragraph">Trump’s diplomacy, by failing to address the root causes of conflict, may just set the scene for a return to all-out war</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-19T20:46:00Z">Wed Mar 19 2025 - 20:46</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/19/the-irish-times-view-on-amazonie-good-news-for-some/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on Amazon.ie: good news for some" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FI4CF5BVUNHHVK6CJ54XIEWP7A.JPG?smart=true&auth=71b97552bf4986fb7e4f8adedf44d0b09f26c10390a90bc4b34c10ef34f7268a&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FI4CF5BVUNHHVK6CJ54XIEWP7A.JPG?smart=true&auth=71b97552bf4986fb7e4f8adedf44d0b09f26c10390a90bc4b34c10ef34f7268a&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FI4CF5BVUNHHVK6CJ54XIEWP7A.JPG?smart=true&auth=71b97552bf4986fb7e4f8adedf44d0b09f26c10390a90bc4b34c10ef34f7268a&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/19/the-irish-times-view-on-amazonie-good-news-for-some/">The Irish Times view on Amazon.ie: good news for some</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/19/the-irish-times-view-on-amazonie-good-news-for-some/"><p class="c-paragraph">The Government has its reasons to welcome the move, as do consumers, though it brings new dangers to many small retailers</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-19T20:15:00Z">Wed Mar 19 2025 - 20:15</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/18/the-irish-times-view-on-ireland-and-big-pharma-state-faces-risks-from-overreliance/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on Ireland and big pharma: State faces risks from overreliance " class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/64QY2GAM7ZHLHMIV4ORF2SEO4M.jpg?smart=true&auth=629a0b47c9a712a0d7db83b4eb097fd12c58db9e5c427f6af5422c5799cd5f95&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/64QY2GAM7ZHLHMIV4ORF2SEO4M.jpg?smart=true&auth=629a0b47c9a712a0d7db83b4eb097fd12c58db9e5c427f6af5422c5799cd5f95&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/64QY2GAM7ZHLHMIV4ORF2SEO4M.jpg?smart=true&auth=629a0b47c9a712a0d7db83b4eb097fd12c58db9e5c427f6af5422c5799cd5f95&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/18/the-irish-times-view-on-ireland-and-big-pharma-state-faces-risks-from-overreliance/">The Irish Times view on Ireland and big pharma: State faces risks from overreliance </a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/18/the-irish-times-view-on-ireland-and-big-pharma-state-faces-risks-from-overreliance/"><p class="c-paragraph">Major players have tried to use the importance of the sector to jobs and tax here to get Irish support at EU level</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-18T20:40:00Z">Tue Mar 18 2025 - 20:40</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/18/the-irish-times-view-on-the-trump-backlash-how-not-to-make-friends-or-influence-people/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt=" The Irish Times view on the Trump backlash: how not to make friends or influence people" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4ST34LT2T5EOHITFQ4VV5OKQEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=3bff750ba4c9a249e09bd3462e976177fb318feb01d605950fbd6dfacc01adff&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4ST34LT2T5EOHITFQ4VV5OKQEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=3bff750ba4c9a249e09bd3462e976177fb318feb01d605950fbd6dfacc01adff&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4ST34LT2T5EOHITFQ4VV5OKQEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=3bff750ba4c9a249e09bd3462e976177fb318feb01d605950fbd6dfacc01adff&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/18/the-irish-times-view-on-the-trump-backlash-how-not-to-make-friends-or-influence-people/"> The Irish Times view on the Trump backlash: how not to make friends or influence people</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/18/the-irish-times-view-on-the-trump-backlash-how-not-to-make-friends-or-influence-people/"><p class="c-paragraph">Who would have guessed contempt for allies and crude attempts to interfere in their domestic politics would elicit such a negative response?</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-18T20:00:00Z">Tue Mar 18 2025 - 20:00</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/17/the-irish-times-view-on-consumer-protection-in-ireland-more-realistic-penalties-needed/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on consumer protection in Ireland : more realistic penalties needed" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/CNU6B45BI5CJLD6UDOBGZM7G4I.JPG?smart=true&auth=c1790a22ce22263bb8538479a05532c2558c83907b6127dd398c4ff1dfb57e4b&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/CNU6B45BI5CJLD6UDOBGZM7G4I.JPG?smart=true&auth=c1790a22ce22263bb8538479a05532c2558c83907b6127dd398c4ff1dfb57e4b&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/CNU6B45BI5CJLD6UDOBGZM7G4I.JPG?smart=true&auth=c1790a22ce22263bb8538479a05532c2558c83907b6127dd398c4ff1dfb57e4b&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/17/the-irish-times-view-on-consumer-protection-in-ireland-more-realistic-penalties-needed/">The Irish Times view on consumer protection in Ireland : more realistic penalties needed</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/17/the-irish-times-view-on-consumer-protection-in-ireland-more-realistic-penalties-needed/"><p class="c-paragraph">There is little incentive for retailers to follow the rules, while the limit on cases which can be brought to the Small Claims Court reduces its usefulness for consumers</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-17T20:45:00Z">Mon Mar 17 2025 - 20:45</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/17/the-irish-times-view-on-the-kurds-turning-points-in-turkey-and-syria/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on the Kurds: turning points in Turkey and Syria" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PLFR7Q6L7JDTVY6TKUSMGG7KPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=7e63c77ff9334b327e69723a7aa7f475ee4a8f2eb65980be462b68a83c020c2a&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PLFR7Q6L7JDTVY6TKUSMGG7KPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=7e63c77ff9334b327e69723a7aa7f475ee4a8f2eb65980be462b68a83c020c2a&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PLFR7Q6L7JDTVY6TKUSMGG7KPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=7e63c77ff9334b327e69723a7aa7f475ee4a8f2eb65980be462b68a83c020c2a&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/17/the-irish-times-view-on-the-kurds-turning-points-in-turkey-and-syria/">The Irish Times view on the Kurds: turning points in Turkey and Syria</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/17/the-irish-times-view-on-the-kurds-turning-points-in-turkey-and-syria/"><p class="c-paragraph">Negotiations with Erdogan in Turkey and the new Syrian regime raise hopes for an end to fighting</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-17T20:23:00Z">Mon Mar 17 2025 - 20:23</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/16/the-irish-times-view-on-st-patricks-day-celebrating-a-story-still-relevant-today/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on St Patrick’s Day: celebrating a story still relevant today" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6WQLWGPZPPAIRWRGGYQKZGDEOA.jpg?smart=true&auth=4b9deb13905fd869a3ff996c7ccd83d035e69b24a68790f02c194043c7b70e8c&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6WQLWGPZPPAIRWRGGYQKZGDEOA.jpg?smart=true&auth=4b9deb13905fd869a3ff996c7ccd83d035e69b24a68790f02c194043c7b70e8c&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6WQLWGPZPPAIRWRGGYQKZGDEOA.jpg?smart=true&auth=4b9deb13905fd869a3ff996c7ccd83d035e69b24a68790f02c194043c7b70e8c&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/16/the-irish-times-view-on-st-patricks-day-celebrating-a-story-still-relevant-today/">The Irish Times view on St Patrick’s Day: celebrating a story still relevant today</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/16/the-irish-times-view-on-st-patricks-day-celebrating-a-story-still-relevant-today/"><p class="c-paragraph">Given international turbulence, the unique diplomatic opportunities offered by the national day have taken on added significance</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-16T20:35:00Z">Sun Mar 16 2025 - 20:35</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/16/the-irish-times-view-of-events-in-gaza-despite-the-ceasefire-civilians-are-still-suffering/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view of events in Gaza: despite the ceasefire, civilians are still suffering" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MKN4A6AO3VAMW52BLSHYFFHTFA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6014853173da303cc11b707c07b9beb87bbda082cc72286a353ad143e78fe927&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MKN4A6AO3VAMW52BLSHYFFHTFA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6014853173da303cc11b707c07b9beb87bbda082cc72286a353ad143e78fe927&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MKN4A6AO3VAMW52BLSHYFFHTFA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6014853173da303cc11b707c07b9beb87bbda082cc72286a353ad143e78fe927&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/16/the-irish-times-view-of-events-in-gaza-despite-the-ceasefire-civilians-are-still-suffering/">The Irish Times view of events in Gaza: despite the ceasefire, civilians are still suffering</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/16/the-irish-times-view-of-events-in-gaza-despite-the-ceasefire-civilians-are-still-suffering/"><p class="c-paragraph">Israel’s blockage of aid deliveries is punishing the civilian population</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-16T20:15:00Z">Sun Mar 16 2025 - 20:15</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/15/the-irish-times-view-on-irelands-top-100-irish-fiction-titles-reflecting-a-rich-heritage/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on Ireland’s top 100 Irish fiction titles: renewing the canon" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/HUUG6JZSO7VGSJ64WJ7N7AXZ4U.jpg?smart=true&auth=81cea9fb92106f52e193542578b2ce45c711cb33c430ce7718fd4906b640c044&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/HUUG6JZSO7VGSJ64WJ7N7AXZ4U.jpg?smart=true&auth=81cea9fb92106f52e193542578b2ce45c711cb33c430ce7718fd4906b640c044&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/HUUG6JZSO7VGSJ64WJ7N7AXZ4U.jpg?smart=true&auth=81cea9fb92106f52e193542578b2ce45c711cb33c430ce7718fd4906b640c044&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/15/the-irish-times-view-on-irelands-top-100-irish-fiction-titles-reflecting-a-rich-heritage/">The Irish Times view on Ireland’s top 100 Irish fiction titles: renewing the canon</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/15/the-irish-times-view-on-irelands-top-100-irish-fiction-titles-reflecting-a-rich-heritage/"><p class="c-paragraph">What many of the titles have in common, apart from their excellence, is an eloquent evocation of place</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-15T06:12:00Z">Sat Mar 15 2025 - 06:12</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/14/the-irish-times-view-on-the-fall-out-from-the-oval-office-visit-ireland-remains-in-a-tight-corner/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on the fall-out from the Oval Office visit: Ireland remains in a tight corner " class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/D6BPG3WKSYLF6RMIBXVMJKW7JI.jpg?smart=true&auth=91fca36e74b88209f2f05486d59b076581b32ad93f60f7d8ca64993dcb4d5cb6&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/D6BPG3WKSYLF6RMIBXVMJKW7JI.jpg?smart=true&auth=91fca36e74b88209f2f05486d59b076581b32ad93f60f7d8ca64993dcb4d5cb6&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/D6BPG3WKSYLF6RMIBXVMJKW7JI.jpg?smart=true&auth=91fca36e74b88209f2f05486d59b076581b32ad93f60f7d8ca64993dcb4d5cb6&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/14/the-irish-times-view-on-the-fall-out-from-the-oval-office-visit-ireland-remains-in-a-tight-corner/">The Irish Times view on the fall-out from the Oval Office visit: Ireland remains in a tight corner </a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/14/the-irish-times-view-on-the-fall-out-from-the-oval-office-visit-ireland-remains-in-a-tight-corner/"><p class="c-paragraph">Ireland it not well positioned to try to stop the outbreak of a full-scale trade war between the EU and the US</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-14T20:30:00Z">Fri Mar 14 2025 - 20:30</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/13/the-irish-times-view-on-autism-and-education-state-is-still-playing-catch-up/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on autism and education: State is still playing catch up" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/CZY5KI6WR4TX72BCO2OJNZQTEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=a398754dc6ac68dead463023013e27b1e923d5201698539838cc21f71c27990c&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/CZY5KI6WR4TX72BCO2OJNZQTEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=a398754dc6ac68dead463023013e27b1e923d5201698539838cc21f71c27990c&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/CZY5KI6WR4TX72BCO2OJNZQTEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=a398754dc6ac68dead463023013e27b1e923d5201698539838cc21f71c27990c&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/13/the-irish-times-view-on-autism-and-education-state-is-still-playing-catch-up/">The Irish Times view on autism and education: State is still playing catch up</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/13/the-irish-times-view-on-autism-and-education-state-is-still-playing-catch-up/"><p class="c-paragraph">These have been welcome steps in the right direction, but they are nowhere near enough</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-13T20:40:00Z">Thu Mar 13 2025 - 20:40</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/13/the-irish-times-view-on-the-latest-inflation-figures-future-supports-for-households-must-be-focused/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on the latest inflation figures: future supports for households must be focused" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ELAFEUMTYRCCGY6ZRVCHHIG2HU.jpg?smart=true&auth=51247a5f70601f0144ea5726d7b25ba4e7992011346d86644e33dc3aa9aa357d&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ELAFEUMTYRCCGY6ZRVCHHIG2HU.jpg?smart=true&auth=51247a5f70601f0144ea5726d7b25ba4e7992011346d86644e33dc3aa9aa357d&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ELAFEUMTYRCCGY6ZRVCHHIG2HU.jpg?smart=true&auth=51247a5f70601f0144ea5726d7b25ba4e7992011346d86644e33dc3aa9aa357d&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/13/the-irish-times-view-on-the-latest-inflation-figures-future-supports-for-households-must-be-focused/">The Irish Times view on the latest inflation figures: future supports for households must be focused</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/13/the-irish-times-view-on-the-latest-inflation-figures-future-supports-for-households-must-be-focused/"><p class="c-paragraph">The State cannot compensate the entire population for prices which remain high - it must concentrate on those who need help</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-13T20:15:00Z">Thu Mar 13 2025 - 20:15</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-white-house-visit-martin-survives-chaotic-encounter/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on the White House visit: Martin survives chaotic encounter" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/NJBTGTPU4PROAK7SIRTIKVNTYU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f7b9e79816d66e4f40217d30760e335f32d80164c2a5a7e969f338c8c01762df&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/NJBTGTPU4PROAK7SIRTIKVNTYU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f7b9e79816d66e4f40217d30760e335f32d80164c2a5a7e969f338c8c01762df&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/NJBTGTPU4PROAK7SIRTIKVNTYU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f7b9e79816d66e4f40217d30760e335f32d80164c2a5a7e969f338c8c01762df&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-white-house-visit-martin-survives-chaotic-encounter/">The Irish Times view on the White House visit: Martin survives chaotic encounter</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-white-house-visit-martin-survives-chaotic-encounter/"><p class="c-paragraph">Micheál Martin handled the meeting about as well as he could have, though there were still clear signs of trouble ahead</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-12T20:35:00Z">Wed Mar 12 2025 - 20:35</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-ukraine-peace-talks-waiting-for-moscows-reply/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on the Ukraine peace talks: waiting for Moscow’s reply" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/KIUOINUGCIG6R55CJ3CYJDRGDA.jpg?smart=true&auth=699ca8d68c66475fd4a5ad83f27dfd4972440575cbd32d433ce804a8a72a3225&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/KIUOINUGCIG6R55CJ3CYJDRGDA.jpg?smart=true&auth=699ca8d68c66475fd4a5ad83f27dfd4972440575cbd32d433ce804a8a72a3225&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/KIUOINUGCIG6R55CJ3CYJDRGDA.jpg?smart=true&auth=699ca8d68c66475fd4a5ad83f27dfd4972440575cbd32d433ce804a8a72a3225&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-ukraine-peace-talks-waiting-for-moscows-reply/">The Irish Times view on the Ukraine peace talks: waiting for Moscow’s reply</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-ukraine-peace-talks-waiting-for-moscows-reply/"><p class="c-paragraph">A ceasefire would be a welcome first step, though the critical ingredients of a lasting peace deal remain to be addressed</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-12T20:00:00Z">Wed Mar 12 2025 - 20:00</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-covid-19-anniversary-five-years-on-it-is-time-for-an-inquiry/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on the Covid-19 anniversary: five years on, it is time for an inquiry" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/JTOEDXHNKALL6HRNFEPWXUPJIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=fb924745065b85b298db30f3f2d785122e16e91a673d3045e6b01cbdd8472c82&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/JTOEDXHNKALL6HRNFEPWXUPJIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=fb924745065b85b298db30f3f2d785122e16e91a673d3045e6b01cbdd8472c82&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/JTOEDXHNKALL6HRNFEPWXUPJIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=fb924745065b85b298db30f3f2d785122e16e91a673d3045e6b01cbdd8472c82&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-covid-19-anniversary-five-years-on-it-is-time-for-an-inquiry/">The Irish Times view on the Covid-19 anniversary: five years on, it is time for an inquiry</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-covid-19-anniversary-five-years-on-it-is-time-for-an-inquiry/"><p class="c-paragraph">There is much to reflect on in the handling of the pandemic and a robust process is needed to ensure the correct lessons are learned</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-12T12:05:00Z">Wed Mar 12 2025 - 12:05</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/11/the-irish-times-view-on-politics-in-romania-a-disputed-far-right-candidacy/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on politics in Romania: a disputed far-right candidacy" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MJT3T62MRS7IKHHOSOSJ2TJNQY.jpg?smart=true&auth=04cb21dfe52fc1524d1b0a911baab0bb3bcb8b9df6b729fd157a8b15ec41bbfb&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MJT3T62MRS7IKHHOSOSJ2TJNQY.jpg?smart=true&auth=04cb21dfe52fc1524d1b0a911baab0bb3bcb8b9df6b729fd157a8b15ec41bbfb&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MJT3T62MRS7IKHHOSOSJ2TJNQY.jpg?smart=true&auth=04cb21dfe52fc1524d1b0a911baab0bb3bcb8b9df6b729fd157a8b15ec41bbfb&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/11/the-irish-times-view-on-politics-in-romania-a-disputed-far-right-candidacy/">The Irish Times view on politics in Romania: a disputed far-right candidacy</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/11/the-irish-times-view-on-politics-in-romania-a-disputed-far-right-candidacy/"><p class="c-paragraph">Calin Georgescu has been banned from standing in May’s presidential election and it is now up to the constitutional court to decide whether he can</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-11T20:20:00Z">Tue Mar 11 2025 - 20:20</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/10/the-irish-times-view-on-the-rising-cost-of-metrolink-the-unacceptable-price-of-delay/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on the rising cost of Metrolink: the unacceptable price of delay" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FFTA43G4MJCBXG4BGCZ3ZMFS3I.png?smart=true&auth=d6928e5ad7960a9fe06d8535a953f7357089f16c5546ba517b4e081343a30fe8&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FFTA43G4MJCBXG4BGCZ3ZMFS3I.png?smart=true&auth=d6928e5ad7960a9fe06d8535a953f7357089f16c5546ba517b4e081343a30fe8&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FFTA43G4MJCBXG4BGCZ3ZMFS3I.png?smart=true&auth=d6928e5ad7960a9fe06d8535a953f7357089f16c5546ba517b4e081343a30fe8&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/10/the-irish-times-view-on-the-rising-cost-of-metrolink-the-unacceptable-price-of-delay/">The Irish Times view on the rising cost of Metrolink: the unacceptable price of delay</a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/10/the-irish-times-view-on-the-rising-cost-of-metrolink-the-unacceptable-price-of-delay/"><p class="c-paragraph">We have been looking at the illustrations of what a metro for Dublin might look like for many years, but have still to see a shovel in the ground</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-10T20:45:00Z">Mon Mar 10 2025 - 20:45</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/10/the-irish-times-view-on-the-new-canadian-prime-minister-facing-a-battle-with-the-white-house/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Irish Times view on the new Canadian prime minister: facing a battle with the White House " class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FWXFAZLB5WGKJC3WXBTSROO2L4.jpg?smart=true&auth=3a0135b7140341e9b11ee6cf973cc2a9913cf9ef328c42354ba2d340432a06a4&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FWXFAZLB5WGKJC3WXBTSROO2L4.jpg?smart=true&auth=3a0135b7140341e9b11ee6cf973cc2a9913cf9ef328c42354ba2d340432a06a4&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FWXFAZLB5WGKJC3WXBTSROO2L4.jpg?smart=true&auth=3a0135b7140341e9b11ee6cf973cc2a9913cf9ef328c42354ba2d340432a06a4&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h2 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/10/the-irish-times-view-on-the-new-canadian-prime-minister-facing-a-battle-with-the-white-house/">The Irish Times view on the new Canadian prime minister: facing a battle with the White House </a></h2><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials/2025/03/10/the-irish-times-view-on-the-new-canadian-prime-minister-facing-a-battle-with-the-white-house/"><p class="c-paragraph">Mark Carney is seen by Canadians as the leader most trusted to stand up to Donald Trump</p></a><div class="c-attribution"><time class="c-date" dateTime="2025-03-10T20:15:00Z">Mon Mar 10 2025 - 20:15</time></div></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="c-stack b-results-list__seeMore" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><button aria-label="See more stories about this topic" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--primary" type="button"><span>See more</span></button></div></div></div><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-interior-item-2" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"></div></div><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-right-rail b-it-right-rail-advanced__empty" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-right-rail-top" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" 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The nominal cause is the question of speaking rights for TDs from the Regional Independents group. But events this week confirm that more is at stake for both Government and Opposition.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IHOYNOSROJCQXNYJKJUOULBLM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1743011209480},"content":"Tuesday’s chaotic scenes in the chamber, when the new speaking arrangements were forced through in the teeth of Opposition fury, did nothing to reassure the public that the political system is functioning well. Matters escalated further today with confirmation of a motion of no confidence in Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SEBV2UMZRFBH5K7WUXO4PMVUNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1743011209481},"content":"Responsibility for this sorry state of affairs lies squarely at the door of Taoiseach Micheál Martin and his Government colleagues. Whether because of hubris or insufficient political nous, they failed to recognise that the speaking arrangement, and the central part played by controversial Tipperary North TD Michael Lowry, would smack too obviously of old-fashioned stroke politics. In their eagerness to copperfasten an impregnable majority, they unwittingly set a booby trap for themselves.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ITY7N6LAZFAENHPVGZM63BWXJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1743011209482},"content":"The circumstances of Murphy’s election as Ceann Comhairle leave her vulnerable to attack. It is clear that support for her candidacy from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael was part of the pact agreed with Lowry. That places her in the invidious position of being part of exactly the same “grubby deal” that led to the speaking rights fiasco. While some criticism of her performance in the role so far has been tinged with sexism, it is also true that her background as an abrasive politician whose views in the past have drawn widespread condemnation meant she was an unusual fit for the job.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O3VZM7NMSNEQZBC2DHQVAPXJKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1743011209483},"content":"She has already defended her performance and made it clear that she has no intention of stepping down.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LY4ORWEOL5AYJLARYOPYYYT6YU","additional_properties":{"_id":1743011209484},"content":"There is no precedent for a vote of no confidence in a ceann comhairle. John O’Donoghue resigned in 2009 following criticism of excessive expenses claims. O’Donoghue made that decision after Labour leader Eamon Gilmore expressed no confidence in him. This time, with all leaders of the current Opposition ranged against her, the pressure on Murphy will be significant. But the decision is hers alone to make and the Government’s majority assures her of victory should she decide to remain.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TYMVUJOG3ZDJ7OW3CUBUD3Z6IE","additional_properties":{"_id":1743011209485},"content":"That, however, is not the full story. By tradition a ceann comhairle serves all members of the Dáil. A partisan divide in support for the office holder will deepen the fractious and sometimes personal antagonisms which have emerged between this Government and its opponents. That may be unavoidable. But it will be deeply regrettable if it impedes the tasks of governing and legislating.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"In their eagerness to copperfasten an impregnable majority, Government parties unwittingly set a booby trap for themselves"},"display_date":"2025-03-26T21:17:42.39Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on Verona Murphy: confidence ebbs in a house divided","native":"In a divided house, confidence ebbs in Verona Murphy"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FEPI7I6UPCNLAKQ74SYDOC7WNM","auth":{"1":"964e5fd47cbe3b1423ffdf13b8ac5df56b2231d8672a7e408b397a8dc1f41771"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FEPI7I6UPCNLAKQ74SYDOC7WNM.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/26/the-irish-times-view-on-verona-murphy-confidence-ebbs-in-a-house-divided/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"43S4BILXWVBEHB6GD5VXI6IK2A","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":134,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/1661f4d9-6514-48f1-a641-63a73a0206ce/versions/1743023530/media/b9088570a6c91a939ddc3f83637907d4_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/26/the-irish-times-view-on-the-uks-public-finances-labours-painful-cuts/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4FDV4QNTSZAGTJKHCIMSD5HLSI","additional_properties":{},"content":"A combination of strong political demand for substantially increased defence spending and sluggish growth meant that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/2025/03/26/uk-government-to-slash-spending-after-growth-forecast-halved/\" target=\"_blank\">UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ </a>room for manoeuvre in her Spring Statement, announced yesterday, was extremely limited. This is not a budget, but a legally required review of growth forecasts, which, as it was pointing downwards, inevitably meant a need to signal where savings will be made.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3CKDOTOCGZH3XGT5FLZ6EFLLEE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Reeves set out a sharp downgrade to UK growth this year, from 2 per cent to 1 per cent, according to forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility. This requires a package of £14 billion to repair the public finances involving cuts in welfare spending and also the budgets of government departments. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BPC3WEAOYZBB5F43WITM5JO7KE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Labour promised no return to austerity ahead of last year’s election, and has remained determinedly committed to not increasing income tax and keeping to its fiscal rules. So painful real cuts in “unprotected” departments like welfare, justice, the Home Office, transport, and local government were announced. The chancellor said that capital spending on investment projects, seen as key to future growth, would be protected.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4Z75YC2NMFER7BFQTFCAWL3TXY","additional_properties":{},"content":"More than 3 million people will lose out as a result of significant cuts to welfare. Politically most difficult, not least on Labour’s own backbenches, are the flagged savings in payments to the disabled, ostensibly under the guise of helping people back to work. The sugar-coating is unlikely to work. This is going to be tricky, not just for the worst affected departments, but for Labour’s reputation , coming off the back of cutting winter fuel allowance and cuts to the aid budget. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HZQSV2C3JJCCTIQ2KYMHJQ7MUU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Despite the cuts – and the restoration of so-called “headroom” in the budget numbers – the outlook for the UK public finances remains tight. The contrast to the strong budget position in Ireland could hardly be more stark. However, with threats to the Irish economy ahead from US tariffs, events in Britain are a sobering reminder of how difficult it is to correct the public finances once things start to go wrong.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"A downgrade in growth forecasts forced welfare and departmental cutbacks and the outlook is still difficult"},"display_date":"2025-03-26T21:10:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the UK’s public finances: Labour’s painful cuts","native":"The UK government is forced into cuts to keep its public finances on track"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"IDNYNC2IHPP6C2IPO6GNSQ6W34","auth":{"1":"649d0f61c249941098cfc6b8095166d7032d4d26961d6a9045616950874c872e"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/IDNYNC2IHPP6C2IPO6GNSQ6W34.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/26/the-irish-times-view-on-the-uks-public-finances-labours-painful-cuts/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"WXBHXG4A5FEIFJNV6Q4DR7TO5M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":133,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/6ee78b44-98e5-4e9a-bb17-42db93f821da/versions/1742936569/media/0af66d91e13988f65e5d99df3fbf6401_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/25/the-irish-times-view-on-the-dail-row-am-embarrassing-spectacle/","content_elements":[{"_id":"K47DXE24XFHYDLLUEIV3UWOII4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/03/25/shame-shame-shame-opposition-leaders-accuse-coalition-of-giving-two-fingers-to-democracy-in-row-over-speaking-rights/\" target=\"_blank\"> row over speaking rights</a>, which has dominated the Dáil since its return, reflects badly on Irish parliamentary politics and will damage people’s perception of how it operates. It has been <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/03/25/restive-dail-behaviour-brings-coalition-and-opposition-into-disrepute/\" target=\"_blank\">an embarrassing episode</a>, made worse by Tuesday’s chaotic scenes and the behaviour of some deputies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MOGCFD4PRBEH7NBQ6TXIE7SE3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"While it protests, the Government did pull a stroke by trying to come up with speaking time arrangements favourable to the Rural Independents. The Opposition, meanwhile, having made their objections and previously drawn some concessions from the Government had no need to engage in further disruption on Tuesday. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"A3TWZFS7C5CXFIGUTMFOBRBIH4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Opposition have said, with some justification, that the new speaking rights arrangements offer the Rural Independents the opportunity of \" being in government and in opposition at the same time”. The Government has argued that the Opposition will not lose any time for its own questions. But it has been apparently trying to deliver on a deal reached in Coalition negotiations which it should never have agreed to in the first place. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"EPQA4LRYZJHHVCBH466FFDAW6Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Opposition were highly critical on Tuesday of the handling of yesterday’s Dáil business by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy and it is clear that the fall-out will rumble on. However, both sides need to ensure that normal Dáil business can now resume immediately.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VAMKHOWFFBADPKB7MERQSUGWGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"The row has dominated business and delayed the formation of committees. And there are more important things to be discussing. The State is faced with an imminent threat of tariffs from the US, which could have major implications for jobs and taxes. The housing crisis continues to deepen and there are vital policy issues lying ahead on climate, health, education, immigration and more. Yesterday’s scene will not sit well with those worried about their jobs, or being able to buy a house.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KJKUJH2LQJBBVA7DVEMCAFTWWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"A line now needs to be drawn under this. It has made the Dáil look out of touch with the concerns of voters. It is time to get on with it, though the lack of an agreement between Government and Opposition on how this Dáil will operate does not bode well for its smooth and efficient operation. ","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Tuesday’s chaotic scenes and the behaviour of some deputies does not bode well for the efficient operation of this Dáil"},"display_date":"2025-03-25T21:20:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the Dáil row: an embarrassing spectacle","native":"The row over speaking rights in the Dáil was an embarrassing spectacle"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"R35YKMURZ6242ULEED7NZ4ENHQ","auth":{"1":"425dfa5a261ddb09c1690eaf614c661e86eb9114effdc5dd57cbeb3aa5120dae"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/R35YKMURZ6242ULEED7NZ4ENHQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/25/the-irish-times-view-on-the-dail-row-am-embarrassing-spectacle/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"DF5BJSFQHZAHJMNKIKBXCARH7I","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":175,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d6f221ca-a137-4a39-a8a6-cc7579d82ea5/versions/1742923146/media/03dd8a7f8e4e172ab4b32f5f08645364_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/25/headline-the-irish-times-view-on-the-us-governments-signal-leak-inviting-ridicule/","content_elements":[{"_id":"UHLAKQQYPVASFE5G25HJFVURWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742922257284},"content":"It is a blunder which many of us have made. In the modern world, it is all too easy to inadvertently share the wrong message with the wrong person. But the US government took the faux pas to a new level this week with the revelation that top officials had shared sensitive information in a chat group on the Signal app to which a journalist had been accidentally admitted.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W4R22E24MND5RHIBRV7KODP5VE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742922257285},"content":"Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of the Atlantic magazine, was understandably suspicious at first that he was the subject of a hoax, but confirmation that he was in fact privy to a discussion between individuals including defence secretary Pete Hegseth, vice-president JD Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz came when Hegseth posted information on the weapons, locations and timing of impending US airstrikes on Yemen. The strikes duly took place two hours later.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6OLS6WETTVB3PLXJOV5XPQUZ6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1742922257286},"content":"The White House subsequently confirmed the veracity of the communications, in which Vance expressed his doubts about the attack because it might benefit “freeloading” European countries which depend on shipping lanes in the region.","type":"text"},{"_id":"36E4H3PH2BCQVCW3JVZRS3R6WM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742922257287},"content":"The conversation, with its liberal sprinklings of emojis representing flames, flags and flexed biceps, offers an insight into the mindset of the administration which is unsettling but not particularly surprising.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2MDOXJY6ARHXXGPF2QTMDB4MLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742922257288},"content":"What is startling is the indifference towards long-established national security protocols. The actions may have been in breach of federal records laws, which forbid government employees from using personal channels or devices when conducting official business. The sustained assault by Republicans on Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election over her use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state was based precisely on that principle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U3XJGMZTENDZTLMZCVS23UP5DQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742922257289},"content":"Materials related to national security are held to an even higher standard, with communications supposedly restricted to secure government networks to minimise the risk of leaks or cyber-attacks. Signal is not such a network.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MR6CJW3ISZANVONHLHDOP7YL6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1742922257290},"content":"Even for an administration which regards shamelessness as a virtue, the affair is deeply embarrassing. It raises serious questions for Waltz, who accidentally invited Goldberg into the group, and for Hegseth, who appears to have shared sensitive classified information to it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7C2UV7G6JENNNVPUNQEGO6CAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1742922257291},"content":"With hand-picked ultra-loyalists firmly in control of federal law enforcement, neither is likely to be too concerned about their position for the time being. And Republican control of Congress means Democrats will struggle to mount a meaningful investigation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZDRKZIQ6WZCE3FEFWIZWL7LSKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742922257292},"content":"But the sheer absurdity of the incident will only revive accusations that Trump has appointed a cabinet of the incompetent and the unqualified. Sometimes there is nothing more politically devastating than ridicule.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The actions may have been in breach of laws, which forbid government employees from using personal channels when conducting official business"},"display_date":"2025-03-25T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the US government’s Signal leak: an absurd and startling blunder ","native":"Startling story of Signal leak revives accusations of Trump administration's incompetence"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EFDPYGECQJY7RNQO3KWN3ON2GU","auth":{"1":"ac9fa81dee7b48e6268c0aa3147a180e921c79da7761c2f2512ac5dde31290cb"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EFDPYGECQJY7RNQO3KWN3ON2GU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/25/headline-the-irish-times-view-on-the-us-governments-signal-leak-inviting-ridicule/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"FTV75MZZFVAAXGXA27NKESUYJQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":176,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/bf8d80bf-00a0-4647-a19f-86fc6dca063e/versions/1742836940/media/d66d526cf1e57c9785a393aebb93c22d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/24/the-irish-times-view-on-the-national-planning-framework-imertia-is-inexcusable/","content_elements":[{"_id":"DB7NDXD4KVDTLFXNEEIJR3LNRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380787},"content":"Barely a week goes by, it seems, without another damaging blow to the Government’s prospects of achieving the housing targets set out so confidently by both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael during the general election. Last week, it was Housing Minister James Browne’s acknowledgment that delivery of new apartments in Ireland had “collapsed”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T4Y3MK6U3FBANHBBYLHW2FTXK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380788},"content":"Yesterday, it emerged that a vital revision of the country’s planning framework has been languishing for months in legislative limbo.","type":"text"},{"_id":"572CM45U5FE5RPUJYMLS2MIQEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380789},"content":"The Government’s official target of 50,500 new homes to be built per annum for the next five years has been described by experts as inadequate for the State’s projected needs. Yet, very few people with knowledge of the sector believe that even those targets will be reached. It is clear, as Taoiseach Micheál Martin has acknowledged, that a radical change of direction is required. Nevertheless, most of the recommendations of the Housing Commission continue to be ignored.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BWQRVQC3NZCJLGOK5LML2RSUUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380790},"content":"Given all this, it is inexcusable that bureaucratic inertia is clogging up the pipeline through which new housing must flow. The current National Planning Framework (NPF) is out of date and fails to reflect population growth or the Government’s own stated policy. This is preventing local government and planning authorities from doing the necessary work to ensure that those targets are met.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BOHV6FSAR5GNXED7ARSFNNVDSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380791},"content":"A draft revision of the NPF, taking account of the new housing targets, was agreed last November, but the document has not yet been sent for approval by Government.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XKMN6ICWNGVHODHOQPRD3TLOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380792},"content":"A recurring criticism of this administration and its predecessors is that, while they claim to recognise the enormity of the housing crisis and the need for urgent action, they have failed to treat it as a national emergency of the same order as Brexit or the financial crash. The lackadaisical approach to a vital element of the planning process suggests that criticism has some merit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZTJO7B6P3FERPGVOLZM7JS7MWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380793},"content":"Echoing the Taoiseach, Browne has said “everything has to be on the table” when considering how to boost flagging housing supply. Both men seem to be referring to tax incentives for developers, an idea that has not been enthusiastically received by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXQX2PFT4BGKRHOF7NRFOWEC7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380794},"content":"The Government is also reportedly looking at introducing restrictions on short-term letting via platforms such as AirBnB to free up properties for the domestic market. And it may seek to pressurise the banks to loosen lending requirements for housing developments.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T73FVIHQE5B5XIGOPCHESKQYPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380795},"content":"Whether any of these comes to pass or has much of an impact, remains to be seen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WLGEH4I56JCPJNLPLGS74WWVNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380796},"content":"If not, then this Government is staring at the vista of its own abject failure to deliver on the single biggest promise it made to the electorate.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3NL7AUH7CBD7JAJX263BGYTQ24","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836380797},"content":"More importantly, hundreds of thousands of people will suffer as a consequence of that failure.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"This Government is staring at the vista of its own abject failure to deliver on its single biggest promise"},"display_date":"2025-03-24T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":" The Irish Times view on the National Planning Framework: inertia is inexcusable","native":"Govrnment inertia on property crisis is inexcusable"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FPJHSVAENYZVWR6LCFRKLZKZM4","auth":{"1":"ff66a62358c4f79c58e93353030d34e761700978ec9eb223291bcd45696ba2fa"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FPJHSVAENYZVWR6LCFRKLZKZM4.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/24/the-irish-times-view-on-the-national-planning-framework-imertia-is-inexcusable/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"JWQ6CLPM2ZE2RM6D26XR3SD2UU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":135,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/17c53cc1-c164-443d-adec-2177bb3a562c/versions/1742837381/media/d0bceb75e8e4241a591421b2aafa3d9a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/24/the-irish-times-view-on-the-funding-of-the-energy-transition-europe-needs-to-step-up/","content_elements":[{"_id":"ESPFMGMMWFF7RFROWCMX3Y4HZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836685030},"content":"Donald Trump’s presidency poses many challenges for Ireland, not least the threat of tariffs and his pledge to “reshore” the manufacturing activities of US multinationals. But Trump’s White House agenda could also have significant implications for Ireland’s attempt to reduce carbon emissions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MMSAGNBX3BEDZPUPYVICBX2PJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836685031},"content":"On the day of his inauguration, the US president outlined his energy policy as being “drill, baby, drill.” One of his first decisions was to suspend Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act , which had incentivised investors to put their money in US green energy projects through the use of lucrative tax breaks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JK4JLHAOZBFZTDGAT73SXQT6AE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836685032},"content":"Initially, it had been hoped that the suspension of the the act would persuade investors to divert funding to green projects in the EU, but instead there has been a general reduction in funding for the sector. A case in point is the announcement by BP at the end of February that it would slash investment in renewables and focus on oil and gas.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EBE63A23KFBZLBRWPSDVPIEYC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836685033},"content":"The Irish Government has launched a series of ambitious off-shore projects, which could potentially deliver 37 GW of wind energy by 2050. Ireland could achieve its carbon reduction targets if it reached this level of wind energy capacity.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVS3QXN7IJHDDJYVJHTWTCOXBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836685034},"content":"But if Ireland is to fulfil its wind energy potential, it will need billions in investment and that will be a difficult ask in the current environment, with investment funds looking elsewhere.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4A4F2W3QBZFZDCBACBSVCPQUOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836685035},"content":"One initiative which could help involves the European Commission and EU member states following through on their commitment to create an EU Capital Markets Union. This has been on the EU agenda in one form or another over the past decade, but key decisions have been stalled. It has now gained a new urgency amid Trump’s economic nationalist policies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QPEQPD7FANCXVPYENXDZZE3QRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836685036},"content":"Europe’s response needs to include the creation of a deep and liquid, single capital market. In turn, this could provide an important source of funding for carbon reduction projects.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5264US6YEVDZVC6JJ4XL27UBJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1742836685037},"content":"It would not solve everything, but at least Ireland would not be so reliant on US investors who are now moving in a different direction.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"If Ireland is to fulfil its wind energy potential, it will need billions in investment and that will be a difficult ask in the current environment"},"display_date":"2025-03-24T20:10:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the funding of the energy transition: Europe needs to step up","native":"Europe needs to step up to fund the energy transition"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"7YPFU3GO4ZHWLJFHITCVIK52QU","auth":{"1":"05893e8ce607a4f9624be94b022ea7152a1407352ac35af7418a9edf0f5065d1"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/7YPFU3GO4ZHWLJFHITCVIK52QU.png"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/24/the-irish-times-view-on-the-funding-of-the-energy-transition-europe-needs-to-step-up/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"QNPSMNGP3NGYHFZOGUTQYWIIQQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":177,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8c46f8e9-b29c-426e-9811-5f4d5c59b41f/versions/1742751404/media/5a8f740654afa264c76c4841c7353124_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/23/the-irish-times-view-on-the-threat-of-trumps-tariffs-ireland-prepares-for-the-unknown/","content_elements":[{"_id":"H4P6IMYLEZHOJGYSLMEUL4DUBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742750662387},"content":"In the middle of next week – on April 2nd – US president Donald Trump is set to unveil what he calls the “big one”, a package of tariffs aimed at remaking the world trading system and America’s position in it. However, we still have little enough indication what shape this will take – indeed, the Trump administration itself looks to be making it up as it goes along. This means planning for how to react is difficult for Ireland – and for the EU as a whole.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C4PO6HD6PZDHDLQQPL6X67B254","additional_properties":{"_id":1742750662388},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/03/21/us-tariffs-could-cost-irish-economy-more-than-18bn-in-lost-trade/\" target=\"_blank\">Ireland</a>, as a small trading nation heavily reliant on US trade and investment, is particularly exposed. Senior Government Ministers have been correct to try to prepare the public and businesses for the prospect of significant economic cost. Speaking on RTÉ radio on Sunday, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/03/23/significant-us-tariffs-likely-to-proceed-next-month-despite-eu-efforts-says-donohoe/\" target=\"_blank\">Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe warned</a> that in a bad scenario there could be a hit to jobs and growth and that plans for the public finances could have to be redrawn.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DOKSMHEMYFFGLHDTYCEBU5QGCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742750662389},"content":"All this is sensible, though it is worth noting that most of the parties in the general election campaign – including Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil – were unwise to dangle so many promises in front of the voters.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NPS4VLCHPFEMXDO6D2MCJGPI4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1742750662390},"content":"For this reason – and because the public never welcomes bad news – the Government may pay a political price in adjusting its plans. There is not much point in doing so yet, with so many uncertainties about what is to come. But by summer the scale of the risks being faced should be clearer. Central to this will be whether we are facing a short if disruptive period of trade tensions, or something more prolonged and fundamental.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FH2NF7K7XNHG3MRC5EXA4WUCBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742750662391},"content":"Donohoe was correct yesterday when he underlined the importance of sticking with State investment projects in housing and other key infrastructure to underpin competitiveness, though the Government also needs to tackle delivery issues with these. But this may mean trade-offs in other areas of spending and tax and it remains to be seen how cohesive the Coalition will be. It has significant cash resources and – fortunately – a forecast budget surplus – but a big hit to corporate tax revenues would significantly alter the outlook for the public finances.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FVIFJQT6WNFFPH2423OHP4CN4E","additional_properties":{"_id":1742750662392},"content":"Great care will be needed in handling all this. There must be some hope that the risks to the US economy of this extraordinarily ill-advised tariff policy will limit what is announced, or at least its duration. But we still don’t know – and even after April 2nd we may not have full clarity.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6BR3DZ73LJC5NLJNROT6H6ZBMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742750662393},"content":"Ireland is exposed because of the reliance of our domestic exporters on the US market, the huge pharma sales from Ireland back to the American market and the wider risks if a full-scale trade war breaks out. It is at risk of being singled out by Washington.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DVXFOGEO65DHXC2BIG2CYCWLUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1742750662394},"content":"A worrying period lies ahead and it is difficult to see the economy emerging without some significant damage.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The US president has promised significant tariffs, but much remains unclear about what will happen"},"display_date":"2025-03-23T20:24:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the threat of Trump’s tariffs: Ireland prepares for the unknown","native":"Ireland prepares for the unknown from Trump's tariffs"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BF4K3XEZDGDRJ7MXP6C2AL6L4A","auth":{"1":"bf6021735f3895f2d827a0813a69ccfac660d875fef9c68138c9e041c4cf307d"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BF4K3XEZDGDRJ7MXP6C2AL6L4A.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/23/the-irish-times-view-on-the-threat-of-trumps-tariffs-ireland-prepares-for-the-unknown/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"JQFW4I476NHLRDNPD2WHD2XARA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":142,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d1ba8da9-569a-485c-be06-6761942542fd/versions/1742752138/media/3f5ecce169595c4405876d493af8a66b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/23/the-irish-times-view-on-the-crackdown-on-the-opposition-in-turkey-democrats-are-paying-a-price/","content_elements":[{"_id":"TI7ADV2BLJCEVIVVEGIQ72MK44","additional_properties":{},"content":"The arrest of popular Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu last Wednesday, hours before he was due to be endorsed as the main opposition challenger to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, marks a new low in Turkey’s slide into authoritarianism. Over the weekend <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/2025/03/23/turkish-court-orders-jailing-of-istanbul-mayor-pending-trial-on-corruption-charges/\" target=\"_blank\">he was formally charged.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"HZXEV5JVBVCWRP7PV5PQQOKMFU","additional_properties":{},"content":"The regime has followed up with arrests of opposition activists, allegedly over corruption in local government. More were detained after big demonstrations on Sunday. The mayor’s university has also stripped him of his degree, for supposedly an improper transfer from another college – the Turkish constitution requires a presidential candidate to have a degree.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IWPNEWOYFBHDZD37OX4EE2BEVY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Imamoglu is accused of corrupt practices in municipal business, bribery, fraud, and money laundering, as well as aiding a terrorist organisation over contacts with a pro-Kurdish party. The formal charge at the weekend – which he denies – was in relation to the corruption allegations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ML6HCT6IFBFSRAH4YMDFSI5OPU","additional_properties":{},"content":"First elected mayor in April 2019, he had seen that vote overturned by the notoriously partisan Supreme Electoral Council (SEC) after complaints of irregularities from Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The election was re-run and Imamoglu was re-elected with a larger share of the vote. He has since faced repeated politically motivated legal challenges. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TOBUTFZJ4NCIFKPBVHAKYRB6DY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Imamoglu has recently been polling ahead of Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics since 2003, first as prime minister and then, from 2014, as president. Presidential elections are not due until 2028, but an early poll would allow Erdogan to circumvent term limits.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JLQXGQVJSZEHNFAUCZIVNMRKDI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Although Erdogan and his AKP won the 2023 presidential and general elections, their once seemingly invincible machine has come under increasing pressure due to a combination of an economic crisis and concerns about growing authoritarianism. But Turkey’s newfound importance to European defence, coupled with Trump’s return to the White House and his avowed willingness to work with strongmen, may have emboldened Erdogan. Turkish democrats are paying the price. ","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The arrest and charging of the main challenger to president Erdogan represents a new low"},"display_date":"2025-03-23T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the crackdown on the opposition in Turkey: democrats are paying a price","native":"Democracy is under serious threat in Turkey"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"Q6HXFAUABQOIBSJXQZWR6E3O7E","auth":{"1":"3ecd36c1c2301c7f91092678ce5486d6d986bcc12dac8753f3699617a4b6d761"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/Q6HXFAUABQOIBSJXQZWR6E3O7E.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/23/the-irish-times-view-on-the-crackdown-on-the-opposition-in-turkey-democrats-are-paying-a-price/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"E247U6X7B5AF3M3QKE5FTPYLIY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":180,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/bf37e586-d0bf-4571-89d5-6b28c923776e/versions/1742572725/media/6283d6065fddc7f98eda930442152c2d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/21/the-irish-times-view-on-the-eu-and-ukraine-europe-struggling-to-respond-at-speed/","content_elements":[{"_id":"HJT5OWRVZ5GZRNSUP5ZLOJUFRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742598340926},"content":"The continuing war in Ukraine and the real prospect of US disengagement from Europe’s defence dominated this week’s <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2025/03/20/eu-leaders-urged-to-back-up-words-of-support-for-ukraine/\" target=\"_blank\">EU summit</a>, colouring discussions ranging from building a common defence capacity to joint weapons procurement, arming Kyiv, sanctions against Russia and managing the union’s growing debt pile.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DJ7HSA45DJHYTFGLZF64DCQKNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1742598340927},"content":"There was a broad consensus on continuing support for Ukraine and building common defence capabilities. But there was continued frustration with Hungary’s stonewalling on aid to Ukraine, which necessitated the issuing of a joint declaration by only 26 states. It promised to “continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KQJCVHKVFRC6NO3HQLTFVGTU5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1742598340928},"content":"The EU leaders heard an appeal from Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for more arms and the tightening of sanctions against Russia. The latter was backed in principle. But the EU’s foreign and security policy chief, Kaja Kallas, failed in her bid to push for<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2025/03/21/plan-for-eu-big-bang-of-military-aid-to-ukraine-runs-out-of-steam/\" target=\"_blank\"> a €40 billion package of military aid</a>, double last year’s. She is now seeking a more modest €5 billion for the provision of large-calibre artillery ammunition, though this remains to be agreed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PT3LY7MUFVG5JBAVUGSWLIZ7TY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742598340929},"content":"With different views from leaders from northern and southern EU states, turning support in principle for Ukraine into a financial reality is not straightforward and nor are proposals to build up the EU’s own defence capabilities. Notably, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez pushed back against the use of the word “rearm” as a central part of the strategy and said that countries in the south of the EU had different priorities to those on its eastern flank.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZVVFRAJCCFEHVEIJINGIRQ2P2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1742598340930},"content":"Leaders did back proposals for a €150 billion EU loan plan for joint arms procurement, which controversially restricts buying of non-members’ weapons, specifically American, but also British and Turkish, unless they sign defence and security pacts with Brussels. This is part of a drive to build up Europe’s own capabilities to produce military equipment, a move championed by France, already a leading producer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UFP7SQDXIJF7JDY5ZGMAMASOPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742598340931},"content":"The effort to help Ukraine continues next week. French President Emmanuel Macron said a “coalition of willing countries” will hold a Ukraine summit on Thursday in Paris, to discuss its defence, including immediate military aid, making any ceasefire work and possible deployment of troops. Meanwhile there are reports that the UK, France, Germany and the Nordics are drawing up plans to take on greater responsibilities for European defence from the US.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FVNK47XEDVF7VP4H73JBPEA5BU","additional_properties":{"_id":1742598340932},"content":"It is a major change of direction in Europe’s agenda, which presents challenges to Ireland, itself a laggard in defence spending. Maintaining EU unity is a significant challenge. Doing so while responding at speed in a rapidly changing security and economic situation is another.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"With different views from leaders from northern and southern EU states, turning support in principle for Ukraine into a financial reality is not straightforward"},"display_date":"2025-03-21T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the EU and Ukraine: Europe struggling to respond at speed","native":"The EU is struggling to respond at speed to the changing situation in Ukraine"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6QQYGYO5JZ5Y4CCX6PV62NTYIY","auth":{"1":"d17c28d3ed27261af03baebc3e52a0d3b53bc70ea4650d3aba69be827f3a37c1"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6QQYGYO5JZ5Y4CCX6PV62NTYIY.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/21/the-irish-times-view-on-the-eu-and-ukraine-europe-struggling-to-respond-at-speed/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"PWAWEPBTX5F53GHCCG653PWEYQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":139,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/15a2d4c8-0b90-4a44-855c-815f32491b3b/versions/1742573303/media/9d074b5666946723bc7b3a77a73cd377_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/21/the-irish-times-view-on-the-jfk-assassination-files-nothing-will-satisfy-the-conspiracy-theorists/","content_elements":[{"_id":"EN6VYGA2KZBB3GRA72MUPDAEHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742572307684},"content":"For conspiracy theorists, it is the great white whale. It has spawned hundreds of books, thousands of newspaper articles and a slew of feature films and documentaries. This week fuel was added to an almost 62-year-old fire when 2,200 files consisting of more than 63,000 pages about the assassination of president John F Kennedy in Dallas on November 22nd 1963 were posted on the US National Archives and Records Administration’s website.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QG5BIBMPTNAIBPVVBXOMJDBF7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1742572307685},"content":"The release was ordered by Kennedy’s successor, Donald Trump, who is himself no stranger to conspiratorial thinking or assassination attempts. A year after Dallas, the Warren Commission of investigation concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, a disaffected former defector to the Soviet Union, had fired the shot from the Texas Book Depository that killed Kennedy, and that he had acted alone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PKLQ2JICFRBTJOYHSF2C76LXU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742572307686},"content":"That failed to satisfy those who believed that there must have been a broader cabal pulling the strings behind the scenes. Among the suspects they identified were the KGB, the CIA, the FBI, the Mafia and right-wing Cuban exiles. Baroque networks of plotters were conjured up, based on little more than conjecture and rumours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MS3LNU5YTFGFRPTNFRQBBXKCFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1742572307687},"content":"Nothing has yet emerged from the files to support such claims, although historians say they provide some insights into American politics at the height of the Cold War. But there is no evidence for the widespread belief that Oswald was not the only gunman that day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IOKN35KCHRASZBBUGXUTDTZ2A4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742572307688},"content":"No matter what emerges, though, the need to believe in a wider conspiracy will almost certainly endure. That is due in part to the natural human desire to find meaning in a shocking and apparently unexplainable act of violence. But also to the fact that the events on that fateful day marked a turning point in US history, a loss of innocence and the beginning of a long collapse of public trust in institutions. It is fitting, therefore, that Trump, the prime beneficiary of that trend, should be the president to order this week’s action. And it will be appropriate if the final revelation is that there is no revelation at all.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The events on that fateful day marked a loss of innocence and the beginning of a long collapse of public trust in institutions"},"display_date":"2025-03-21T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":" The Irish Times view on the JFK assassination files: nothing will satisfy the conspiracy theorists","native":"No matter what emerges from the JFK assassination files, conspracy theories will endure"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DZQV3WCMEJA4TELYGZ2H2GXHPI","auth":{"1":"797a3522863647df3f415753111269676c5130c61f25a867c073bfbf614a3685"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DZQV3WCMEJA4TELYGZ2H2GXHPI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/21/the-irish-times-view-on-the-jfk-assassination-files-nothing-will-satisfy-the-conspiracy-theorists/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"ORCYNT4FI5H7JEZK44EACBZNAA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":193,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e732d23e-d105-4480-a8a6-a7b0e23a1f9c/versions/1742492326/media/bd16372ef0e444916f9ed85675a1ca8f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-dereliction-levies-why-are-councils-failing-to-act/","content_elements":[{"_id":"FGPLAPU4KNFP7DTSCXWVTG2YYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742504888397},"content":"A <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2023/09/23/dublins-vacant-buildings-its-my-property-ill-do-whatever-i-want-with-it/\" target=\"_blank\">recent investigative series</a> in this newspaper set out the stories behind some of the thousands of derelict and vacant properties across the State. Who owns them? How long have they lain vacant? What efforts, if any, have been made to remediate and return them to daily use?","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZVAXEBT2SBDPLIHGNSDN5NPPXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1742504888398},"content":"While the underlying reasons for individual cases of long-term vacancy can be complex, one fact is clear: the overall balance of incentives and penalties that apply to the owners of derelict properties are not having the required effect. The evidence of that failure can be seen across the State.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RGUPVJPLPFF2XI6AK26X55OQY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742504888399},"content":"Dereliction is a policy failure. Addressing it will not solve Ireland’s ever worsening housing crisis. But it can make a significant contribution. And the social and environmental benefits of reducing dereliction are self-evident.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ZFCQWS6ONGFZGHGMXECE6ZTFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742504888400},"content":"The positive impact of a proactive approach can be seen in a Government-funded scheme which has allowed local authorities to compulsorily purchase 1,297 vacant and derelict properties with an estimated residential yield of 4,853 homes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O6QRQK7JIVAGRPEGTL7YNF5RRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1742504888401},"content":"In theory at least, the main policy instrument in this area is the derelict sites levy, first introduced in 1990 and increased from 3 to 7 per cent in 2020. This empowers local authorities to impose a charge on all derelict sites on their register and to charge interest at 1.25 per cent per month on unpaid fines.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UT4SXSPMQFCQHJNTRAIFNX3XYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1742504888402},"content":"Councils in Cavan, Clare, Donegal, Fingal, Galway city, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan, Sligo and Waterford city and county have not levied a single derelict site owner, according to Department of Housing figures for 2023, the latest that are available. In total, 13 local authorities did not apply a levy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NH3NHBJSP5HD5AXFWEFKG6SJ5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1742504888403},"content":"It would clearly be absurd to suggest that dereliction is not a problem across such a large swathe of the country. So one must conclude that these local authorities lack either the will or the resources to apply the law in their respective areas.","type":"text"},{"_id":"627T6AINANAKDKBCI6B4XZIC7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1742504888404},"content":"The startling variations in figures from one local authority area to another suggest that the real problem lies with a lack of commitment among some to tackling the problem. More than a fifth of all properties on the State’s derelict sites register are located in the Limerick city and council area. It is hardly a coincidence that Limerick established a derelict and vacant unit in 2017. In 2023 it collected € 286,076 from site owners.","type":"text"},{"_id":"25VEAAHL35GVFF6MMX77XEYVIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1742504888405},"content":"There are more sites on Limerick’s register than for all four Dublin local authorities combined. That is a damning statistic on which all those responsible for governance in the capital should reflect. The chasm between the rhetorical commitment to addressing dereliction and the grim and apparently unchanging reality is dispiriting, as is the apparent absence of any accountability for such a long record of failure.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The chasm between rhetorical commitments and the grim and apparently unchanging reality is dispiriting"},"display_date":"2025-03-20T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":" The Irish Times view on dereliction levies: why are councils failing to act?","native":"Councils are failing to use their statutory powers against dereliction"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"D5Y6XU7H6RCP3ILXNFKEFYPQGI","auth":{"1":"f098e62b9977ba917243d37bbc7cce447da8eea852400b1af247773c68e994e6"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/D5Y6XU7H6RCP3ILXNFKEFYPQGI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-dereliction-levies-why-are-councils-failing-to-act/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"EXCKPYYRZZEOREKYFLRORV3ZRI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":139,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/9df85849-1c1b-46d7-8659-30c554c3c140/versions/1742495200/media/4bafd6342a20985c95dd619715664c33_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-english-language-skills-changing-the-way-it-is-taught/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JHQPEM7IAVEMPCGGT4C5JKWA24","additional_properties":{"_id":1742494942775},"content":"For generations of students, the Leaving Certificate has been a test of endurance as much as ability: a high-stakes exam where success can hinge on a few hours of written performance. This is about to change. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2025/03/19/leaving-cert-students-to-face-oral-exams-in-english-under-sweeping-changes/\" target=\"_blank\">Under reform plans</a> scheduled to be introduced over the coming years, there will be a greater focus on assessment outside the exam hall in the form of project work, research assignments and practicals.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7PDX6UT36NCGLPHG5HQ2EIEPLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1742494942776},"content":"One of the most eye-catching proposed changes is<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2025/03/19/oral-exams-for-leaving-cert-english-how-will-they-work/\" target=\"_blank\"> the introduction of oral assessments</a> for the English exam. Students will be quizzed on plays or books they have studied and will be expected to compare texts and “make connections, gain insights, synthesise and evaluate ideas” in an assessment worth 20 per cent of the total.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MH3K7IB2VDYVNYKEH4TFUBIEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1742494942777},"content":"It is a change that is long overdue. The ability to express ideas clearly and confidently through speech is just as important as writing. Whether in university seminars, job interviews or the workplace, verbal communication is crucial. Yet, under the current system, students spend years studying English without ever being formally tested on how well they can articulate their thoughts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DBBP7ZQGXRDYXAGMUEDKRRQ4ZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1742494942778},"content":"A well-designed oral exam would provide students with a new way to demonstrate their strengths. Some struggle with conditions such as dyslexia and are better at expressing their ideas verbally. The inclusion of an oral assessment would ensure a more balanced, fair, and comprehensive evaluation of the abilities of students.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4BA3KEBMAFEBLKIBB5MIWHV47A","additional_properties":{"_id":1742494942779},"content":"In addition, it would ensure the classroom is a place of lively discussion; it may also help tackle the scourge of rote learning where students memorise pre-prepared essays rather than engaging deeply with texts and ideas. At a time when artificial intelligence poses a threat to the integrity of assessment, an oral test has no such issues.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YQBWY6QFHNGKNDH4XBYLNDDPV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742494942780},"content":"English is a living language. If we want to equip students with the skills they need for the real world, we must move beyond a purely written examination. Introducing an oral assessment in Leaving Cert English is not just a good idea, it is a necessary step towards a fairer, more relevant education system.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"A proposal for an oral assessment in the Leaving Cert English exam is a necessary step towards a better system"},"display_date":"2025-03-20T20:10:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on English language skills: changing the way it is taught","native":"Building English language skills - teaching needs a new direction"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ZIXG74ROIJMMHEOROAYOG4SN64","auth":{"1":"ac0103d89b1da242b6c7f2d83bcab6c5f1b523266d9a83535cf1a36ccf2d340a"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ZIXG74ROIJMMHEOROAYOG4SN64.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-english-language-skills-changing-the-way-it-is-taught/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"JIW3HXNRLVDONHKHZ344GN2CQY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":181,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/914b8c82-ba94-4c0f-8e2d-d9011731bd2b/versions/1742403089/media/6e26f88ef26e38a74d941decdc54614b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/19/the-irish-times-view-on-the-partial-ceasefire-in-ukraine-a-deal-in-name-only/","content_elements":[{"_id":"SFXITLG5DBDIRICEOXWGGJBC5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1742402809339},"content":"It is hardly more than<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2025/03/18/russia-to-pause-strikes-on-ukraines-energy-facilities-after-trump-putin-call/\" target=\"_blank\"> a partial ceasefire</a>, barely a wind-down in military exchanges. It is certainly not the delivery of Donald Trump’s promise of instant peace in Ukraine. The US president claimed there had been a “very good and productive” two-and-a-half-hour phone call on Tuesday with Russian president Vladimir Putin, that a “contract for peace” was on course and the “process” for a settlement was “in full force”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RRIHDUGV45BGLH5ZP2DGRBUMYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742402809340},"content":"Unfortunately, this appears to be<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2025/03/19/russias-demands-of-ukraine-would-make-a-mockery-of-any-peace-agreement/\" target=\"_blank\"> a gross overstatement of reality.</a> The two sides endorsed only a limited 30-day truce on attacking energy and infrastructure assets, followed by technical negotiations on a Black Sea maritime ceasefire and then talks on a “full ceasefire and permanent peace”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EIFUHEOVHFBY3NX3CA7SE4AQ4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1742402809341},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2025/03/19/ukraine-russia-war-latest-news/\" target=\"_blank\">Trump is convincing no-one</a> and the EU sensibly took a wait and see approach. In the meantime, Putin’s troops are continuing their advance in the Russian province of Kursk and massing in the northeastern Sumy district for another offensive. Putin dismissed Trump’s push for the unconditional ceasefire which the US had forced on Ukraine and is trying to improve his position.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4FXBUYLYUVAUHIRQ6S2WW7Q3XY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742402809342},"content":"Ukraine and its allies will have watched the bilateral exchange and its limited outcome with little enthusiasm, though, through gritted teeth, making the required approving noises. What they see is confirmation that the US-Russian relationship is back on track. The US is distancing itself further from its traditional allies, with Trump signalling an openness to Russia’s terms in second-phase talks on a permanent ceasefire.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7YQMND5G3VFXLMN7KQFKYQ6NHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742402809343},"content":"Putin has not relinquished any of his hardline demands to end the war and appears to be suggesting that the second-round discussions can not even begin without agreement to “the unconditional necessity to remove the initial reasons for the crisis and Russia’s legal security interests”. That, in Moscow’s eyes, means Ukraine’s permanent exclusion from Nato.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W3DRRSMIVFE77PFAKHOZ4TZZLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1742402809344},"content":"Putin stressed Russia’s “key condition to stop the conflict from escalating” and move towards a settlement would be a “total end to foreign military support and intelligence sharing with Kyiv”. In other words, Ukraine’s disarmament and a ruling out of foreign safeguarding of a deal. There is no mention of China, Iran, and North Korea ending their support for Russia.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AK25GCD4Q5HAPNBKE2VE4DCILA","additional_properties":{"_id":1742402809345},"content":"Such preconditions represent Russia’s maximalist position, a final outcome that can never be acceptable to Kyiv or its European allies. It would be a massive reward for illegal aggression. And while Trump has been talking down Ukraine’s legitimate demand for the return of its land, he has been notably silent on any reining back of Putin’s ambitions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BPW7EV44RNGODJ2NVGVZOOCXUY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742402809346},"content":"As in Gaza, Trump’s diplomacy, by failing to address the root causes of conflict, appears likely to set the scene for a return to all-out war as soon as the first partial ceasefire expires in less than 30 days.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Trump’s diplomacy, by failing to address the root causes of conflict, may just set the scene for a return to all-out war"},"display_date":"2025-03-19T20:46:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the partial ceasefire in Ukraine: a deal in name only","native":"What is happening in Ukraine is a ceasefire in name only"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"VFDIZPT3SMOIAFLPM2UTGTTORY","auth":{"1":"baca00928f730b4f9d445c7b6521b1300be063d79507794b449cea702e78703e"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/VFDIZPT3SMOIAFLPM2UTGTTORY.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/19/the-irish-times-view-on-the-partial-ceasefire-in-ukraine-a-deal-in-name-only/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"DANXD5C2QVAANMVWNK4X3R2DN4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":139,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a4cd1655-38f8-4f24-bed0-51ebd2d7395f/versions/1742403826/media/15c37665c29ff80c41a43788d90c0230_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/19/the-irish-times-view-on-amazonie-good-news-for-some/","content_elements":[{"_id":"HA43EWCLW5DOXNV5PHTOP22LOA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/03/18/amazon-opens-its-ie-dedicated-irish-shopping-platform/\" target=\"_blank\"> launch of a dedicated website for Ireland by the online retailing behemoth Amazon</a> has been welcomed most fulsomely by the Government. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has described it as “good news for all” while Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said it will “enhance customers’ experiences” and provide a sales platform for Irish business.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MTMZ4F4YEZGDRILFHRA3X3DAKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"These claims are at best only partly true. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/03/18/amazon-ireland-platform-online-shopping/\" target=\"_blank\">There will be winners and losers </a>as a result of easier and potentially cheaper access for Irish consumers and retailers to the platform, which already accounts for more than one-in-10 euros spent online by Irish consumers. It is hard to predict with certainty who they will be, but it will certainly increase the pressure further on many small retailers. Such is the reality of a market economy and the disruptive nature of online services.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5SVPUG3ZZNEXDOUTXBMAXCSOLU","additional_properties":{},"content":"One thing that is certain is that the investment by Amazon in an Irish site further anchors the US multinational to Ireland. It follows the opening in 2022 of a 630,000 sq ft warehouse in west Dublin which employs 500 people. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"KJCV26PVS5EONMIOK366XVQQVU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Amazon is now one of the biggest employers in Ireland, with 6,500 staff. It has invested more than €22 billion here since 2004, much of it in data centres. Ireland was chosen in 2007 as the first international location for Amazon Web Services, which provides the technology that powers the Amazon website, as well as cloud computing services around the globe.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7XC7FLVUB5F5PJTFZXBZEIVXM4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The company now operates more than 30 data centres here which it claims have led to an €11.4 billion increase in Irish economic output since 2012. The enthusiasm exhibited by the Taoiseach for the opening of an Irish version of a website which millions of Irish people already access with ease is best seen in this context. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"XRYWAIRQERHPDMQ2ZIYJOT5LKM","additional_properties":{},"content":"These are uncertain times and the Government has its reasons for showing appreciation for Amazon’s move. But many of Ireland’s small retailers will be decidedly less enthusiastic about the arrival of a behemoth whose service will at best profoundly challenge them and, at worst, put them out of business entirely. ","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The Government has its reasons to welcome the move, as do consumers, though it brings new dangers to many small retailers"},"display_date":"2025-03-19T20:15:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on Amazon.ie: good news for some","native":"The arrival of Amazon.ie is good news for some"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FI4CF5BVUNHHVK6CJ54XIEWP7A","auth":{"1":"71b97552bf4986fb7e4f8adedf44d0b09f26c10390a90bc4b34c10ef34f7268a"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FI4CF5BVUNHHVK6CJ54XIEWP7A.JPG"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/19/the-irish-times-view-on-amazonie-good-news-for-some/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"27SLZL3VD5BLDNSDKD5J3OKJ2A","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":177,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/54d9c1a4-1839-4ba3-8699-63cf66a60b45/versions/1742320251/media/24e4874a8c6ce5f9d40f641e04eb7bf8_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/18/the-irish-times-view-on-ireland-and-big-pharma-state-faces-risks-from-overreliance/","content_elements":[{"_id":"QBFEFZA7A5BPVI7E4IFIUPTJL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742319640178},"content":"For some years, civil servants and advisory bodies have been warning about Ireland’s overreliance on the US pharma and technology sectors. However, developments in these sectors have sent corporate tax revenues soaring – and the story of the boy who called wolf has frequently been invoked in discussing the warnings. The oft-forgotten point of that story is that the wolf does eventually arrive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CAKNOX3YXBHLRN5NUSGJXELWQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1742319640179},"content":"Now that Ireland’s exports are under threat from Donald Trump’s tariff plans, there are suddenly fears about the impact on tax revenue and jobs. The pharma sector is at the centre of this story, because of its significant exports from plants here back to the US market. Trump has been clear that<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2025/03/13/donald-trump-says-ireland-has-been-stealing-us-pharma-investment-so-what-happens-next/\" target=\"_blank\"> he wants these products to be manufactured in the US, </a>rather than offshore locations like Ireland. How this plays out promises to be a high stakes story for Ireland and its economy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3CV2YBDT2ZB5XP766TRI45YS24","additional_properties":{"_id":1742319640180},"content":"The dominance of big US companies in Ireland has left the State not only reliant on decisions in Washington DC, but also on the health of a few major multinationals. And these companies are not slow to use their influence to try to get Ireland to support the case of the multinationals in the EU. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/03/18/inside-the-pharma-industrys-lobbying-campaign-to-water-down-reforms/\" target=\"_blank\">As reported in Tuesday’s Irish Times</a>, big pharma lobby groups have been trying to get Ireland to support their case that proposed EU changes to laws on drug patents would damage research spending by lowering the period for which drugs are protected from generic competitors. And put jobs here at risk.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4S6Z6KGDLVBE5C7PQKY545EC2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1742319640181},"content":"The details of the lobbying campaign in Ireland, towards MEPs and across the EU are striking, showing the enormous power of big business. Initial proposals from the European Commission were watered down by the European Parliament and it looks likely that the final outcome will involve minimal enough changes in the existing regime. The extent to which it will bring drugs on stream more quickly in poorer EU member states, a key goal of the commission, remains unclear. Amidst all this, pharma companies <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/03/18/pharma-firms-disappointed-and-concerned-by-lack-of-state-support-for-campaign-against-eu-reforms/\" target=\"_blank\">have let it be known </a>that they feel Ireland should have supported them more wholeheartedly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6E2EKEAP3VESZP4V3BIGR5BJYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1742319640182},"content":"That the companies feel able to do this underlines Ireland’s huge reliance on this sector and on US investment in general. In the case of pharma, the attention of this US administration is also on the huge tax payments made by these companies in Ireland, in contrast to low payments in the US, a function of legal “profit shifting” strategies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z4JO5DMB6JHQLMKSTATXNTKNIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742319640183},"content":"Change looks to be on the way, whether in the location of this pharma investment, or where the companies pay tax. Ireland can try to limit the damage, but there are wider messages here for the long-term about diversifying away from such a significant reliance on the US market and from two sectors which have delivered huge growth, but are now at the heart of transatlantic tensions.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Major players have tried to use the importance of the sector to jobs and tax here to get Irish support at EU level"},"display_date":"2025-03-18T20:40:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on Ireland and big pharma: State faces risks from overreliance ","native":"Ireland faces increasing risks from overreliance on big pharma investment"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"64QY2GAM7ZHLHMIV4ORF2SEO4M","auth":{"1":"629a0b47c9a712a0d7db83b4eb097fd12c58db9e5c427f6af5422c5799cd5f95"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/64QY2GAM7ZHLHMIV4ORF2SEO4M.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/18/the-irish-times-view-on-ireland-and-big-pharma-state-faces-risks-from-overreliance/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"CL2UU62UJNFINMCHZ35FGLEVZ4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":131,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/b5459470-f40f-43d3-936e-098e6c129bce/versions/1742321277/media/9070c0408db23124d38576bcfdd0723b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/18/the-irish-times-view-on-the-trump-backlash-how-not-to-make-friends-or-influence-people/","content_elements":[{"_id":"KZXQJZLCENCEXGT6XEWIXZQVJM","additional_properties":{},"content":"As the world gradually adjusts to the reality of four years of Donald Trump in the White House, one unexpected phenomenon is becoming apparent. The US president and those around him subscribe to a theory of American power that holds the rules-based international order in contempt. It may take some time to find out how well that theory survives contact with reality. But among its first casualties are right-wing populists in Europe and elsewhere who were happy to associate themselves with the Make America Great Again movement before the president’s inauguration. Now they are on the back foot as the policies he pursues prove unpopular with their own voters.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZQNLUZR6ANGS7OHCCP5BWILADI","additional_properties":{},"content":"In Germany’s federal election last month, the far-right Alternative for Germany increased its vote, but failed to make the breakthrough predicted by arch-supporter Elon Musk. Embarrassed by Trump’s attitude towards Ukraine, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK now finds itself riven by factional disputes, some fanned by Musk.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VZZMNIEMQZFL5GPM3VRK3VWPIQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Canadian politics has been upended by the president’s aggressive tariff policy and his braggadocious assertion that the country should become part of the US. As a result, Pierre Poilievre, a populist in the Trumpian mould whose Conservatives were cruising towards a landslide victory in this year’s election, now finds himself neck and neck with new Liberal prime minister Mark Carney.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NH6X2HA7OFGTTOY2MS47VJNFNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Who would have guessed contempt for allies and crude attempts to interfere in their domestic politics would elicit such a negative response?","type":"text"},{"_id":"2EUSUITEYFFINOOFLRAIFQZHSM","additional_properties":{},"content":"So while it should not come as a surprise that an Irish fighter who was found liable for sexual assault was welcomed into the White House on St Patrick’s Day by a president with a very similar legal record, there is little reason to suppose the tawdry spectacle will provide fuel for the xenophobic agenda rejected by Irish voters last November.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BPYGQLPVW5HU7HNJOJN6C5KL7I","additional_properties":{},"content":"Misogyny, thuggery and American exceptionalism may play well with Trump’s domestic base. But, as Taoiseach Micheál Martin correctly noted, such boorish antics reflect neither the spirit of St Patrick’s Day nor the views of the Irish people.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Who would have guessed contempt for allies and crude attempts to interfere in their domestic politics would elicit such a negative response?"},"display_date":"2025-03-18T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":" The Irish Times view on the Trump backlash: how not to make friends or influence people","native":"Far-right populists among the first casualties of Trump's presidency"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"4ST34LT2T5EOHITFQ4VV5OKQEM","auth":{"1":"3bff750ba4c9a249e09bd3462e976177fb318feb01d605950fbd6dfacc01adff"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/4ST34LT2T5EOHITFQ4VV5OKQEM.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/18/the-irish-times-view-on-the-trump-backlash-how-not-to-make-friends-or-influence-people/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"TMJTSMXBK5GWZAXUCSZR42KH54","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":136,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e2e6aa52-d318-4c4f-869d-0347868e0aa3/versions/1742236607/media/9498d80d8101126136cb20b396517894_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/17/the-irish-times-view-on-consumer-protection-in-ireland-more-realistic-penalties-needed/","content_elements":[{"_id":"G6UXKLI4ERBXRAS6X2VNWXWA34","additional_properties":{"_id":1742224315810},"content":"The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) deserves credit for the robust way it has represented the interests of Irish consumers in recent years. However, it is increasingly clear that it has been operating within an legislative framework that is not as strong as it needs to be.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XNRVD5FBZZCADPVYMM7SHNC2GQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742224315811},"content":"The CCPC was created in 2014 through the merger of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority, and was given responsibility for enforcing and promoting compliance with competition, consumer protection and product safety laws. It has done its job well, but it would be the first to acknowledge that more can and should be done to protect Irish consumers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YJOFQ7HV5ZCUDJFRUXTQEKV734","additional_properties":{"_id":1742224315812},"content":"Last week<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2025/03/10/high-profile-retailers-admit-breaches-of-rule-son-sale-prices/\" target=\"_blank\"> it took three retailers to court </a>over their pricing during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales window in 2023. The breaches – the first under 2022 legislation aimed at protecting shoppers from misleading sale prices – were identified following an investigation in late 2023.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IJCCKWJCNBHQXIXE546FIW24HM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742224315813},"content":"The case saw the probation act applied to Lifestyle Sports, DID Electrical and Rathwood Home and Garden World in Dublin’s district court with each agreeing to make a ¤1,000 donation to a charity.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CABLYJZPB5HETCIGQ46YYR5G5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1742224315814},"content":"This highlights the relatively mild sanctions that can be imposed on companies that break the law and, as the CCPC has repeatedly noted, the penalties do not serve as much of a financial deterrent to businesses with deep pockets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JYT3TCUPKBCZPDMBXY33ZY6J34","additional_properties":{"_id":1742224315815},"content":"Consumer queries and complaints are increasingly common, with the CCPC annual report showing 45,000 people contacted its helpline last year, up 5,000 on 2023. Here again the rules need to be updated – the average amount spent by a consumer who contacted the commission was just over €6,000, but the Small Claims Court can only handle cases worth up to €2,000.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JNGN6ZMD2FGWJGMRAJ77RVZHTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742224315816},"content":"The CCPC has called for this arbitrary ceiling to be addressed to reflect the realities faced by consumers. This should happen – and the broader framework of consumer protection must be updated to ensure that those who routinely breach consumer legislation face a realistic penalty.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"There is little incentive for retailers to follow the rules, while the limit on cases which can be brought to the Small Claims Court reduces its usefulness for consumers"},"display_date":"2025-03-17T20:45:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on consumer protection in Ireland : more realistic penalties needed","native":"More realistic penalties are needed to underpin consumer protection"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"CNU6B45BI5CJLD6UDOBGZM7G4I","auth":{"1":"c1790a22ce22263bb8538479a05532c2558c83907b6127dd398c4ff1dfb57e4b"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CNU6B45BI5CJLD6UDOBGZM7G4I.JPG"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/17/the-irish-times-view-on-consumer-protection-in-ireland-more-realistic-penalties-needed/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"PS3H5Q4MJFGNHME4UD57FMCOFM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":179,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e80361f8-facf-4d51-b406-7ddd968d3978/versions/1742236443/media/9590007fd2d7fe281c807ff98c5056f8_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/17/the-irish-times-view-on-the-kurds-turning-points-in-turkey-and-syria/","content_elements":[{"_id":"NCRPFWWWLNDGXDJNDZ2L7EFA2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1742225197392},"content":"The Kurds are a stateless people of up to 45 million living in the Kurdistan mountains of west Asia, spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq and northern Syria. Their geographical spread across these four states, in each of which they are cultural and linguistic minorities, has given them a turbulent history and conflictual politics.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OLEXY636XZFL7LHHZG4LAHZE6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1742225197393},"content":"They have now reached another turning point.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MAPPD3ZFLBF5RJOPFBI3IY6SOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742225197394},"content":"Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) has called on his 5,000 guerrilla followers to lay down arms<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2025/03/02/turkeys-erdogan-makes-risky-bet-on-peace-with-kurds/\" target=\"_blank\"> after talks with the Turkish government</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NSNZ3POA2BBF3NLLXQT2RBJUHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1742225197395},"content":"The negotiations concerned cultural, civil and economic rights, release of thousands of Kurdish political prisoners and a prospective opening up of political opportunity for the 17 million Turkish Kurds in Turkey, one fifth of its population. Erdogan has fought a ferocious war against the PKK for the last decade and repressed its political allies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OGHQS3TWQBAJDJN7FIAOOXOOQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742225197396},"content":"This Turkish initiative was followed last week by another from the new Syrian regime led by<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2025/03/16/the-secret-history-of-syrias-new-leader-ahmed-al-sharaa/\" target=\"_blank\"> interim president Ahmed Al-Sharaa.</a> He signed an agreement on mutual recognition and political integration with the Kurds who control much of the state’s territory in northern Syria.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RFSZDUX4VVGZFNC6ZPFQCEUPAY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742225197397},"content":"It was greeted rapturously by his supporters and many others in Damascus. This came only days after bloody fighting and atrocities between the new regime’s army and Alawite minority forces who supported a coup attempt by supporters of the previous repressive Assad regime, in which upwards of 1,300 people died.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q4ARL6LUVFH6TPF5EPQKMDA7JI","additional_properties":{"_id":1742225197398},"content":"Two days later<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2025/03/12/syrias-interim-president-secures-agreement-with-druze-and-kurds/\" target=\"_blank\">, a similar agreement, with the Syrian Druze minority</a> confirms Al-Sharaa’s declared intentions to make Syria more inclusive, despite his own movement’s background in Islamic fundamentalism.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YJGNKIL2UFCRPJ26CF47BYCHLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742225197399},"content":"In Turkey, it makes sense for Erdogan to take this initiative as he hopes to secure Kurdish support for extending his presidential term and because geopolitical shifts in the region gives him an opportunity to do it to Turkey’s advantage. Kurds predominantly support Turkey’s third largest party, which could have a pivotal role in its politics if the PKK follows Ocalan’s call to disarm.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZXZDD7BJGZDK3KIICW34FOMXVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742225197400},"content":"Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq have been weakened by the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria and by Israel’s military successes. Erdogan sees a major regional political and economic role for Turkey in Syria and Iraq that would be made easier by peace with the Kurds, who have little option but to go with it considering their relative weakness. Whether the autocratic Erdogan can give them proper guarantees about their future is their huge dilemma.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V33XGXJ6X5DWVD4HCVYQNUY4EA","additional_properties":{"_id":1742225197401},"content":"Al-Sharaa’s initiatives in Syria are equally daring. A move to ease international sanctions may be appropriate, though Europe and others will warn that this is contingent on an end to violence.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Negotiations with Erdogan in Turkey and the new Syrian regime raise hopes for an end to fighting"},"display_date":"2025-03-17T20:23:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the Kurds: turning points in Turkey and Syria","native":"The history of the Kurds in Turkey and Syria has reached another turning point"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PLFR7Q6L7JDTVY6TKUSMGG7KPI","auth":{"1":"7e63c77ff9334b327e69723a7aa7f475ee4a8f2eb65980be462b68a83c020c2a"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PLFR7Q6L7JDTVY6TKUSMGG7KPI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/17/the-irish-times-view-on-the-kurds-turning-points-in-turkey-and-syria/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"3VFVQ3T33FEVFKSUHYV7RHVQFY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":195,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/72829dba-81ef-4797-a18b-bd9a55058fbd/versions/1742147374/media/55601ad0f4c1dc3317ed1f1f7f1e9ef7_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/16/the-irish-times-view-on-st-patricks-day-celebrating-a-story-still-relevant-today/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7P5ZEEEM3BGWHFXOQI4LDXF36Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1742146256764},"content":"All nations need their symbols and Ireland has, in St Patrick, one that travels and resonates exceptionally far and deep. Getting beyond the myths and legends associated with this icon is complicated by antiquity. Documents about Patrick, born into a Christian family of fifth-century Roman Britain and, in his own words, “led to Ireland in captivity,” date from the seventh century. Even then, scholars writing about him struggled to establish authenticity and precise chronology. Simultaneously, clergymen promoted him as a national apostle, developing the cult of St Patrick to meet the propaganda needs and politics of the church at that time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SP6KE32R2FAMFHE5OPAQWTJTUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742146256765},"content":"Listed as a saint’s day in the Irish legal calendar since 1607 to mark the death of St Patrick in the late fifth century, and an official Irish holiday since 1904, St Patrick’s Day has served numerous functions and been attached to various causes over the centuries, while consistently providing a rallying point for those of Irish heritage. The first St Patrick’s Day parade in New York was held in 1766. In 1801 the red saltire of St Patrick was incorporated in the Union flag. What became the Irish Republican Brotherhood, dedicated to the violent overthrow of British rule in Ireland, was established on St Patrick’s Day in 1858.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ITW6F426SVCQ3KUK7S7K2N4EE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742146256766},"content":"The day provided an opportunity for cultural nationalists to showcase Irish language and music, but it was celebrated historically throughout Ireland, and both Catholic and Protestant churches were named in his honour. The revolutionary decade 1913-23 and partition undermined the inclusive nature of St Patrick’s Day celebrations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVPWJLRSTRBQTBVRNAXJ34DPTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742146256767},"content":"The contemporary commercialisation of St Patrick obscures the extent to which his honouring was once associated with pilgrimage and religion. Cultural revivalists ensured the voluntary closure of pubs on St Patrick’s Day in 1904, a prohibition legislated for by the Free State in 1927.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CHLURQ53TNBGXJC3NJCAQ5Y3JY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742146256768},"content":"The more recent scale of revelry has generated concerns about crassness and excess. But the opportunities the day offers have understandably been embraced. Ireland’s place in the world revolves much around deployment of “soft power” – the global economic connections, the scale of its diaspora and the penetration of its culture.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WB7TRWE5CZHRVHXZUPSKU6E3C4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742146256769},"content":"The shamrock in the White House tradition was instigated in 1952 by Ireland’s US ambassador to build diplomatic bridges damaged by Irish neutrality during the second World War. This year, 38 Irish state representatives have been visiting over 40 countries. Given current international turbulence and challenging questions about Irish economic and defence policy, the unique diplomatic opportunities offered by St Patrick’s Day take on added significance. These need to be combined with pride in our distinctive culture and recognition of the continuing relevance of Patrick’s story to migration, nationalism, faith and the invention and distortion of tradition.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Given international turbulence, the unique diplomatic opportunities offered by the national day have taken on added significance"},"display_date":"2025-03-16T20:35:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on St Patrick’s Day: celebrating a story still relevant today","native":"St Patrick’s Day: celebrating a story still relevant today"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6WQLWGPZPPAIRWRGGYQKZGDEOA","auth":{"1":"4b9deb13905fd869a3ff996c7ccd83d035e69b24a68790f02c194043c7b70e8c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6WQLWGPZPPAIRWRGGYQKZGDEOA.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/16/the-irish-times-view-on-st-patricks-day-celebrating-a-story-still-relevant-today/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"HHKHWJOAQFCH3HNT3G3F6M7QHE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":138,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/dcb3bfe8-89d0-42d8-b6e9-de19a75ff68e/versions/1742146672/media/3bc0e262b23ca8a4d8c2d9f6636c4028_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/16/the-irish-times-view-of-events-in-gaza-despite-the-ceasefire-civilians-are-still-suffering/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4MMJCGHE7ZBUFKLNSHBN47CSVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1742136031829},"content":"The Gaza ceasefire is holding. Just. But Israel’s war against Gazans continues by other means, a siege that not only defies the spirit of a supposed cessation of hostilities, but also relies heavily on means specifically prohibited by internationally agreed rules of war.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FUEOEPCG5GTLA45JUV52UOCPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742136031830},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2025/03/10/israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-latest/\" target=\"_blank\">Since the start of March,</a> Israel has blocked aid deliveries to Gaza including food and fuel to pressurise Hamas over hostages. Last week it severely reduced electricity supplies, also hitting water treatment. And it has threatened to cut off all water supplies unless Hamas releases all remaining hostages.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L2E6NM7JNVDHPNZ7USPOURZQKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742136031831},"content":"These are acts of collective punishment against the civilian population, characterised in November by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants for prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as crimes against humanity and war crimes and the use of “starvation as a method of warfare”. In the seven weeks of the Gaza ceasefire, Israel has also massively intensified its deadly attacks on Palestinian communities in the West Bank, forcing some 40,000 from their homes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XV5YCSBLBBFPFJZCNFKKX3DLRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1742136031832},"content":"On Thursday,<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2025/03/13/un-experts-accuse-israel-of-genocidal-acts-and-sexual-violence-in-gaza/\" target=\"_blank\"> a UN human rights committee</a> accused Israel of targeting hospitals and other health facilities in Gaza that provide reproductive services, including an IVF clinic where thousands of embryos were destroyed, in what it called an effort to prevent Palestinian births.","type":"text"},{"_id":"62K5AOAZ6NBP5HI7P33VDAJBSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1742136031833},"content":"The second talks round of the ceasefire process was to begin two weeks ago, during which the parties were supposed to agree a permanent ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. But Israel is now demanding that Hamas release half the remaining hostages on day one, rather than in a sequenced manner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S73DXRNUCJHBXMK7FMTLCEFZXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1742136031834},"content":"Hamas is believed to still hold 24 living hostages in Gaza and the remains of 35 others. Despite pressure from mediators Qatar and Egypt and the US<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2025/03/14/hamas-to-hand-over-american-hostage-held-in-gaza/\" target=\"_blank\">, it is thought unlikely to give up many</a> ahead of an agreement providing for a long-term settlement. It sees them as its bargaining chips in talks tentatively beginning in Qatar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YGE36IC2FJDJ7CXGMKGDNLCL4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1742136031835},"content":"This illegal abuse of civilians by both sides must stop..","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Israel’s blockage of aid deliveries is punishing the civilian population"},"display_date":"2025-03-16T20:15:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view of events in Gaza: despite the ceasefire, civilians are still suffering","native":"Despite the Gaza ceasefire, civilians are still suffering"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MKN4A6AO3VAMW52BLSHYFFHTFA","auth":{"1":"6014853173da303cc11b707c07b9beb87bbda082cc72286a353ad143e78fe927"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MKN4A6AO3VAMW52BLSHYFFHTFA.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/16/the-irish-times-view-of-events-in-gaza-despite-the-ceasefire-civilians-are-still-suffering/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"TTKSR7X5G5B6RMKU2KKXCT5VHM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":136,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/764d8604-ddfa-4257-ae56-031b6b71c046/versions/1741972666/media/3e38cd2dd302cf95a5a99bc7df268a60_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/15/the-irish-times-view-on-irelands-top-100-irish-fiction-titles-reflecting-a-rich-heritage/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7GY37C6K25GNDJFMN275HHWUWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1741971970511},"content":"The list in Saturday’s Irish Times of the top 100 Irish fiction titles of the first quarter of the 21st century is persuasive evidence of the vitality of contemporary Irish literature, of a tradition as healthy at the bud as at the root.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VJW47EXW2RGE3EPOJFFMSFZPR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741971970512},"content":"There is change as well as continuity, however, a 56-44 female-male split indicative of a hard-won equality in a once male-dominated field. Many titles are set abroad and it is remarkable how the US looms much larger in the imagination than Britain. It is, however, striking that, whereas exile was once the fate of many of our finest talents, almost all the writers listed live and work at home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZW7TTSIOVZF7BIWMTYBZPLATBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741971970513},"content":"That is not to say<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/2025/03/14/the-100-best-irish-books-of-the-21st-century-no-50-to-no-26/\" target=\"_blank\"> that authors</a> no longer struggle to find an audience.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6LXGOOEEWJD2DONYF7WUIOHIMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741971970514},"content":"Anna Burns, who wrote Milkman, the first choice of our panel, was living on the breadline before she won the Booker Prize.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7V6W25N3SBCU5K6EWCFDYNY6SM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741971970515},"content":"John McGahern may have become a national treasure by the time That They May Face the Rising Sun (the second choice) was published in 2002, four years before his death, but his early works were banned by the State and he was dismissed from his teaching post.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AJXIF6EUX5HPDHT24FBDGTXXAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741971970516},"content":"Mike McCormack had been dropped by his London publisher for poor sales and could not find a home for his masterpiece Solar Bones (the panel’s third choice) until a small Irish publisher, Tramp Press, took a chance on it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SR52ZEQFXNGSDKTRDLCVENKO7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1741971970517},"content":"What these and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/2025/03/13/the-100-best-irish-fiction-books-of-the-21st-century-so-far-no-100-to-no-51/\" target=\"_blank\">many of the other titles </a>have in common, apart from their excellence, is an eloquent evocation of place, be it Belfast, Leitrim or Mayo, a reckoning with the past and a concern with how to live well, the individual conscience sometimes at odds with community or family.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMSZPPHCT5H2ZDOZNQ4L4ALHNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741971970518},"content":"Irish authors’ stories have also inspired other art-forms. Nine of our top 20 have been adapted for film or television, others for the stage.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ISUFXQAIZZEJVPBAQDGMHUV5QY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741971970519},"content":"But the value of fiction is more than merely economic. Milkman’s young heroine endeared herself to readers not just by outsmarting a paramilitary stalker and wittily critiquing a crooked state and community groupthink but also because she turned a love of fiction into a survival strategy.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"What many of the titles have in common, apart from their excellence, is an eloquent evocation of place"},"display_date":"2025-03-15T06:12:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on Ireland’s top 100 Irish fiction titles: renewing the canon","native":"The list of Ireland's top 100 fiction titles reflects a rich heritage"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HUUG6JZSO7VGSJ64WJ7N7AXZ4U","auth":{"1":"81cea9fb92106f52e193542578b2ce45c711cb33c430ce7718fd4906b640c044"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HUUG6JZSO7VGSJ64WJ7N7AXZ4U.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/15/the-irish-times-view-on-irelands-top-100-irish-fiction-titles-reflecting-a-rich-heritage/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"I32JWUIHWFFF3BSRCNHWFHMTII","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":181,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a42b1360-c3d8-4e84-a9e5-d8ce34d4c53b/versions/1741975192/media/6c97fb6bc54c31bbac65d3b8f731ac18_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/14/the-irish-times-view-on-the-fall-out-from-the-oval-office-visit-ireland-remains-in-a-tight-corner/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4U4V63XKJFGGFBA4HOXCHOLGKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is a reflection of the world today that the visit by an Irish taoiseach to the White House can be judged a success, even as the US president <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/03/14/pat-leahy-ireland-still-faces-threats-from-the-trump-presidency/\" target=\"_blank\">issues serious threats</a> to the Irish economy. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"C7IKEWQEMJEOPOEORERZ3GOIUI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Micheál Martin did indeed do well in his encounter with Donald Trump, but the US president still spoke about Ireland “stealing” <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2025/03/13/donald-trump-says-ireland-has-been-stealing-us-pharma-investment-so-what-happens-next/\" target=\"_blank\">American pharma investment</a> and continues to threaten the imposition of significant tariffs on EU imports. And little store can be put on Trump’s assurance that he does not want to hurt Ireland, when shortly after meeting the Taoiseach he threatened<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/03/13/trump-vows-200-tariff-on-eu-wine-escalating-trade-tensions/\" target=\"_blank\"> swingeing 200 per cent tariffs</a> on EU drinks exports to the US, posing a serious threat to the Irish spirits industry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PELS54P5SFCIJKMMEXYYF7T4UA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The saga over the drinks trade – the EU had threatened tariffs on some US drink products in retaliation for US tariffs on steel and aluminium – shows how trade wars quickly build. It also illustrates the delicate diplomatic challenges facing Ireland. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"SXWKYSY2UZHLHBUSFRUZZJSSHU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Trump’s response to the EU move, if implemented, would threaten exports and jobs in Ireland. But as the EU negotiates on trade on behalf of member states, Ireland has to implement what is decided in Brussels . Given Ireland’s particularly large trade exposure to the US, Irish ministers will be pushing the line that the two sides should negotiate and trying to minimise the immediate EU reaction. However, others in the EU will want to respond more strongly to Trump’s bullying trade tactics – and this is what is likely to happen. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"IBUMBZEU25AIPAWZWIOYYA7DUU","additional_properties":{},"content":"The wider point here is that Ireland may struggle to get a hearing for its views – or for the threats to the Irish economy – from other EU member states. The State is seen to have done very well in recent years and the stellar growth in corporate tax revenue in particular has been noted in Berlin, Paris and other EU capitals, as well as in Washington DC. While other countries are considering where to cut, or how much to borrow, to fund extra spending on defence, Ireland – with a strong budget surplus – still spends much less in this area. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TQ4GL7ZJPFAGZD6RO5WTORAGT4","additional_properties":{},"content":"None of this positions Ireland well as the State tries to do what it can to stop the outbreak of tensions between the US and the EU from turning into an outright trade war. And there is no doubt that this is now a live prospect. Despite wobbles in the financial markets and fears of a US recession, the Trump administration seems intent on pushing ahead with much more significant tariffs than those announced to date. And while the EU will negotiate when it can, there is little doubt but that it would also retaliate and that this in turn would further up the ante. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"7OFIJNZR3VEO5GQ7XG3GSTDB34","additional_properties":{},"content":"There is probably still a brief window in which a transatlantic trade conflict could be avoided. But if, by early April, Trump goes ahead with further tariffs, then the omens will not be good. And Ireland’s economy will be on the front line.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Ireland it not well positioned to try to stop the outbreak of a full-scale trade war between the EU and the US"},"display_date":"2025-03-14T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the fall-out from the Oval Office visit: Ireland remains in a tight corner ","native":"After the Oval Office visit, Ireland remains in a tight corner"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"D6BPG3WKSYLF6RMIBXVMJKW7JI","auth":{"1":"91fca36e74b88209f2f05486d59b076581b32ad93f60f7d8ca64993dcb4d5cb6"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/D6BPG3WKSYLF6RMIBXVMJKW7JI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/14/the-irish-times-view-on-the-fall-out-from-the-oval-office-visit-ireland-remains-in-a-tight-corner/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"54R3KMPX6RB7ZACXXMKXWSXX7E","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":189,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/c9c0ab98-36c6-4152-bc9d-90b049ca937e/versions/1741891361/media/04750490d269018f96f431f6267f1d75_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/13/the-irish-times-view-on-autism-and-education-state-is-still-playing-catch-up/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Y3ONA2URAFBLVCMSZ6PYCKKMDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890553415},"content":"On the face of it, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2025/03/11/one-in-20-irish-schoolchildren-diagnosed-with-autism-a-threefold-rise/\" target=\"_blank\">official figures </a>which show a three-fold rise in autism among schoolchildren are alarming. The Department of Education has moved from using an autism prevalence rate of 1.5 per cent to 5 per cent, or one in 20 children, in less than a decade. For most experts in the field, however, there is little surprise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TVQAGCFEZBEPBGH57SQQEEWBZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890553416},"content":"The increase, they say, is down to a number of factors such as increased awareness, more sophisticated diagnosis and a significant widening of assessment boundaries for autism. Asperger’s syndrome, for example, was removed as a diagnosis in 2013 and has been integrated into a much broader diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Other jurisdictions are recording increases on a similar scale. There is no epidemic; we are simply better at spotting autism and related conditions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QLO456LK6BEZ3JJLPIPOA245SE","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890553417},"content":"Where once there was a stigma around conditions such as autism, now there is a recognition that early diagnosis is key to accessing supports and therapeutic services. The fact that a diagnosis unlocks access to services means professionals may also be more likely to assess children as autistic for those on the borderline of clinical criteria.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QVXR7SLAENFR3OFKD6ZDB2YJ2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890553418},"content":"If there is surprise at the figures, it appears to be among authorities tasked with planning for educational and health services for the growing number of children with additional needs. The State has a shameful record in this area. As recently as the late 1990s, the Department of Education argued in court that some children with complex needs were “ineducable”. There were attempts to keep families in the dark over their entitlements. Thanks chiefly to parent-led campaigns and legal actions, that has changed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UAVVYUFALBBRJAAAV6MK4VAQSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890553419},"content":"Successive governments have been playing catch-up over the years: the number of special classes for children in mainstream schools has increased from 300 to more than 3,000 since 2010, while about 30 per cent of the education budget now goes towards special education. These are welcome steps in the right direction, but they are nowhere near enough. Unacceptable numbers of children are still going without appropriate school places. There are scandalous waiting lists for assessments of need, as well as access to vital therapies which can improve children’s lives.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VCZKRLWRKZBKTIPNF73Q62ZMXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890553420},"content":"The last government’s programme pledged to ensure “each child with a special educational need has an appropriate school place, in line with their constitutional right”. It fell well short of this commitment. The latest Programme for Government pledges to ensure that our “education system is fully inclusive of every student”. If it is to achieve this, funding is just part of the answer; it will require political will and a whole-of-government response to improve planning and delivery of vital services. We have made some progress, but too many children continue to fall through the cracks and have their rights violated.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"These have been welcome steps in the right direction, but they are nowhere near enough"},"display_date":"2025-03-13T20:40:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on autism and education: State is still playing catch up","native":"State is stilll playing catch up in providing education for children diagnosed with autism"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"CZY5KI6WR4TX72BCO2OJNZQTEM","auth":{"1":"a398754dc6ac68dead463023013e27b1e923d5201698539838cc21f71c27990c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CZY5KI6WR4TX72BCO2OJNZQTEM.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/13/the-irish-times-view-on-autism-and-education-state-is-still-playing-catch-up/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"YTUN4S5FRNC7FGMY4FTADCOTHI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":136,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/f99cc08c-be08-4563-b7b5-30964ee43df5/versions/1741891605/media/267b5b8cf09e866a2d548338c91ea74d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/13/the-irish-times-view-on-the-latest-inflation-figures-future-supports-for-households-must-be-focused/","content_elements":[{"_id":"AMZFR5CU4ZCOTAC4U6XP2I67EU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890809702},"content":"The <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/03/13/headline-inflation-eases-to-18-in-february/\" target=\"_blank\">Irish inflation figures for February</a>, published yesterday, show that price pressures overall remain moderate, with the annual rate slowing to 1.8 per cent. The recent inflation peak of 9.2 per cent in late 2022 now seems like a distant memory. The fall is welcome – even if signs of inflationary pressures remain in some sectors. However, the policy problem is that the high level of prices which remains in the wake of the inflationary surge continues to leave many households under some pressure.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F37P7UTO65EWZFGDMTP6V2FCCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890809703},"content":"There have been a few fresh indicators of this over the past week. Briefing documents given to Minister for Energy Darragh O’Brien show that bills remain 90 per cent higher for gas and more than 60 per cent higher for electricity compared with pre-energy crisis prices. Meanwhile, new research from the Economic and Social Research Institute showed the high levels of poverty among lone parents.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DOTCQWUMPRAZHGPCV4DY4PJ3IA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890809704},"content":"The Government needs to take care in its response. During the sharp rise in prices it introduced emergency measures, many of which benefited all households. These included the expensive energy credits programme, for which another round was introduced in the last budget in an unwise bit of pre-election spending.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JT5S3COMBZCQXAIL7F6ZTB6T6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890809705},"content":"There is no case to resume these universal supports in the next budget. They were already continued for too long, providing welcome cash to those who needed it, but also to those who did not. Payments, once introduced, are hard to do away with, but with serious pressures already on public spending the energy credits and other universal measures need to go.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PIHXUQHL4VCXXNRG75PNQRDG3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1741890809706},"content":"Instead, the State should concentrate on permanent measures, focused on the households that need support. This is a better use of money and also reassures those households that they are now receiving support on a permanent basis. Budget ministers Paschal Donohoe and Jack Chambers have said this is the direction to go. But there is no doubt that pressure will build for another round of universal payments for “just one more time” as Budget day approaches.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The State cannot compensate the entire population for prices which remain high - it must concentrate on those who need help"},"display_date":"2025-03-13T20:15:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the latest inflation figures: future supports for households must be focused","native":"As inflation falls, future State supports to households must focus on those who need help"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ELAFEUMTYRCCGY6ZRVCHHIG2HU","auth":{"1":"51247a5f70601f0144ea5726d7b25ba4e7992011346d86644e33dc3aa9aa357d"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ELAFEUMTYRCCGY6ZRVCHHIG2HU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/13/the-irish-times-view-on-the-latest-inflation-figures-future-supports-for-households-must-be-focused/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"OVBNNS7FRFDIBGRQVTNU3JIODI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":175,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/071d0b0e-1b5c-49c0-adfb-100756878b62/versions/1741807827/media/344681fb0f8794879bcf7ef4a2d027e7_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-white-house-visit-martin-survives-chaotic-encounter/","content_elements":[{"_id":"522XJCGDTZEXJHT64TTQZHGGSE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Perhaps the Irish card does still count for something in Washington. Taoiseach Micheál Martin escaped from the Oval Office after <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/photography/2025/03/12/in-pictures-a-st-patricks-day-visit-to-the-white-house-like-no-other/\" target=\"_blank\">a rather chaotic session </a>dominated by media questions and a US president in full flow. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/03/12/micheal-martins-white-house-bout-with-donald-trump-how-did-the-taoiseach-fare/\" target=\"_blank\">Martin handled it about as well as he could have</a>, underlining the value to the US of the economic relationship with Ireland and giving the administration credit for its efforts to bring peace to Ukraine. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OCY4GQQFCJBX5PSH3XO6VO2X3Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Taoiseach struggled to get a word in early on as Donald Trump answered a range of questions from the press, as part of which he repeated his view that the EU had taken advantage of the US over the years. Later, Martin managed to intervene on a number of occasions, getting in his key economic talking points and avoided drawing any hostility from his hosts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DCUZ7MVXTJBB3KXCF4DK47CLMM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Given the seriousness of the housing crisis, Martin may regret laughing at Trump’s comments that it was a “good problem” for Ireland to have – as it reflected economic growth. Later, the Taoiseach spoke about how housing was his number one policy priority. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QSJSWICACZCTLAEV6CCULR7Z4A","additional_properties":{},"content":"The meeting pointed clearly to other challenges ahead. The US president made a point of underlining the significant trade deficit the US has with Ireland , saying he wants to address this in a “nice way” and without hurting this country.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2NAJ4WMVFFYNHMF57YPKPFQE4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The reality is, of course, that Ireland may well be damaged economically by what is to come. Trump was resolute that he wanted to impose significant additional tariffs on the EU and said that next month would see big moves here. This could make the tariffs on steel and aluminium, imposed yesterday – and the EU’s planned response– a sign of worse to come. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MUKL74WPQZBHVAOHSJM3AQOX7A","additional_properties":{},"content":"There are, however, several weeks before the EU tariffs are due to kick in -–and more general US tariffs are due – and there is time for negotiation in the meantime. Ireland will be one of the EU member states encouraging this to happen, but the signs are that a bumpy period lies ahead in EU/US relations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UDOEOB5BVGKTKDKPQA7XT6MV4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Referring specifically to Ireland, the president underlined his determination to attract American pharmaceutical investment located here back to the US, a threat to Irish jobs and tax revenue. Martin appeared to suggest there might be a negotiated way forward here – what this might be is not clear. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VSZ6S2TWFVCA3MP5ZFTAI7AHN4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Ireland is too small a country to be a particular target for Trump. But the presence of big US companies here producing for the American market is clearly a bugbear for him and – despite his fondness for Ireland – it is clear that this carries dangers for this State. So does the real risk of a full-blown trade war as Trump pursues his deeply mistaken tariffs agenda. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"YA6NRTYBH5BORJHC5EJ5NMVZRY","additional_properties":{},"content":" A huge job of economic diplomacy lies ahead for Ireland in Washington and Brussels.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Micheál Martin handled the meeting about as well as he could have, though there were still clear signs of trouble ahead"},"display_date":"2025-03-12T20:35:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the White House visit: Martin survives chaotic encounter","native":"Micheál Martin survived a chaotic encounter in the White House"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"NJBTGTPU4PROAK7SIRTIKVNTYU","auth":{"1":"f7b9e79816d66e4f40217d30760e335f32d80164c2a5a7e969f338c8c01762df"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/NJBTGTPU4PROAK7SIRTIKVNTYU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-white-house-visit-martin-survives-chaotic-encounter/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"ZZYVWXDTIRFKXOTTXSPEAEMBP4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":138,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/20288c3d-f101-4cbb-80d5-00a4e82bd68d/versions/1741796733/media/53179872e38d8fe0c431769513d51afb_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-ukraine-peace-talks-waiting-for-moscows-reply/","content_elements":[{"_id":"5U5EXFL5NJBCFL2DZAORPF6NS4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The ball is now in Russia’s court, US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said. The focus of efforts to bring temporary peace to Ukraine has switched to Moscow with the agreement, brokered by Rubio in Saudi Arabia, to a 30-day ceasefire, should President Vladimir Putin reciprocate.","type":"text"},{"_id":"THFO7PY5EJECVJSM7GRQBFJ6AA","additional_properties":{},"content":"It marks a welcome U-turn in US-Ukraine relations following President Trump’s bullying White House meeting with President Zelenskiy two weeks ago. Zelenskiy says an “important element” in the talks was the US commitment to resume military and intelligence assistance. Ukraine indicated its willingness to sign a minerals deal under which it will contribute 50 per cent of proceeds from the “future monetisation” of mineral sales to a fund in which the US will have a big stake.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OFA5RBSKIBBXFMHP57RGFM6OL4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Much like phase one of the Gaza truce, the ceasefire is the easy bit on the path to a sustainable peace. Though a welcome first step that will save lives, the critical ingredients of a lasting peace remain unaddressed, to be broached in a second round. There are no tentative concessions on offer and declared red lines aplenty.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BBC6QFHXYFAEXPEEUVX62DIZXU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Will the temporarily frozen battle lines end up marking permanent Russian gains? What of Crimea, Kursk and Donbass? Will Moscow recognise Kyiv’s legitimacy? Will Russia accept European, if not Nato, troops on the ground to guarantee a permanent peace? Will the US provide a backstop to that guarantee beyond a vague insistence that Russia would not dare threaten its “thousands” of mine concession workers? Would Ukraine agree to demilitarise and renounce joining Nato, central demands from Moscow?","type":"text"},{"_id":"262HUDBWI5FAFJZ7L7Q5QO7S54","additional_properties":{},"content":"Hints from Moscow suggest an openness to ceasefire talks, but also some wariness. It may suit Putin to appear willing to accept the first phase of the Trump process, which involves no concessions from Moscow, and then to dig in at the second stage, when substantive issues are on the table, threatening a quick return to fighting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZMUJDHUC2JENXDV3PCX3437TIA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Will we then see Trump willing to arm-twist Putin as he has Zelenskiy? Not on current form.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"A ceasefire would be a welcome first step, though the critical ingredients of a lasting peace deal remain to be addressed"},"display_date":"2025-03-12T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the Ukraine peace talks: waiting for Moscow’s reply","native":"All eyes are on Moscow now to see whether a Ukraine ceasefire can be agreed"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"KIUOINUGCIG6R55CJ3CYJDRGDA","auth":{"1":"699ca8d68c66475fd4a5ad83f27dfd4972440575cbd32d433ce804a8a72a3225"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KIUOINUGCIG6R55CJ3CYJDRGDA.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-ukraine-peace-talks-waiting-for-moscows-reply/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"NVA7WF7DUVEUPMOPYXBVXD6NWE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":189,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/410cca01-0bde-42c9-8f39-c71e23afde26/versions/1741712297/media/947a78d65d8a2ca5246d296af6e034b3_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-covid-19-anniversary-five-years-on-it-is-time-for-an-inquiry/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CROUMK77KNEXHPWMT4FOBMMTUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1741714215769},"content":"The Covid-19 pandemic may be in the past, but for a great many people the associated trauma will resurface all too easily on this five-year anniversary of Ireland’s first lockdown, announced from Washington DC by then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Older people all too often died in appalling circumstances of isolation. For others, “long Covid” took years to see off or still lingers, diminishing their quality of life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EOPGHIXKPRHD3GLAPSU4O7QQKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741714215770},"content":"Those at the frontline, looking after patients and maintaining essential services, were often forced to work under intolerable conditions. Yet they helped curtail deaths when many other countries failed to apply the necessary rigorous controls and coordination across society. This was reinforced by public understanding and acceptance of what needed to be done.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ELF7ENPCGZATZOUHKAUAS64MTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741714215771},"content":"Pandemics by their nature involve troublesome variants of a virus that becomes more virulent and more transmissible as it spreads. Covid lived up to form, respected no border and showed little mercy. In Ireland, more than 10,000 people died.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7UQUTYBFBES3O5IA4NJK7SDKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741714215772},"content":"Ireland’s response, while far from perfect, compares relatively favourably with other countries in the developed world. Vaccine uptake was impressive, with an relative absence of the misinformation that dominated social media elsewhere.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JTVY4HBHCFB4PHBCSEOSJ3ZAJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741714215773},"content":"Development of a range of vaccines saved millions of lives, though internationally their distribution was marred by unfairness; the rich got their dose, the rest had to make do. Despite what US president Donald Trump and his anti-public health acolytes claim, they were highly effective and timely. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was rolled out in less than 12 months. Covid-19 also demonstrated how flexibility at scale can be achieved through remote working, enabling economies to soldier on; it is a trend that is probably here to stay, at least in some form.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KNLO5SC54ZEOPBUPMNPF6HRAO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741714215774},"content":"Ireland is fortunate in having a strong sense of public trust in scientists and doctors, though the healthcare system has persistent capacity issues and unacceptable delays in providing basic services. The lack of intensive care beds while Covid raged epitomised such problems.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IKNJB2VTOBH6VGMFPDVCQ3WTGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741714215775},"content":"After much delay, the Government has decided to “evaluate” rather than interrogate its handling of the pandemic. There is much to reflect on, given the handling of the lockdowns, the manner with which – early in the pandemic – nursing homes were cut adrift and the failure to introduce mandatory wearing of face masks soon enough.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7W2CQ6H4ZZBKDNH4MH7AJPQN5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1741714215776},"content":"The inquiry should not demonise those who were working under immense stress, trying to control an emerging disease with no history to inform treatment, nor should it come with bitter recrimination, as seen in the UK. It must be sufficiently robust, however, to address all the issues, while enabling improved preparedness for the inevitable next pandemic.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"There is much to reflect on in the handling of the pandemic and a robust process is needed to ensure the correct lessons are learned"},"display_date":"2025-03-12T12:05:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the Covid-19 anniversary: five years on, it is time for an inquiry","native":"Five years on, it is time for a robust inquiry into Ireland's handling of Covid-19"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"JTOEDXHNKALL6HRNFEPWXUPJIY","auth":{"1":"fb924745065b85b298db30f3f2d785122e16e91a673d3045e6b01cbdd8472c82"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/JTOEDXHNKALL6HRNFEPWXUPJIY.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/12/the-irish-times-view-on-the-covid-19-anniversary-five-years-on-it-is-time-for-an-inquiry/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"FIKWHLNL4JGUVELXS6KCWRIIHY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":131,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/dcdcf57c-7a07-45cb-8bf9-d77833740203/versions/1741713201/media/805482fddc404d151e53e51f29e40f14_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/11/the-irish-times-view-on-politics-in-romania-a-disputed-far-right-candidacy/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CIJMWMOW3FCZRCP76CHWNLLQD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741712429335},"content":"Romanian would-be presidential candidate Calin Georgescu claimed “a direct blow to the heart of world democracy” on Elon Musk’s X platform last Sunday, after election authorities blocked his candidacy and that of three colleagues from the poll to be held in May. “If democracy in Romania falls, the entire democratic world will fall!” he claimed. Musk, aligning himself again with Europe’s far-right, described the ban as “crazy”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RTIKWHCLOBAU7KLYKLFJQWK7PM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741712429336},"content":"Georgescu, an ultranationalist outspoken critic of Ukraine and Nato, who has voiced sympathy for Russia, holocaust denial and Romania’s second World War fascist leadership, had come from nowhere last November to win the first round of the presidential election. In December he saw his second round bid – and the whole round – suspended after evidence emerged of connections to extremist far-right groups, mysterious cash, and a massive Russia-linked TikTok influence operation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"USCXQYKX4VDB3CLMEX7QTXBGF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741712429337},"content":"The constitutional court annulled his first round victory, and he is now back in that court appealing Sunday’s ban. The court will rule shortly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VHNB4ASR5BC3NP2BA4VEBUX5VY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741712429338},"content":"Two weeks ago Romanian prosecutors laid charges against Georgescu for “incitement to actions against the constitutional order,” the “communication of false information” and involvement in the establishment of an organisation “with a fascist, racist or xenophobic character.” After questioning, he emerged from the courthouse doing a Nazi salute","type":"text"},{"_id":"NVNYAU647JBARL6AVO4GGELMA4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741712429339},"content":"Denying candidates the right to put their names before voters is more typical of autocracies like the Russia Georgescu supports. In democracies, it is legitimate only as a measure of last resort, a carefully deployed backstop for democracy itself. Romania is not alone – Germany legally prohibits the promotion of Nazism and historical revisionism.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3DMRLBKNRNFF3DJXWD7RV7URWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741712429340},"content":"There is an obvious risk that such measures can create martyrs and propaganda ammunition for the far-right in Romania and internationally. But the accusation is that Georgescu broke the law and the court will decide.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Calin Georgescu has been banned from standing in May’s presidential election and it is now up to the constitutional court to decide whether he can"},"display_date":"2025-03-11T20:20:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on politics in Romania: a disputed far-right candidacy","native":"A disputed far-right presidential candidacy in Romania comes before the courts"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MJT3T62MRS7IKHHOSOSJ2TJNQY","auth":{"1":"04cb21dfe52fc1524d1b0a911baab0bb3bcb8b9df6b729fd157a8b15ec41bbfb"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MJT3T62MRS7IKHHOSOSJ2TJNQY.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/11/the-irish-times-view-on-politics-in-romania-a-disputed-far-right-candidacy/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"THLH5CKQQJFBPL7442ATQUYKOQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":179,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/927485f8-8fbd-4873-a150-39aa92160b10/versions/1741626876/media/f93d64b37e08a232e31b9102448a3dae_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/10/the-irish-times-view-on-the-rising-cost-of-metrolink-the-unacceptable-price-of-delay/","content_elements":[{"_id":"OG7LPLF7J5BAXNX4YAVFAFL5CE","additional_properties":{"_id":1741626924578},"content":"Time is money. The long delays in getting the Metrolink project moving have led to a predictable surge in costs.<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/transport/2025/03/10/cost-of-long-delayed-metrolink-project-could-rise-to-more-than-23bn-minister-told/\" target=\"_blank\"> In briefing documents given to Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien,</a> senior civil servants estimated that the cost could now be up to €23 billion, though a final figure will only be known at the procurement stage. And that will only be reached if the project gets through planning and receives the final go-ahead from the Government.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R6GLQGEUENC6XM2IVOBXKNAYGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1741626924579},"content":"It is a familiar story, with political indecision, budgetary constraints and a slow planning process conspiring to delay a project that was first mooted as far back as 2002 and then abandoned after the financial crash. A planning decision had been due last year, but was delayed following the submission of new documents by Transport Infrastructure Ireland which were judged to require more oral hearings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AAQ6K4SNHJB4VNC4KMRQ4H2GLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741626924580},"content":"Delays in major projects tend to add to costs. According to analysis from the National Transport Authority, tender prices have increased by just over 30 per cent since 2021. Back then the estimated cost of Metrolink was between just over €7 billion and €12.25 billion. The delays also slow the coming on stream of benefits, with the project now unlikely to be up and running until the middle of the 2030s.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QJ2ZQP5EP5ACTMCMPUKDQIG3A4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741626924581},"content":"The projected additional cost will require the Government to be given a full, updated, business case and a new cost-benefit assessment to consider. Senior officials in the Department of Public Expenditure have warned that enough money has not been allocated to public transport in the 2026 to 2030 period in current plans and that a clear prioritisation is needed in the revised National Development Plan currently being drawn up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7FHVABULFNHKFEYXRTTYLH2RUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1741626924582},"content":"And this must be done transparently. The large sections redacted in the discussion of the Metro in the briefing notes to the Minister made available publicly may include some commercially-sensitive items, but all too often the public service goes well beyond what is necessary in this exercise. There is a strong case for Metrolink, which will serve not only the airport but also high population areas and the city centre. But it needs to be clearly and openly made.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TV6KAOVNVVGXDGTK4TVIJMWCB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741626924583},"content":"There must be fears that the Metrolink timeline will slip further. It will be likely to have spent three years in planning by the time a decision is made and, as seen by the project to extend the Dart to Kildare and Meath, legal challenges can lead to further delay. A rigorous planning process is needed for these projects – but it needs to move much more quickly and there are real questions about the balance between objections and the wider national interest, and about the role of the courts in planning. We have been looking at the illustrations of what a metro for Dublin might look like for many years, but have still to see a shovel in the ground.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"We have been looking at the illustrations of what a metro for Dublin might look like for many years, but have still to see a shovel in the ground"},"display_date":"2025-03-10T20:45:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the rising cost of Metrolink: the unacceptable price of delay","native":"The seemingly endless delays in the Metrolink project are pushing up the cost"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FFTA43G4MJCBXG4BGCZ3ZMFS3I","auth":{"1":"d6928e5ad7960a9fe06d8535a953f7357089f16c5546ba517b4e081343a30fe8"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FFTA43G4MJCBXG4BGCZ3ZMFS3I.png"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/10/the-irish-times-view-on-the-rising-cost-of-metrolink-the-unacceptable-price-of-delay/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"H5ICRK7LNJBE5CXU6TFMJEL3Z4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":138,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/1c97aa5b-bf40-4be3-96a9-b9b868cc15c1/versions/1741627302/media/a75664c13a03a3d30f61dc1f9f2fa51b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/10/the-irish-times-view-on-the-new-canadian-prime-minister-facing-a-battle-with-the-white-house/","content_elements":[{"_id":"2XAHWNCEGVFHXB5I2RXCWGNUDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741628216061},"content":"In picking f<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/canada/2025/03/09/ex-bank-of-england-governor-mark-carney-to-become-canadian-pm/\" target=\"_blank\">ormer central banker Mark Carney as its new leader and Canada’s prime minister </a>to succeed Justin Trudeau, the country’s Liberal party has also, inadvertently, given a defiantly ironic response to Donald Trump. The US president, avowedly determined to annex Canada as the 51st state of the Union, had taken to taunting Trudeau as “Governor”. Now he has a genuine former central bank governor as his interlocutor in Ottawa, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/canada/2025/03/10/mark-carney-canada-prime-minister-us-tariffs-donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\">a tough no-nonsense technocrat</a> who has, courtesy of Trump, galvanised the country and transformed the prospects of his party and the standing of the 10-year-old government.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6F6E7KRTSFCMNC4EU3QYU2K34Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1741628216062},"content":"Angry Canadians are determined not to be a pushover. Spontaneous retail boycotts have sprung up -– “Americanos” rebranded as “Canadianos” – while many have cancelled planned trips south, hurting the US tourist industry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BENWXGLUHND25D3JOUVONTNZQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741628216063},"content":"“America is not Canada. And Canada never, ever will be part of America in any way, shape or form,” Carney insisted in his acceptance speech. “We didn’t ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NXXQ4OBTZVED7NQBU5LSJMBQZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741628216064},"content":"Apart from Trump’s designs on Canadian sovereignty and the on-off tariff onslaught he has promised, the US’s friend, ally and neighbour faces a whole range of problems, not least housing prices and the cost of living, for which many blame Trudeau, who announced he would step down as leader in January after months of party infighting and poor polling. Carney, who will step into the premiership immediately, has promised to call an election quickly to secure a mandate for the confrontation with the US.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GYXLNRCKLNE2DAFTUJVBO4K7NI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741628216065},"content":"The Liberals had fallen sharply in the polls behind the Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre, who had modelled his revived party on Trumpist populism, its slogan “Canada is broken”. He was strongly backed by various allies of Trump, including billionaire X owner Elon Musk, but his “Canada First” defence of sovereignty has not convinced voters and the Liberals may win their fourth successive term. Polls show Carney as the prospective prime minister most trusted to stand up to Trump.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Mark Carney is seen by Canadians as the leader most trusted to stand up to Donald Trump"},"display_date":"2025-03-10T20:15:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the new Canadian prime minister: facing a battle with the White House ","native":"Canada's new prime minister is facing a battle with the White House"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FWXFAZLB5WGKJC3WXBTSROO2L4","auth":{"1":"3a0135b7140341e9b11ee6cf973cc2a9913cf9ef328c42354ba2d340432a06a4"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FWXFAZLB5WGKJC3WXBTSROO2L4.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/10/the-irish-times-view-on-the-new-canadian-prime-minister-facing-a-battle-with-the-white-house/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"X3CZE3JX2FGNTFCVQR4VN3K65Q","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":169,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/bdfdf601-ed10-464e-9ee8-3ab339190e95/versions/1741553017/media/84a7dd7e034d34880f41e5b07278410f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/09/the-irish-times-view-on-irish-health-insurance-an-expensive-part-of-a-two-tier-market/","content_elements":[{"_id":"2KBCOMMWRRHJPISAUSNBWJUYHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553450413},"content":"The relentlessness of the price increases being rolled out by the State’s private health insurance companies in recent years is putting significant strain on the finances of hundreds of thousands of households and will, if not checked, further intensify the pressure on the broader public health system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OE7LCXWLFNHPBLXABIDQIDOKEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553450414},"content":"According to the Health Insurance Authority (HIA), the cost of private health insurance climbed by 11 per cent in the first three quarters of last year with the leading companies in the sector rolling out two distinct price hikes each over the last 12 months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UU4Y6TOT2FCJ7K52MP3WQCUBME","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553450415},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/03/09/rising-premiums-a-poor-prognosis-for-health-insurance-customers/\" target=\"_blank\">The steady stream of increases</a> has continued into 2025, with the most recent coming last Friday when <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/03/07/level-health-announces-price-hikes-averaging-6-from-next-month/\" target=\"_blank\">Level Health</a>, backed by insurance giant Aviva and which only entered the market late last year, announcing a rise by an average of 6 per cent. It attributed the rise to an increase in the Government health insurance levy next month and also generally rising costs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQZKVDYK3ZED5MKBG4YOV2CDHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553450416},"content":"Vhi Healthcare, Laya Healthcare and Irish Life Health have also blamed higher claim costs and more advanced treatments for the steady increase in prices. Despite rising costs , many families feel they have no choice but to pay thousands of euro for a policy that gives sometimes patchy access to private healthcare. They are told by insurers that the cost of cardiology, orthopaedic, ophthalmic and cancer claims have increased by up to 20 per cent, while drug costs have climbed by even more.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CJ3XKPCE2JEFLFWOJ3IOLI3BYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553450417},"content":"If prices continue to climb, private health insurance will simply become unaffordable for many , particularly for younger people. It is this cohort -– who are typically in better health and thus make fewer claims – that effectively subsidise the cost of healthcare for older people who need it most.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WFG4H3JE6NEURFCH5V7RH4XZEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553450418},"content":"If they drop out of the health insurance system they will put more pressure on the public system while driving up costs for insurers who will inevitably pass it on to their customers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JPDSWMVRMZC7HO2FLJPU3MBV7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553450419},"content":"All the hand-wringing from the providers about healthcare inflation is no doubt borne out by the prices they are being asked to pay by private hospitals, consultants and drug companies. At the very least we should have confidence they are extracting the best value for money from the healthcare network. It is simply untenable that they keep returning to the consumer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTDEQ55XDNHGNGPBT6XFFLBXFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553450420},"content":"Meanwhile, at the heart of the problem are inadequacies in the pubic system, As a result the health insurance companies invest in increasing their services, including urgent care clinics – effectively allowing their customers to avoid queuing for hours in public hospitals. It is an inefficient, two-tier structure, but despite massive increases in health spending, progress in cutting queues and waiting times remains unacceptably slow and so private insurance is seen as essential for those who can afford it.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Consumers who can afford it feel obliged to take out private insurance due to the long waiting lists and delays that are still all too common in the public system"},"display_date":"2025-03-09T21:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on Irish health insurance: an expensive part of a two-tier market","native":"The rising cost of private health insurance points to deeper healthcare issues"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6DOCOI3UAJERNPZIOODKISRTMU","auth":{"1":"fe01f532c4a275f81fb7ec36b5ebbfd978d188e5b5712ead51c8f25c0ad04378"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6DOCOI3UAJERNPZIOODKISRTMU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/09/the-irish-times-view-on-irish-health-insurance-an-expensive-part-of-a-two-tier-market/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"IB2MR2NIKBEZVMO7T5OUCEVPBM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":139,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/1622e00e-710d-421f-8d7b-fc719540203c/versions/1741553978/media/ec0c02383144e8976ceb4a41db80a61a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/09/the-irish-times-view-on-the-european-indoor-championships-a-glorious-treble-for-irish-athletics/","content_elements":[{"_id":"ZZCZNHQC5FGLNIPYPQQ5SXOREA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553535310},"content":"Following the defeat of the rugby team by a strong French side on Saturday, it looked like a poor weekend for Irish sport on the international stage.<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/athletics/2025/03/09/three-medals-for-ireland-as-sarah-healy-kate-oconnor-and-mark-english-shine-at-european-indoor-championships/\" target=\"_blank\"> But Ireland’s athletes had other ideas.</a> Within an hour at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn on Sunday , Sarah Healy won a 3,000m gold medal, Kate O’Connor took bronze in the pentathlon and Mark English came through to get his third medal in this event – also a bronze – in the 800m.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LDZ5YOLGDNBNPLJBBOPCJQQSYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553535311},"content":"They were three very different medals, but they represent great encouragement for Irish athletics. Sarah Healy from Dublin burst on the international scene as a junior when she won double gold in the European Under-18 championships in 2018. Since then she has had her share of injury and bad luck, but triumphed yesterday in a calm and determined performance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KDSZ6DKINBB4HL42WWYZ6NEWSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553535312},"content":"Mark English, from Letterkenny in Co Donegal, has been a great servant of Irish athletics over the years, winning two bronze medals in the European outdoor championships as well as his indoor feats. Always saving his best for the big day, English came through bravely for bronze.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LGURLXHSGFCT5JBXKS2FFDCLXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553535313},"content":"Perhaps most unexpectedly, Kate O’Connor, from Newry and coached in Dundalk by her father ran a stunning final 800m event to jump from fourth to third in the pentathlon.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z44U3Y3XBFF77OGUQBSVPWR7EU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553535314},"content":"The three thrilling medal wins are important for Irish athletes, continuing a period of solid progress. Healy’s win could be a defining moment in the career of a very promising athlete. O’Connor’s bronze is Ireland’s first success in a multi-event competition in a major championships and also a boost for field event athletics. English shows the power of perseverance from an athlete who has balanced his sport with a medical career.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NV2ISV6DOZG5DONSNWMGGZYY3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553535315},"content":"Had Sharlene Mawdsley not sustained an unfortunate injury, there might have been even more success, while Sarah Lavin’s fourth in the 60m hurdles was also impressive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C376GZ5TLJD4VG5G5XPCZBE7ZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741553535316},"content":"Following the success of Ireland’s relay teams last year, Irish athletics now has new role-models and is again in the news for the right reasons. Investment and talent are paying off.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Sarah Healy, Kate O'Connor and Mark English have given further evidence of the ability of Irish athletes to compete at the highest level"},"display_date":"2025-03-09T20:55:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the European Indoor Championships: a glorious treble for Irish athletics","native":"A glorious hour shows Irish athletics going from strength to strength"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"Y6PAIYITVDGOSYGYTFGOWZFGCA","auth":{"1":"2e35510ba91dee2269bae2b88f636ebd5531aedf1124dca604a570fa1d5fbb04"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/Y6PAIYITVDGOSYGYTFGOWZFGCA.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/09/the-irish-times-view-on-the-european-indoor-championships-a-glorious-treble-for-irish-athletics/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"M5GK2ETWXBA5PJGRHLMWINEW7Q","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":179,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/94543f71-0b97-44a2-83f1-7d5faef12e9a/versions/1741369981/media/4b3c8711792369d41f115091e412fa16_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/07/the-irish-times-view-on-micheal-martins-trip-to-washington-a-tricky-assignment/","content_elements":[{"_id":"ED5UB7EHWRHG5KLH5HUVCVMU64","additional_properties":{"_id":1741370767203},"content":"Micheál Martin is a seasoned and polished politician who will no doubt be thoroughly prepared for his visit to the White House next Wednesday. And the vast majority of meetings which Donald Trump has held with international leaders in the Oval Office have passed off without incident. But this year’s St Patrick’s Day visit to Washington by the Taoiseach still comes with an added frisson of nervous expectation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3U2UPM4VORA6ZFYIASTPRH5XVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741370767204},"content":"The reasons are obvious. From the outset, this administration has adopted more aggressive international policies than those pursued during Trump’s first term. Some of these, such as on the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, are diametrically opposed to the positions taken by Ireland over many years. Others, particularly on trade and tariffs, pose a direct threat to the Irish economic model.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WX4TOOJTRNHEPLD44G5W4UTUPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741370767205},"content":"It remains to be seen whether these subjects arise in the course of the meeting, although the Taoiseach has insisted that he will bring up Ukraine and Gaza.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CB5HFFRS75DDJPBMTLQEB44IBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741370767206},"content":"As Tuesday’s call between US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Tánaiste Simon Harris illustrated, potential pitfalls abound. Harris subsequently contradicted the American account of that meeting, which reported that the trade deficit between the two countries had been discussed. The bluntness of his correction, although unusual, does not as yet appear to have elicited a backlash from Washington. That could still come next week.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QCXCWL2CKFHPTNFKRI47JDD5RA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741370767207},"content":"No matter how well prepared he is, the challenge for Martin may lie in Trump’s sheer volatility. Buoyed by his election victory and no longer constrained by the Republican party establishment, the president now has free rein to indulge his taste for improvisation and falsehoods.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2GKOGIGOUFDDZPFTHEBPZSO3RU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741370767208},"content":"The extraordinary scenes in the White House eight days ago, when Trump and vice-president JD Vance harangued Ukrainian president Volodmyr Zelenskiy, will not be repeated next week. That event bore all the hallmarks of a planned ambush as part of a broader repudiation of long-standing US alliances. The traditional presentation of shamrock is a soft-focus affair, designed to appeal to Irish-Americans, many of whom, as Trump correctly points out, voted for him last November.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KU6HA6WGDVA7FD7K2TKXZ62K24","additional_properties":{"_id":1741370767209},"content":"It has been an unedifying spectacle to watch a string of international leaders pay homage to the new president, crafting their words carefully to feed his narcissism and egomania. History will judge whether those efforts were worthwhile or whether they merely added to the hubris of an administration wedded to a transactional foreign policy based on bullying and dominance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HEI4HWBRAZCXVPWFRJ2NGIFY2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1741370767210},"content":"Martin’s visit should be judged a success if he avoids confrontation, maintains an amicable relationship for the benefit of the cameras and emerges with his dignity and the country’s reputation intact.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"It has been an unedifying spectacle to watch a string of international leaders pay homage to the new president,"},"display_date":"2025-03-07T21:23:06.112Z","headlines":{"basic":" The Irish Times view on Micheál Martin’s trip to Washington: a tricky assignment","native":"Micheál Martin faces a tricky White House assignment"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"AQTXNNKBXJN5HQPQEY4IOOUKJM","auth":{"1":"336e0c12a55fb14fc078194dd161aa4883b134d549eca874d8ad5b815f13a183"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AQTXNNKBXJN5HQPQEY4IOOUKJM.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/07/the-irish-times-view-on-micheal-martins-trip-to-washington-a-tricky-assignment/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"KJQEWYCQXRCJJM6XTMUXRKMEE4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":132,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/de936752-fb21-4e4d-b2b2-1eacb4186c35/versions/1741367258/media/6d96588aeadbaca95fa26cf455ab8182_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/07/the-irish-times-view-on-the-new-gaelic-football-rules-putting-a-premium-on-skills/","content_elements":[{"_id":"FMDTM6JMZRDTLDZQEIDPBJTYDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741366289117},"content":"For an association that traditionally treads very slowly when it comes to change, the last few weeks have been a virtual whirlwind for the GAA as the new playing rules in Gaelic football have created much debate and controversy. Since they were introduced in late January, players, managers and supporters have been at odds over the impact of the changes, which were brought about by a general acceptance that football was in decline and there was an urgent need to address fundamental flaws.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ALDBMVU2M5GAXD7W7UROISWLAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1741366289118},"content":"These long-standing defects were seen as leading to boring, more defence oriented matches. This was in stark contrast to the hugely positive perception of hurling, a game which has flourished in recent years with a championship structure that has delivered wonderful games.","type":"text"},{"_id":"33BLJBEUPFDEPODI4C3UQLGNEY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741366289119},"content":"The Football Review Committee, under the chairmanship of former Dublin manager Jim Gavin, was given a wide-ranging remit by the GAA to address the issues that were seen as obstacles to producing a fast-flowing sport that rewarded more attacking play and penalised negativity.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PRQNHAK7IRC5TPNK7WOUTG7T5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1741366289120},"content":"The committee didn’t shirk from its task. It came forward with a broad ranges of proposals – from two-point scores kicked from a certain distance, to addressing dissent, to the introduction of a full-time hooter. A special congress of the GAA gave overwhelming approval to the FRC’s changes last November and they came into effect at the start of the national league campaign.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YMBF5Z33ZBDJJIVREER3OOIKUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741366289121},"content":"Like all significant change, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2025/03/03/five-things-we-learned-from-gaa-weekend-frc-have-done-a-lot-right-but-some-rules-need-binning/\" target=\"_blank\">there has been resistance</a>. Some county managers have voiced concerns over the increased demands on players and the scale of the modifications referees have been forced to absorb. But supporters have welcomed the new rules which have allowed more skilful players to thrive and given teams a chance to recover from seemingly hopeless deficits.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6U6V3YGL5NFMRBS3U4CKDRXKVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741366289122},"content":"The FRC<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2025/03/07/tweaks-by-frc-to-rules-are-minimalist-but-likely-to-have-a-major-impact/\" target=\"_blank\"> has now tweaked</a> some of the more contentious changes, allowing teams to get used to them before the All Ireland championship starts next month. The die is cast. Transformative change is required for football to regain its stature as a vital pillar of GAA sports.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Some of the rules were tweaked on Friday but change was required to restore the game as a vital pillar of GAA sports"},"display_date":"2025-03-07T20:02:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the new Gaelic football rules: putting a premium on skills ","native":"The new Gaelic football rules put a welcome premium on skill and excitement"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ABWB5SXBP5HZJFOXMEMWFKWVGQ","auth":{"1":"7f6071b9f38d7d4a9bb8214b678b3eee1f9a44c43211bbcdf81eb634b032ee82"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ABWB5SXBP5HZJFOXMEMWFKWVGQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/07/the-irish-times-view-on-the-new-gaelic-football-rules-putting-a-premium-on-skills/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"TBTHMKEVNVGOVEOP7N4YSKS5TM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":187,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/22903423-dda3-4d71-8955-0da94bb96762/versions/1741285575/media/b2bc6756c2d26a6d74c9f4d4b40865e7_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/06/the-irish-times-view-on-the-ecb-interest-rate-cut-irish-borrowers-need-to-benefit/","content_elements":[{"_id":"HYGHLEQJ2JGEZFJC3CSOBTFJVQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Some mortgage borrowers will benefit immediately from <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/03/06/ecb-cuts-interest-rates-despite-looming-threat-of-us-tariffs/\" target=\"_blank\">latest interest rate cut by the European Central Bank ( ECB)</a>, notably those on tracker mortgages. This group suffered most as official interest rates went up and is now benefiting as they fall. Elsewhere, reductions have been slower to flow through.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCZ5RKMWWRAMXPIXA6XKRPL36A","additional_properties":{},"content":"In many cases, too slow.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OALNMZ2MT5DTTJJICDDLEIERXA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Banks say, with some justification, that variable interest rates and new fixed rate offers did not rise in tandem with ECB rates during the big increase which started in summer 2021. And there have indeed been some reductions in non-tracker rates as ECB rates have fallen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HNIYBXWMDRHLRNIXD5NBS3SMDI","additional_properties":{},"content":"But many interest rates remain clearly out of line – in particular some variable rates and some of the prices quoted for fixed rate products, which can go as high as 5 per cent. Banks are moving to cut rates to savers generally and there is no case to delay cuts to borrowers as well.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HOU6CRI7KRFXTJDXJZ3C2FEPNM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Results from AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB this week all showed strong profitability. Were the market more competitive, they would be under more pressure to cut mortgage rates. As it is, some smaller lenders are playing a welcome role, but the three big players still control the bulk of the market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4WYSAOBEWNBHTCSLNIX3EJWVGQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Mortgage borrowers who had their loans transferred to the ownership of funds following the financial crash often also remain disadvantaged. While there have been some reductions announced by the firms which now manage these loans – the biggest of which are Pepper and Mars Capital – in some cases the interest rate charged remains at 6 per cent or higher.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VK35HIZDQBBZJOZXBSJXGBLBVY","additional_properties":{},"content":"These borrowers were promised when their loans were sold as part of the deleveraging process of the banking groups that they would not be at a disadvantage. As it turns out, they are. Many have already had their loans restructured and so cannot move to another lender. The Central Bank needs to maintain relentless pressure on these companies to give lenders a better deal,","type":"text"},{"_id":"XSJ7PBPPYRBB3KEXLBIOFBITAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/2025/03/06/mortgage-holders-and-household-finances-the-ecb-rate-cut-is-good-news-right/\" target=\"_blank\">The outlook for interest rates</a> remains uncertain. Further reductions are likely, though may take time to come through. The euro zone economy remains weak, though extra spending on defence and investment could spur growth. Germany’s plans to loosen its fiscal rules have already led to a jump in longer term interest rates on financial markets. A trade war with the US could cut growth, but could also push up inflation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5QHBWJWK65H7HKRW4BWB6647EE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The ECB will have to wait and see how things play out. It hedged its bets yesterday and market analysts, who had previously forecast two more interest rate cuts this year, are now not so sure. But at least one more reduction is likely in the months ahead and so banks have no reason not to pass the benefits of what has happened so far on to borrowers. Their results this week show they can well afford to do so.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Bank results have shown strong profitability - gains from lower ECB rates need to be passed on to mortgage holders"},"display_date":"2025-03-06T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the ECB interest rate cut: Irish borrowers need to benefit","native":"Irish borrowers need to benefit from the downward trend in ECB interest rates"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"7VNWD35IOZSQBUHFOIFGQ7H6FI","auth":{"1":"e2729936f3610f12a7972da1f58a24900b097f3fc2b0ef2f610bcca08ec6dbb2"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/7VNWD35IOZSQBUHFOIFGQ7H6FI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/06/the-irish-times-view-on-the-ecb-interest-rate-cut-irish-borrowers-need-to-benefit/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"BMOSLS357VEKBAS4PV3HPZRNJ4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":134,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d7c1d819-d8a7-483c-a9fd-4ff06eefbc16/versions/1741281703/media/dd2ea166510975d834ad7f9782807e75_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/06/the-irish-times-view-on-attitudes-towards-unity-devil-is-in-the-detail/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VAYST5XHQ5E5PK335JULQ2PLKM","additional_properties":{},"content":"In the current debate on Irish reunification, it is striking how little consideration has been given to exactly what sort of constitutional structures would be best for a newly unified state. Even the most ardent pro-unity voices are reluctant to spell out their preferences. But the salutary lessons of German unification and Brexit illustrate the dangers of embarking on such a change without a clear road map.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5IQFGN4JAVGE5L567L4TKPXLB4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The public’s perspective on the matter is explored in the latest tranche of polling results from the North and South collaboration between The Irish Times and the Arins Project. Respondents were asked their opinions on a range of post-unification options. There was a strongly negative response from voters in the Republic to any measures that mandated the sort of power-sharing structures that currently underpin the Northern Ireland Executive. Southern voters were slightly less opposed, but far from enthusiastic, about a proposal to guarantee unionist representation in the government of a unified state.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IUY7PORRCRFPZBXLQJUV65FMVQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Both propositions were more positively received in Northern Ireland, although Northern Catholics still opposed them. Northern Protestants, in contrast, strongly supported a guarantee of unionist representation in government.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KIBNX2V3TBBOVAQ76GB3TMVI3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"The results come in the wake of earlier polls which showed resistance in the Republic to concessions on issues such as flags, anthems and the Commonwealth. On first reading, these latest results might appear to confirm a similar intransigence. But further results published today show a clear majority of Southern voters agree “consideration should be given to significant changes”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"24PQZPR4BRH5VFZQ5XZIZI73KA","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is easier to acknowledge the need for undefined changes than to agree to more specific proposals. And it is clear that a segment of respondents simply see no need for any change at all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E7HU7V7SWZCF5HJBBPLRA5SY7E","additional_properties":{},"content":"But it is also possible that people in Republic – along with many in the North – may have looked at the rigidly identity-based system of government in operation at Stormont and concluded that there are better ways to protect minority rights and ensure political representation for all.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"It is easier to acknowledge the need for undefined changes than to agree to more specific proposals"},"display_date":"2025-03-06T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":" The Irish Times view on attitudes towards unity: devil is in the detail","native":"When it comes to Irish unity the devil may be in the detail"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QSZYETGZ5G4RVP4YCJV3UVIHPU","auth":{"1":"1babbc2094c6b76687dba81440bf26681d6517a89d1cec82d68ca173bc4917c3"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QSZYETGZ5G4RVP4YCJV3UVIHPU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/06/the-irish-times-view-on-attitudes-towards-unity-devil-is-in-the-detail/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"T72OTTX7UNESXJYXV2QZHAIDUQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":189,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/0ed27f80-ab2d-4cfd-9a48-8db526545873/versions/1741209415/media/83e1a619c6d1a42edf37150b1c89dbc4_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/05/the-irish-times-view-on-trumps-tariffs-how-to-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot/","content_elements":[{"_id":"2QMI3SFIMJEDPC5LJH2G5W2RZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198596015},"content":"Is Donald Trump serious about his tariff agenda? Does he really see these import taxes as a long-term revenue raiser for the US exchequer? Or, as the financial markets had thought – at least up to this week – is he just looking for quick deals and will use the threat of tariffs, or their short-term imposition, to get his way in other arenas?","type":"text"},{"_id":"3MJEUODRARCBXKLNOFXJWTHF2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198596016},"content":"Perhaps the president is not even sure himself. Referring to his tariff agenda in<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/us/2025/03/05/trump-declares-america-is-back-as-speech-sparks-republican-rapture-and-democrats-departure/\" target=\"_blank\"> his speech to Congress on Tuesday</a> he warned: “There will be a little disturbance, but we’re okay with that.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LWQDEP2CFJEEPP7KZWVCCZSFVY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Many American businesses and consumers may not agree, as supply chains are disrupted and prices start to go up. On Monday night, Trump gave the car industry <br/>\na one month reprieve from tariffs imposed on Mexico and Canada. But, he seems determined to push ahead and says further reciprocal tariffs on all trading partners will be introduced in April.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UWP6VJRWU5EVLBNBTSZLTNDMQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198596018},"content":"There is trouble ahead for Trump and for the US – and global – economy if he sticks to these commitments to impose tariffs more generally. In relation to the EU, Trump has spoken about tariffs of 25 per cent which would spark a damaging trade war. To justify this, he has focused on the EU VAT regime – which is not a trade barrier at all – and the impact of European rules and regulations on US sales in areas such as food, and the oversight of big technology companies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NNE445GZGNFXRGCFQ4H44C44BA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198596019},"content":"There are ways to address these issues. But tariffs is not one of them. Trump would impose huge costs on the US economy, as well as others, were tariffs to stay in place for any length of time. The theories put forward by some of his senior advisers that tariffs do not put up prices to consumers and that they can be used to raise longer-term revenue are nonsense. And the very uncertainty that all the trade threats are fostering is damaging in itself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4WXLHCOAZFF2JCAQSUGDFT4AUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198596020},"content":"Wall Street is now worried that Trump is actually serious about tariffs – and perhaps this reaction may give him pause for thought. Businesses will also be lobbying the administration and the Republic party. The impact of inflation on consumer sentiment is also worth watching.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DPRR5ETZEZDMDEYZAGWCWO5VPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198596021},"content":"Tariffs are not, as Trump has said, about protecting American jobs. Perhaps there are sectors who will benefit, in the short term at least. But, overall, in an era of complex international supply chains, barriers to trade such as tariffs mean trouble and cost – and ultimately <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025/03/01/what-if-trump-and-his-maga-squad-are-not-just-bluffing-about-huge-tariffs/\" target=\"_blank\">fewer jobs and lower living standards.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"SS4DMWQKLFAK5JHOV227U5IFKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198596022},"content":"For Ireland, the threat of tariffs and the breakdown of international trade rules carries significant dangers. In the short-term, economic activity will be hit as companies wait and see what happens. Beyond that, there are dangers to inward investment, exports, tax revenue and jobs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WU5CWQQESFD3PJYGFAB2M76RIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198596023},"content":"As a trading economy, Ireland is unfortunately heavily exposed to Trump’s economic madness.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"There is trouble ahead for the president and for the US – and global – economy if he sticks to commitments to impose import taxes more generally"},"display_date":"2025-03-05T21:35:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on Trump’s tariffs: how to shoot yourself in the foot","native":"Trump's tariff agenda is economic madness"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"266T32FQRQSF4TC62POGADMR5M","auth":{"1":"78cbfae203b3fe36624f61f9f5b03c703572a3ce1a0b703336329a0391753b5c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/266T32FQRQSF4TC62POGADMR5M.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/05/the-irish-times-view-on-trumps-tariffs-how-to-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"4GA2EI4AWNHMDEQ6EGNMQWHAY4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":123,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/b2ff1fae-046e-4378-9738-ba14ff0be633/versions/1741209155/media/26f5c3eaf5a5ed1c4d0fc1dd9f2b85eb_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/05/the-irish-times-view-on-the-penalty-points-loophole-an-unfortunate-delay-in-taking-action/","content_elements":[{"_id":"DSPOZXCSXJF5XAJBMPZ7ZMOWX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198897437},"content":"For the second time in three months a driver <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2025/03/05/24-hour-driving-disqualification-order-granted-to-woman-under-legal-loophole-sees-her-avoid-penalty-points-a-second-time/\" target=\"_blank\">has avoided penalty points</a> by receiving a 24-hour driving ban from the same judge. This will come as a surprise to those who believed that the Government had closed off this particular loophole last year as part of the Road Traffic Act 2024.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R63GBCHUQ5E5DFDJ7EPCPCH5B4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198897438},"content":"However, a commencement order for the section covering ancillary disqualification– as the practice is known – has yet to issue from the Minister for Transport. Under the law, as it still stands, a driver can avoid penalty points if a court agrees to disqualify them from driving instead. No minimum disqualification period is specified and it is left to judges to decide what is appropriate. In the cases highlighted this week, the judge in question deemed 24 hours to be sufficient.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GHPVPNMNRRD6PGJTW7B4DP6JZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198897439},"content":"Judicial discretion is integral to the legal system and is necessary to ensure that punishments are appropriate both to the nature of the offence and the circumstances of the individual.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GMIMGPLXWNEXBACMC2XDIBPL4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198897440},"content":"An issue that often arises in the case of penalty points is the wider consequences for drivers of being automatically off the road for six months if they accumulate 12 penalty points within a three-year period.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ELC6LQW22RGJRNW55NTCFEDBTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198897441},"content":"The yet to be commenced amendment sets a minimum period of six months for ancillary disqualification, effectively negating the benefit of seeking one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YFBQZ6WZZ5C3XPGO2N7DWBMZF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198897442},"content":"It is worth noting that the judge in question asked in court whether or not the change in the law had come into effect before making the most recent ancillary disqualification. The presumption being that he would not have proceeded if the commencement order had been issued.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q524IBJFC5CCNFV4S54MBEL7K4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198897443},"content":"The Department of Transport<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2025/03/05/loophole-used-by-some-drivers-to-avoid-penalty-points-is-due-to-be-closed-by-the-end-of-the-month/\" target=\"_blank\"> said on Monday</a> that the commencement delay relates to technical issues relating to how the provision will work in practice. It said a commencement order will now be presented to the Minister for signature before the end of the month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GCY2O6P6ZZELLOYTV7PCOHPJV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741198897444},"content":"This is to be welcomed but it is unfortunate that the department appears to have been embarrassed into action.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The Minister for Transport is due to close off the loophole shortly, but it is a pity that action has taken so long"},"display_date":"2025-03-05T21:15:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the penalty points loophole: an unfortunate delay in taking action","native":"There was an unfortunate delay in closing a penalty points loophole"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BMIMGGMVAZH3JLP6KHDFVOY4LI","auth":{"1":"0981ec8025bbfdec995a9868b5f1e5519fd2b5b2edf29ce371c67c9c7a32deed"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BMIMGGMVAZH3JLP6KHDFVOY4LI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/05/the-irish-times-view-on-the-penalty-points-loophole-an-unfortunate-delay-in-taking-action/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"4KJKTPYAKZHCLPSKGE2JQHK74U","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":170,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/31677185-cfdb-4fc4-a479-7e494ea6ccd0/versions/1741110794/media/a3f91fa2a441721f5fb316aff7d3cf1c_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/04/the-irish-times-view-on-the-end-of-the-triple-lock-reflecting-a-new-reality/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JXEXCLXBDVA6BA22VGJB6CLEIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741110100829},"content":"The days of Ireland’s military triple lock appear to be drawing to a close. The legal requirement that any significant Irish military deployment overseas must be approved by the United Nations, as well as the government of the day and the Dáil, dates back 65 years, although it only acquired a name and entered popular discourse during the referendums on the Nice and Lisbon treaties.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7OH2EBA5YVCBXN6YY364ML2GDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741110100830},"content":"The triple lock is set to be amended under the terms of draft legislation brought to Cabinet yesterday by the Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Harris. The amendments will raise the limit on the number of troops that may be deployed without prior approval from 12 to 50 and remove the requirement for approval of larger deployments by the UN.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SUSDKLZOPVFWZGITEU7V6UPQWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741110100831},"content":"The first of these addresses a longstanding criticism that the existing cap on numbers hampers the State’s ability to mount missions to extract Irish citizens who find themselves in dangerous situations overseas.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RZRBIDYO4FAKJCPCMN2SD6MRYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1741110100832},"content":"The second, more contentious change has already been attacked by some Opposition parties, including Sinn Féin, who claim that leaving decisions on military deployments to the government and the Dáil represents an erosion of Ireland’s military neutrality.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QQCEIDQFNZAGNBEEL7CCQQYW74","additional_properties":{"_id":1741110100833},"content":"That is an interesting position to take for any party which claims to value national sovereignty. And it fails to address the reality that contemporary geopolitical realities effectively make it impossible for Ireland to play a part in any new peacekeeping operations due to the vetoes held by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Although those vetoes are rarely exercised, the threat of their use is why no new mission in has been sanctioned in the last 10 years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OEAYM2N5LVHXXHQPAKXTGARZ3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1741110100834},"content":"It is true that the Government needs to do more to inform the public on exactly how it sees policy changing once the amending legislation has been passed. But the Opposition, too, must articulate how Ireland’s defence policy should evolve in the fast-changed circumstances of the 2020s, when old preconceptions about the balance of international power are being upturned.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BS57B2A52JBYNPZT4KQNT4S4LM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741110100835},"content":"The escalating crisis within Nato, and the ominous signs that the transatlantic security order which has protected Europe for the last 80 years is coming to an end, mean Ireland is faced with new questions that are profound and pressing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JC63HYYM6FETXLRKTHA64YNX6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1741110100836},"content":"First and foremost among these is Ireland’s commitment to its own defence within a broader European framework. Debates over new overseas deployments will remain academic for as long as the State fails to achieve the most basic capability to patrol its airspace and its seas. With Europe facing new threats to communications infrastructure and cybersecurity, the cosy assumption that its geographical position renders Ireland immune to such dangers is no longer tenable.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Ominous signs that the transatlantic security order is coming to an end, mean Ireland is faced with new questions"},"display_date":"2025-03-04T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the end of the triple lock: reflecting a new reality","native":"The end of the triple lock is a recognition of new realities"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3WDUAOX63FF6RCLHYCUX5ZUAEQ","auth":{"1":"2a2c5f48c439da1ca95670e8a835e7b2a931a2f8d8b22f8f71aeb8b535c4f0e4"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3WDUAOX63FF6RCLHYCUX5ZUAEQ.JPG"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/04/the-irish-times-view-on-the-end-of-the-triple-lock-reflecting-a-new-reality/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"UGKYWMD6EVGG3IBGA6BX2GZOTI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":132,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/c2a98bf0-5c1d-43dc-8e28-61fffeeaf391/versions/1741110427/media/3b4bc7c59dbda1755fae5f1f4105d223_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/04/the-irish-times-view-on-building-an-lng-terminal-a-necessary-compromise/","content_elements":[{"_id":"QICNKAOU75CUFK6SNUP2RLOUU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741109221907},"content":"The spike in wholesale gas prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 underlined the need for Ireland to maintain a strategic reserve of natural gas, but the issue predated the war by several years. Ireland, like other EU states, has been obliged since 2017 to ensure that its gas infrastructure can continue to function if the largest single part of the system fails. In Ireland’s case this is the interconnection to the UK gas network.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R4IWOAITQBGY3OIQ234S5KEUUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741109221908},"content":"The announcement that the Government will proceed with the construction of a floating storage and regassification unit means that we will belatedly start the process of complying.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DWF24B5IFNAX5OPI5UHZBTCU4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1741109221909},"content":"A number of factors contributed to the delay, the main one being the difficulty of reconciling the expansion of the natural gas network with Ireland’s legally binding commitment to reduce emissions by 51 per cent by 2030.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EHVWB5CDIZBCPL4WP5NIYKW44Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1741109221910},"content":"The circle was squared in November 2023 with the completion of a review that settled on a floating terminal to store liquified natural gas as the least bad option. Yesterday’s Cabinet decision gives effect to its recommendations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S6X2INRIPZGSDIOC3TZJUC6ZXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741109221911},"content":"It is described as a temporary measure that will bridge the gap as Ireland weans itself off natural gas and other fossil fuels. It will be State-led and will not supply gas commercially. The Government believes it complies with both our EU and domestic legal obligations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2V24NEN6ZAOVAPRCYTUO3E2HU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741109221912},"content":"It is by its nature a compromise and the Government has acknowledged that it cannot ensure that fracked natural gas will not be the source of some of the gas held in the facility, the location of which has not been decided. It is also obvious that if circumstances dictate it can be used to supply gas into the network commercially.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHJK56ZHD5C6NPM27YCQEWHMCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741109221913},"content":"Ultimately, the best way to ensure that neither of these eventualities becomes a reality is to remove the obstacles that are holding us back from tapping into out abundant sources of renewable energy. The most pressing of these is the limited capacity of the electricity grid. The Government will bring forward proposals in that regard shortly, but more urgency is warranted.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The facility is described as a temporary measure that will bridge the gap as Ireland weans itself off natural gas"},"display_date":"2025-03-04T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":" The Irish Times view on building an LNG terminal: a necessary compromise","native":"New LNG terminal is a necessary compromise"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"XE6FXVKGIAQYG3YEWRWMSGZP3I","auth":{"1":"1c3ddde67909eb2a3e362c05cf1d234bd35ce07aa802c9cc702d17bde0c8c3b8"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/XE6FXVKGIAQYG3YEWRWMSGZP3I.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/04/the-irish-times-view-on-building-an-lng-terminal-a-necessary-compromise/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"54DHD5F625G6VBRD27JNH4G3BI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":193,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/44fc6823-bf2d-46b8-b6ff-07bb15354c93/versions/1741025708/media/5dfc95de52d92b7dcd87a1dbc6ddd101_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/04/the-irish-times-view-on-the-latest-climate-report-a-clear-case-for-accelerating-government-action/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7WEH3V2XIJCGLEDVTH4B4NNZGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022225927},"content":"It comes as no surprise that a major new report points out that Ireland has fallen well behind on meeting its climate goals. But what is striking is the huge costs which will hit in a few years time if nothing is done about this, possibly running to as much as €26 billion.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNLTTU4SHNCV5AHFWKJEMPLQ7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022225928},"content":"The report, undertaken by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) and the Climate Change Advisory Council, follows earlier calculations by IFAC, which first put this issue in focus. It looks in detail at the international agreements Ireland has signed up to and the cost of not hitting the targets. The main agreement is the EU Effort Sharing Regulation in which member states make commitments about carbon emission reductions in a range of sectors. There are a number of other specific agreements too in areas such as forestry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W4JTIIN64JGVPB6MGVXNEEGQIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022225929},"content":"If a country misses its targets, a bill falls due from 2030 as it must effectively buy carbon credits from other states who have achieved their goals. While there are uncertainties here – principally on the path of Irish emissions and the price of the credits – the report calculates that the cost to the State could be between €8 billion and €26 billion on current trends. To put this in context, the latter amount is roughly equivalent to the 2025 budget for the Department of Health.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2JDHN333XBEPLEDHB5XAWZFHKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022225930},"content":"Perhaps the pushback internationally to climate policies will mean these targets will be abandoned, or changed. Or perhaps not. The report points out that the targets are now legally binding and that countries who are doing well, such as Spain and Portugal, will want to cash in. Also, for most other EU countries the impact on their public finances would be significantly less than here.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GUB5F57RGND35CRVP2FBF4LOF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022225931},"content":"This level of risk and potential cost provides a compelling case for accelerating key investments. The report points to three areas – upgrading the electricity infrastructure, accelerating the roll-out of EVs and action on forestry and peatlands. A major investment in all three areas would cost around €12 billion, it says, and could cut the potential costs to Ireland from 2030 in half. Buying credits ahead of time from other countries may also be worth considering.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JN4RSEKXLFCKRHQPDEFV2X5XSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022225932},"content":"A Government with a lot on its plate and without a Green Party presence might be inclined to ignore these warnings, or at least delay acting on them. This would be a serious mistake. The extent of the fiscal risk pointed to by the report could undermine confidence in the public finances over the Government’s term, unless action is taken. Also, the exchequer is currently flush with cash and has room for manoeuvre.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G75TQP5I35DJDMYJPHL6WCD5SU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022225933},"content":"This is not all about money, of course, with planning delays also a key issue in efforts to upgrade the electricity network and political challenges in reducing farming emissions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WJESBDRAZNGZNK56I25SFDYWMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022225934},"content":"However, the scale of the potential cost shows that the Government must act and develop a strategy quickly to minimise this very serious risk.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The level of financial risk from not meeting climate targets provides a compelling case for accelerating key investments"},"display_date":"2025-03-04T06:04:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the latest climate report: a clear case for accelerating Government action","native":"The latest climate report provides a clear case to accelerate Government action"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"CWKFQ235FVBRLN5ZHX55YS3FUE","auth":{"1":"17f8c1ed1e172bf9d1f02f83b831af8041203f1b2ac76387d3ef043f37fc34da"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CWKFQ235FVBRLN5ZHX55YS3FUE.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/04/the-irish-times-view-on-the-latest-climate-report-a-clear-case-for-accelerating-government-action/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"OLJRJJACPNFCTCFFD7AEE7YZ6Q","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":136,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/3f3da47c-5aba-4d9f-9d92-0480693ed670/versions/1741023597/media/1f1e8d52440f00720a5ea9306fde9168_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/03/the-irish-times-view-on-the-northern-ireland-programme-for-government-a-step-in-the-right-direction/","content_elements":[{"_id":"PMU56VHVQFGWVHEFXUS57OUO7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022483057},"content":"The most important thing about the programme for government<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/03/03/stormont-publishes-first-programme-for-government-in-over-a-decade/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/03/03/stormont-publishes-first-programme-for-government-in-over-a-decade/\"> published on Monday in Northern Ireland</a> is that it has been agreed and published. It was a year in the making by the four-party executive and it is the first time in more than a decade that such a programme has been agreed. Whatever the shortcomings of the document and the uncertainties about its financing, it is welcome to see an Assembly debate on policy goals affecting people’s lives – healthcare, waiting lists, education, police numbers, violence against women and so on. And to see a document which sets out to make some progress on them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q7XQICNI4ZGPPFPCQ35N3JQNEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022483058},"content":"The Stormont institutions have spent too long in abeyance in recent years, having been collapsed by the two big parties – Sinn Féin and the DUP – and then spent long periods shuttered. Now, at least, there is some real politics going on, even if there were obvious tensions with the Alliance Party – a member of the executive – saying it was not sufficiently consulted on the programme. The SDLP opposition, meanwhile, were predictably scathing of the length of time it took the document to emerge and of its contents.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SLMCG55YXZD37LYGOAA5UN7NIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022483059},"content":"The window for making progress is short, with the next Assembly election due in 2027. There are clearly significant budgetary constraints which have already raised doubts about many of the targets, for example those on cutting waiting lists or increasing police numbers. Meanwhile, promises to deliver more social housing rely not only on funding but also issues such as planning and water infrastructure. Experience on this side of the Border shows how difficult it is to make progress on these issues, even when significant extra funding is available. And, relying on decisions from London for the bulk of its funding, the power of the Assembly is subject to constraints.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HITAUD4NNZHAFL5QYQBI6FPISM","additional_properties":{"_id":1741022483060},"content":"It is now the job of the executive, led by first minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly to make progress on the key issues in the programme. With funding in limited supply, prioritisation and skilled implementation will be essential.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"It is not clear that the money is there to deliver on some of the key targets, but the document puts a focus on the vital issues"},"display_date":"2025-03-03T20:15:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the Northern Ireland programme for government: a step in the right direction","native":"Northern Ireland has a new programme for government - at last"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FNDRZFFQJJSLYKQL6HRXRRMYWU","auth":{"1":"9c62f6349608c912b21095ab5af78c28c06a075bb83078ed681a078ff9a55431"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FNDRZFFQJJSLYKQL6HRXRRMYWU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/03/the-irish-times-view-on-the-northern-ireland-programme-for-government-a-step-in-the-right-direction/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"MVRPO5224RGZJJKCAGDRBDB74E","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":181,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/fe510de3-27ae-437f-9f73-bf473e53c08f/versions/1740946255/media/8f9bf96a68b00003cd4bd0dca51cc8e8_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/02/the-irish-times-view-on-the-london-summit-a-crossroads-for-postwar-europe/","content_elements":[{"_id":"AWHRYL5IAVGO5I3CIQNANW5J5Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"British prime minister Keir Starmer struck the right note when he referred to a “once in a generation moment for the security of Europe” at the summit he chaired in London on Ukraine yesterday. The speed of policy change is breathtaking – but understandable when so much is at stake. Starmer announced that a plan is being formulated with France and Ukraine on Ukraine’s security. He will present it to US president Donald Trump in the hope that together it can be taken forward. This sets up the issue for decisive negotiations in coming weeks. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"75STNKA22JHTFB5FWEFFSDBYPI","additional_properties":{},"content":"French, German, Spanish, European Union and Nato representation at yesterday’s summit, together with other states and consulted ones, make this urgently-convened summit roughly representative of most European states in their response to the extraordinary moves taken by the Trump administration. The blunt and brutal message to Ukraine’s government that the US will not provide a security guarantee, that it cannot join Nato and that it should sign a lopsided raw materials deal with the US to repay US military aid has provoked this crisis. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s dramatic rejection of these terms at his meeting with President Donald Trump required a concerted European response.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TFWPENY7AJHGRGIJXD537OPEII","additional_properties":{},"content":"Trying to mediate between Washington and Kyiv, Starmer said that Europe would have to do the “heavy-lifting” in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security, but would need US support. It is a constructive initiative, which confirms the UK’s European identity at what he rightly described as a crossroads of history.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZIFO5PJBLVC4TPMUH6CCIPHKI4","additional_properties":{},"content":"He announced a four-point plan that the states involved will keep military aid flowing, engage more deeply with the US, insist that Ukraine must be at the table, and develop their coalition of states willing to take the lead on these issues, while acknowledging that not all who attended are fully committed to this perspective. Some EU countries are still loath to send their own troops to Ukraine. This meeting was as much symbolic as substantive; it sets the scene for further intense negotiations – in the European Union later this week, with the Trump administration, with Ukraine and then , potentially, with the Russians. Many details remain to be thrashed out. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"J7MF76VQKVFCPOZMRQGOZTVOGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Ukraine provides the immediate agenda for this transatlantic crisis, but military support for Kyiv and a much more coordinated European security and defence effort are only part of the story. Economic and social policies are equally challenged at this crossroads. European states and peoples are profoundly challenged to defend their own interests and values against US power and right-wing assertiveness.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4TPBVAOUIVCNPKTKEMRV2ZGVHQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Ireland is directly affected by this crisis and has an important role to play in transatlantic talks in the next two weeks. We have difficult choices to make about them, as do our fellow Europeans.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Trying to mediate between Washington and Kyiv, Keir Starmer said that Europe would have to do the “heavy-lifting” in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security, but would need US support"},"display_date":"2025-03-02T20:45:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the London summit: a crossroads for postwar Europe","native":"The Ukraine crisis has left postwar Europe at a crossroads"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"52HHSWAW7HRAVUXHEOUWDYKEUY","auth":{"1":"d1a871186d2ce36a463e9b8464b65eeae814d741f6b49e1b5d626a6659ec3c5d"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/52HHSWAW7HRAVUXHEOUWDYKEUY.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/02/the-irish-times-view-on-the-london-summit-a-crossroads-for-postwar-europe/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"AKZ5DVB25NC6DDKFMQJR6B5VBQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":131,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/29e8a425-ea72-4d41-8d45-459d3eefe633/versions/1740937070/media/94c06f92c15a6b9f3867bb731550d5d4_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/02/the-irish-times-view-on-the-german-economy-time-to-let-off-the-brake/","content_elements":[{"_id":"ZH2ZYQH2DZAEZBSIOAY24MN23I","additional_properties":{"_id":1741023349496},"content":"The German debt brake isn’t just a problem for Germany; it threatens the ability of the European Union to address the growing array of challenges it faces. The brake was introduced by Angela Merkel, the then chancellor, in 2009 during the EU financial crisis, It binds the federal government and 16 states to run balanced budgets and only permits borrowing in exceptional circumstances.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KPTDXKQN2NEBTLDXLENJVFSBWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741023349497},"content":"Berlin’s diagnosis of the euro zone crisis was that it was caused by excessive debt and borrowing and its prescription was swingeing austerity programmes. It was a misguided approach that led to major market upheaval.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UNSPUUKDVNAGNBEHDJ3LTR5ZYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1741023349498},"content":"But fiscal rectitude was consistent with the German economic model. It relied heavily on export-led growth, mainly by selling its cars to China, the US and other export markets. This model has come under intense pressure over the past few years as German car sales have plummeted.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MV6PZBQJFNEWNLTVFFNHS7OLOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1741023349499},"content":"The debt brake has compounded Germany’s economic woes as the emphasis has been on debt reduction for well over a decade, meaning there has been very little investment in the country’s physical and digital infrastructure.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TEQBYNSVW5C4BPYKHUVAUSAGRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1741023349500},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2025/02/24/merz-warns-it-is-five-minutes-to-midnight-for-europe-amid-trump-nato-concerns/\" target=\"_blank\">Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU Party</a> and the most likely next German chancellor, has vowed to reform the debt brake, boost spending on defence and make the economy more competitive. But he faces challenges from the far right AfD and the hard left Linke party. Both are opposed to removing the brake and between them have a blocking majority in parliament.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LXLE7ULTVJF4TFSF65LSSFW2ZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1741023349501},"content":"Merz must rise to the challenge. Reports over the weekend said talks were underway to try to agree a deal in the final weeks of the outgoing Bundestag <a href=\"http://term.to/\" target=\"_blank\">term.to</a> boost defence and infrastructure spending","type":"text"},{"_id":"RE2WLPDQBJACJPSBL2HFTT6CZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1741023349502},"content":"If the economy remains in a slump, the political centre will decay and it will pave the way for the AfD in the next election. Moreover, the EU needs a strong Germany now more than ever. If Merz is to assume an EU leadership role, he must first address Germany’s deepening problems, starting with the debt brake.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"If the economy remains in a slump, the political centre will decay and it will pave the way for the AfD in the next election"},"display_date":"2025-03-02T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the German economy: time to let off the brake","native":"It is time for Germany to let off its budget brake"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"P6CRUP46M6ODVHZEZ2WL56PNFM","auth":{"1":"40ce1a5f06c0f719d50308ca5c5d8cfd44cbe67b4cd8b634095adc23b0c962b9"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/P6CRUP46M6ODVHZEZ2WL56PNFM.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/02/the-irish-times-view-on-the-german-economy-time-to-let-off-the-brake/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"ZC7EI4IYEZDKPC2GSEHSLHXZU4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":182,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/89aaa00d-6161-4628-b589-dd40959efefe/versions/1740761866/media/cd34ae38d329c1f442b989f114bf3e17_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/28/the-irish-times-view-on-europes-reaction-to-trump-the-eu-must-protect-its-own-value/","content_elements":[{"_id":"NOYLCQG6XFFOBE2FJ4DUDI74TM","additional_properties":{"_id":1740773440387},"content":"That Europe’s political identity arises from its international setting during moments of crisis, as well as from its own historical traditions, has rarely been more apparent. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2025/02/28/trump-accuses-zelenskiy-of-lacking-gratitude-and-gambling-with-world-war-three/\" target=\"_blank\">The extraordinary events of Friday evening in the White House</a> underline that another defining moment has arrived, as a transatlantic split emerges on the war in Ukraine.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P2IXZXUONRHFBCUBTAUE4SZWWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1740773440388},"content":"The new Trump administration has already demanded that European states take responsibility for Ukraine’s security. Added to this are threats of 25 per cent tariffs on European Union exports to the US, and now intense pressure on Ukraine to make concessions to Russia. Europe’s response should be to protect its own interests and values at regional and global levels with equal resolve.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NIVAD2Y45REKRNOL7JCCHVDPNQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1740773440389},"content":"Whether Europe can do that depends on its leadership’s political will and capacity. A striking feature of the changing international environment is the understanding that this really matters across the large range of European states involved. The European Union brings together 27 of them, but that does not exhaust the continental response. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/us/2025/02/27/keir-starmers-crucial-meeting-with-donald-trump-off-to-positive-start-in-washington/\" target=\"_blank\">UK prime minister Keir Starmer’s</a> ready assumption of European identity in his talks with Trump should not be seen only in the security and defence terms it was expressed but has a much wider resonance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6OCVWKQCTNHVTDF2ZUG5BA6PP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1740773440390},"content":"That can be seen in his calling a number of European leaders to London this weekend, ahead of a larger EU-convened meeting in Brussels next week, and following French president Emmanuel Macron’s earlier talks with Trump. The urgency of these talks is underlined by the outbreak of tensions with Washington over Ukraine.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KMGK3ETBQ5AWRJLHUQVLK6KXQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1740773440391},"content":"Capacity questions are rightly dominating these bilateral and summit meetings. European defence and security can no longer be predicated on US funding of Nato. US tariffs against EU exports target not only them but the trade and economic integration they represent. The multilateral, liberal and social values underlying integration are similarly challenged by Trump’s policy-makers and allies in Europe.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GHYB7LNQF5GTTJCKRBZI25UQMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1740773440392},"content":"The uncertainties which Europe is now dealing with were starkly illustrated by the angry meeting in the White House between US president Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Trump’s demand to Zelenskiy to “make a deal or we are out,” could hardly be more stark.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N2Q77WEZO5CX3M2SZFUSIRGL2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1740773440393},"content":"Events could move quickly from here. Europe’s leaders were correct to come out quickly in support of Zelenskiy in response to the extraordinary conduct of the US president and his vice-president JD Vance . The EU now finds itself in the midst of serious tensions between Kyiv and Washington, accelerating the need for its leaders to make key decisions on Europe’s defences and leaving big questions about what happens next in Ukraine.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The uncertainties which Europe is now dealing with were starkly illustrated by the angry meeting in the White House on Friday evening between US president Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy"},"display_date":"2025-02-28T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on Europe’s reaction to Trump: the EU must protect its own values ","native":"In responding to Trump, the EU must protect its own values"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HHJX3TF3U6GKMSPMSQU4QFMJYU","auth":{"1":"e9cf7af6f63244ed29dddaa6dd547bbaf68e297b3b2193f08815c9586a29b487"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HHJX3TF3U6GKMSPMSQU4QFMJYU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/28/the-irish-times-view-on-europes-reaction-to-trump-the-eu-must-protect-its-own-value/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"AMJWPIGOAREDTGGP36PTFQWLMM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":138,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/3db9f393-1985-4457-ae8f-b34c8857a3f4/versions/1740766258/media/cf99d0a3c5d97ab0f816ac360d76f3d5_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/28/the-irish-times-view-on-wasteful-spending-symptoms-of-a-larger-problem/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WHIH6TBUCJEN3OJXGWBJP5FLJI","additional_properties":{},"content":"When 17th century philosopher Thomas Hobbes likened his ideal government to a Biblical monster, the leviathan, he wished to convey the immense complexity and power of the sovereign state.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LWMAQNJZHVE5TAACVWVRJ5NUPE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Even in a relatively small country like Ireland, the apparatus of 21st century government is immeasurably larger and more complicated than Hobbes could ever have imagined. In a democracy, that can create problems of accountability. Suspicion that the public purse is being carelessly managed runs deep and individual examples of waste are taken, sometimes accurately, as symptoms of a broader malaise","type":"text"},{"_id":"4LIFMXFT7RAMXGS6K7MIXGNTGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Such was the case in 2018, when a printer purchased for Oireachtas use at a cost of €2 million was found to be too large to fit into the assigned space. More recently, expenditure of ¤322,000 on a modest bicycle shelter at Leinster House, a price tag of €490,000 for a wall, and the loss of several million euro on a failed IT project at the Arts Council have all fuelled public concern","type":"text"},{"_id":"EHULJU4SCRD57K2MSDIMXD2QXY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The most recent of these excesses was brought to light by Minister for Arts Patrick O’Donovan this week, when he released details of an X-ray scanner purchased at a cost of €124,805 by the National Gallery in 2018 . The device has never been used because no appropriate space is available.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RBMHXOMZIRBCFMQTANX37XIICA","additional_properties":{},"content":"None of these cases casts the individuals or organisations involved in a flattering light. But when the clamour on the airwaves subsides, it would be wise to examine whether the fault lies less with individuals than with the State’s system of procurement. Too often, capital budgets incentivise the recipient to spend first and think later. And sometimes capital investments are approved without account being taken of operating costs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CBH7JXVLRNBJPKEDRIKBMDCWVU","additional_properties":{},"content":"For the general public, such controversies have the merit of being easy to understand. It is far more difficult to disentangle the impenetrable mysteries of a financial fiasco such as the one that has unfolded at the National Children’s Hospital. Perhaps the Government should amend the old adage: look after the millions and the billions will look after themselves.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"None of these cases casts the individuals or organisations involved in a flattering light."},"display_date":"2025-02-28T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":" The Irish Times view on wasteful spending: symptoms of a larger problem","native":"Controversies over wasteful State spending symptoms of a larger problem"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"IFO6VQQS5Q37UL6DOSK7QJHLDM","auth":{"1":"e0d3d4bfd3aef7926ec136d3f3a8c16d0488afed6b699fcef29c8fc9ae9bf632"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/IFO6VQQS5Q37UL6DOSK7QJHLDM.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/28/the-irish-times-view-on-wasteful-spending-symptoms-of-a-larger-problem/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"SIVRC4FBKFF4ZE3E5W6HT4IGZY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":175,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d5d99c70-ea4b-4be6-a51f-db6a2dada37b/versions/1740679649/media/1a67396737973ba44e356d8cf66f7c47_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/27/the-irish-times-view-on-the-long-shadow-of-the-troubles-sinn-feins-selective-memory/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7OKPULBPFJCBRAOWNZYV4HK6KU","additional_properties":{"_id":1740678177780},"content":"How Northern Ireland’s past continues to impede its present and its future was again demonstrated over the past week in the response to the death of<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/02/21/former-senior-provisional-ira-figure-bik-mcfarlane-dies-aged-74/\" target=\"_blank\"> senior Sinn Féin and former IRA member Brendan “Bik” McFarlane</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2KFTDHAO75DZTLPBRBDKOTFOBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1740678177781},"content":"In remembering their colleague, Sinn Féin figures such as leader Mary Lou McDonald and North Belfast Assembly member Gerry Kelly chose to focus on a sanitised version of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2025/02/21/who-was-bik-mcfarlane-the-ira-figure-linked-to-notorious-kidnapping/\" target=\"_blank\">McFarlane’s life </a>while avoiding mention of the death and suffering he caused.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MPSJRAP7LBA5FDBWMYBKSB6IOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1740678177782},"content":"In paying tribute to “a great patriot”, as McDonald described him, they focused on his role as the IRA prison commanding officer during the 1981 H-Block hunger strikes in which 10 men died, and how he was one of the leaders of the mass escape of republican prisoners from the Maze in 1983. In that breakout one prison officer died from a heart attack after he was stabbed while a second officer was shot in the head but survived.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMDCEOS73RGSDHRUO3ODMMT7C4","additional_properties":{"_id":1740678177783},"content":"Neither McDonald nor Kelly made mention of McFarlane’s membership of an IRA gang that carried out a sectarian gun and bomb attack on the Bayardo Bar on the Shankill Road in 1975 in which five Protestants were murdered, the youngest of them 17-year-old Linda Boyle and another an Ulster Volunteer Force member.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LFRIQM2F25DNXJBTVUWZ22SEOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1740678177784},"content":"Nor did they refer to how there was firm evidence that McFarlane was part of the IRA group that kidnapped supermarket executive Don Tidey in 1983 . When they were discovered in Derrada Wood in Co Leitrim they shot dead Garda trainee Gary Sheehan and Army private Patrick Kelly. The Garda loss of vital items played a significant part in McFarlane avoiding conviction.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWLSFMGVUBGG5AHU4Y5VCPRCRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1740678177785},"content":"Not surprisingly this omission did not go unnoticed, with much criticism of the Sinn Féin leadership’s failure to at least acknowledge the Bayardo Bar killings or make reference to Derrada Wood. Former Fine Gael minister for justice <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/02/23/former-justice-minister-criticises-mcdonalds-tribute-to-late-ira-figure-bik-mcfarlane/\" target=\"_blank\">Charlie Flanagan</a> described McDonald’s tribute to McFarlane as “nauseating”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PADV6LD23JFVFOY2AVR2TZ5GDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1740678177786},"content":"DUP MLA Philip Brett reflected how the Sinn Féin accolades played among unionists. “I was raised never to speak ill of the dead, and I recognise that a family is hurting,” he said, “but my community and my constituency hurt every single day as a result of Mr McFarlane’s action. Sinn Féin’s failure even to acknowledge that fact is nothing short of a disgrace.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"37F6MI3ULJESLBRLFGB6QGKNG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1740678177787},"content":"It is a fair point. How can there be political progress in Northern Ireland when the largest party, Sinn Féin, deals in evasion and half-truths?","type":"text"},{"_id":"H5XCUJOBPJAQND4RN2JIA7HONE","additional_properties":{"_id":1740678177788},"content":"The response to McFarlane’s death has highlighted how the past still causes grief and trauma to the bereaved and survivors of the Troubles. It also reinforces the point that the history of the conflict must not be rewritten or elided. If what is called the legacy of the Troubles is not properly addressed, politics will continue to be stunted.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The party’s reaction to the death of Brendan McFarlane shows how history continues to put up barriers to political progress in the North"},"display_date":"2025-02-27T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the long shadow of the Troubles : Sinn Féin’s selective memory","native":"Sinn Féin has a selective memory about the Troubles"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"YCPDIVTCAL74M7JXWG4KXNELMY","auth":{"1":"e4460d9cfbd985b83486ba5325db242c55146270a9378682995fe64e2e9ad144"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YCPDIVTCAL74M7JXWG4KXNELMY.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/27/the-irish-times-view-on-the-long-shadow-of-the-troubles-sinn-feins-selective-memory/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"ZIKORMTKSNAXDCDDISUXU5Q2LA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":133,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/20beb58b-0277-49a7-9541-0f2bebedd927/versions/1740675988/media/cef61eeb9badb4ca4b6c6d137782dd79_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/27/the-irish-times-view-on-proposals-for-a-used-car-database-buyers-must-have-access-to-all-the-information/","content_elements":[{"_id":"U6EDKVAWPJCVLC3A6542DORFAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2025/02/26/ccpc-calls-for-used-car-database-of-damaged-or-dangerous-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)</a> has called for the creation of a publicly-accessible database containing details of used cars. Anyone currently buying a used car can only rely on the information contained on an NCT test certificate, based on a limited examination of roadworthiness. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"LKZMXQLOUVHHJKQCRJIH3WWJWA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Prospective purchasers seeking more detail of a vehicle’s history, such as whether it was imported from abroad or written off, can pay one of a number of companies to provide a history online. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZRBN7YSAQZD5JGY53ALQGPHOZI","additional_properties":{},"content":"The latter option is not expensive, with basic checks costing from €15. The providers source their information from a number of official databases maintained by the Department of Transport (DOT) and other bodies as well as independent sources. They do not disclose too much detail about how they procure their information for obvious competitive reasons.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L66TD7WP6ZF4FMG63FXGO3GLUE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The CCPC believes that the details of cars that are crashed, repaired and put back on the road should be captured by the State and made available via an online portal. They argue that this happens to a greater or lesser extent in most other EU member states, as well as the UK. Last year alone the CCPC received 3,192 calls to its consumer helpline concerning issues with second-hand cars. The inference is that many could have been avoided had histories been publicly available. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"SOA33KBACRD2HPLSVOQQEE4EHM","additional_properties":{},"content":"They also make the point that although insurance companies are required to tell the department about cars they deemed write-offs or unsuitable for repair, they do not have to disclose details of those which they deem uneconomic to repair but often end up back on the road.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4EN3GAJNBCFTNSYC4QUUSFAHY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Given the costs involved in a public database it is important that the CCPC shows how it would provide better value to the taxpayer than the current services. Alternatively, any gap in the information available to private car check companies could be addressed through regulation, while the issue of the price charged to car buyers for online checks could be dealt with through fostering competition. ","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Many purchasers now rely on NCT certificates which are based on a limited examination of roadworthiness"},"display_date":"2025-02-27T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on proposals for a used-car database: buyers must have access to all the information","native":"Buyers must have all the necessary information when buying second-hand cars"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PTEEM4OC4HACNDMPWDI42VHFAI","auth":{"1":"7e7c7757ff6b1b9eaeb435755df12d2adeaa25a7a95a65e98dbbc24a15a9a96f"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PTEEM4OC4HACNDMPWDI42VHFAI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/27/the-irish-times-view-on-proposals-for-a-used-car-database-buyers-must-have-access-to-all-the-information/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"ZH42ZJJ6VJC7NFSSJDEJZXXX6A","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":178,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e11f3946-683c-4ed2-9552-b7afd4cea854/versions/1740584714/media/8cf737f21027e631b40f0a943b7359f9_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/26/the-irish-times-view-on-the-bank-of-mam-and-dad-a-threat-to-social-contract/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7XBWM4YNHVBAXLQF5IZ47XCUJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1740583905002},"content":"Ireland’s housing crisis has a negative impact on the lives of many across the country, from families stranded in emergency accommodation to young adults unable to embark on an independent life. Overcrowding, punitive rents and exhausting commutes are also part of the picture.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IR27YXD7BNHMFLT2EK6OSUMZVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1740583905003},"content":"But possibly the most enduring and pernicious long-term effect of the crisis may prove to be on social mobility. The implicit contract which was on offer for several decades depended on the ability of those on average incomes to access a mortgage and purchase a home which they would own outright by the time they retired. That simple equation underpinned the expectations of millions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HVBJFUOA6NGU3CPGGZ5COCVXM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1740583905004},"content":"But with property prices rising at a much faster rate than wage growth, that contract is fraying. It has become increasingly difficult for those buying a home to do so without financial support from family members, the so-called Bank of Mam and Dad.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6ECLXNGIRE2TNWMCUBNNQ3PN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1740583905005},"content":"This is not just an Irish phenomenon. The same factors are at play elsewhere. A recent UK survey suggested that just one in 10 potential first-time buyers can afford to get on the property ladder without relying on their family for financial help, creating new class divisions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BNJOYRF4MRBWBLWNTF6CLQLK3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1740583905006},"content":"The most recent data for Ireland showed that in 2021 house purchasers received about ¤420 million in gifts. That figure is now estimated to be at well over half a billion euro annually.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AJ3ILQTBWVC5NMJCCJPXTQTSSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1740583905007},"content":"These gifts are further fuelling property price inflation. In turn this puts the possibility of purchasing a home out of reach for those who do not receive similar support.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NNCVOO64CZHCRBVZNDWHV27MVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1740583905008},"content":"From the point of view of those involved, the gifts make sense. With € 155 billion currently on deposit in Ireland and 680,000 homes owned without a mortgage, many parents are in possession of substantial assets. Why not transfer some of those to adult children who need them now rather than wait for them to be passed on by way of inheritance?","type":"text"},{"_id":"27EIAPN52JF6NAUM6JH5P5SN5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1740583905009},"content":"But the figures suggest gifts are having a significant impact not just on property prices but on deposits. The average loan to value on a first-time buyer loan in the first quarter of last year was less than 80 per cent, indicating a typical 20 per cent deposit. For a rival purchaser without a gift and paying high rent, such large deposits may be unattainable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BXAB3QWAB5DDHDYALYMJYHYKIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1740583905010},"content":"If the process of inter-generational wealth transfer and soaring property prices continues, the divide between homeowners and renters seems certain to become more entrenched. Those unable to purchase homes now are unlikely to be in a position to help their children to do so in the future. With overall home ownership in Ireland falling and renting on the rise, a new and damaging social fracture is a real and present danger.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"If the process of inter-generational wealth transfer continues, the divide between homeowners and renters seems certain to become more entrenched"},"display_date":"2025-02-26T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":" The Irish Times view on the bank of mam and dad: a threat to social contract","native":"The bank of mam and dad is a threat to the social contract"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6GXLXWQ7QP5B3XVSAM4TO7LAKU","auth":{"1":"3dbbde5bee6353f7daecfc6cb560a048d259643df21f074233cf178b44b58543"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6GXLXWQ7QP5B3XVSAM4TO7LAKU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Editorials"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/26/the-irish-times-view-on-the-bank-of-mam-and-dad-a-threat-to-social-contract/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Editorials"}}}},{"_id":"5VHMUU4CTJFODFVN4UDJLJNWMM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":147,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ebe40001-08f0-4fd7-a8d3-9925d2e5c00f/versions/1740585265/media/9448e37e0c99c2c14962dccaabcb362d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/02/26/the-irish-times-view-on-the-diversity-agenda-under-pressure-due-to-trump/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4MW4USFM7NDSDGSKCS7JT4XOOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1740584462621},"content":"Shareholders in Apple <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/02/25/apple-to-keep-dei-efforts-but-may-make-changes-to-policies/\" target=\"_blank\">have rejected a motion</a> put to their annual general meeting to scrap the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. It was proposed by the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative non-profit group.","type":"text"},{"_id":"26LKGMZQMRFFXE3YVU6UOX4HZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1740584462622},"content":"Similar battles are expected to play out over the coming weeks as large US companies hold their annual shareholder meetings. Whatever the outcome of the votes. it is clear that corporate America is backing away from DEI initiatives in the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQALUP5JLNBELPEBEOLP2KCX6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1740584462623},"content":"US companies are under no legal obligation to drop these policies as long as they are in line with federal anti-discrimination statutes. But many are wary of falling foul of the new administration which has abolished federal government DEI programmes and mandated federal bodies to investigate “illegal” DEI programmes and effectively boycott companies following them. Several US multinational have already run up the white flag and scaled back their DEI efforts, including Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Disney and Pepsi.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPJUSHLZVJDXLHNL5RS72M2SDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1740584462624},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/work/2025/01/14/moves-by-meta-and-amazon-to-drop-diversity-programmes-in-us-unlikely-to-affect-ireland/\" target=\"_blank\">US multinationals </a>will still be obliged to comply with their diversity obligations under EU law if they operate in Ireland or elsewhere in the Union; in Europe, DEI generally refers to diversity, equality and inclusion. This is good news for Irish and other European workers. These rules include the EU Pay Transparency Directive which can require companies to take action to close a gender pay gap. Similarly, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive obliges companies to publish key information.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JYSJWVD4LNF7NJO2IRN75346CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1740584462625},"content":"Meeting EU and other national obligations will potentially create problems for US multinationals operating in the EU and vice versa. In both cases companies run the risk of breaking US law by adhering to European laws and directives on diversity. Much will hinge on how federal agencies in question interpret the presidential orders.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GWTOTW3CB5B45CSWLXWS7UVSIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1740584462626},"content":"What is happening in the US will have a chilling effect on DEI policies at the multinationals that have hitherto shown leadership in this area. Nonetheless, EU governments need to stay the course and hope that big companies see the value of DEI policies in attracting and retaining staff.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"What is happening in the US will have a chilling effect on so-called DEI policies at the multinationals that have hitherto shown leadership in this area"},"display_date":"2025-02-26T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Irish Times view on the diversity agenda: Europe should stay the course","native":"Trump has put the corporate diversity agenda under pressure - the EU should stay the 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chasm between rhetorical commitments and the grim and apparently unchanging reality is dispiriting"},"display_date":"2025-03-20T20:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":" The Irish Times view on dereliction levies: why are councils failing to act?"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"D5Y6XU7H6RCP3ILXNFKEFYPQGI","auth":{"1":"f098e62b9977ba917243d37bbc7cce447da8eea852400b1af247773c68e994e6"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/D5Y6XU7H6RCP3ILXNFKEFYPQGI.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","name":"Editorials"},"website_url":"/opinion/editorials/2025/03/20/the-irish-times-view-on-dereliction-levies-why-are-councils-failing-to-act/"}}},{"_id":"EXCKPYYRZZEOREKYFLRORV3ZRI","credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"A proposal for an oral assessment in the Leaving Cert English exam is a necessary step towards a better 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