There are signed copies of Dirty Dancing in bookshops across Dublin, Limerick and Waterford this weekend 🏆 ✨

open.spotify.com/episode/0qVZ...

Healy-Rae departure caps a bad week for the Government

Simmering Government tensions over O’Callaghan’s request for Army help with fuel blockades Helen McEntee twice declines to confirm if Minister for Justice consulted her before Defence Forces announcement

Simmering Government tensions over O’Callaghan’s request for Army help with fuel blockades

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

Opposition parties support fuel protests but stop short of endorsing blockades Many TDs are preparing to support Sinn Féin’s motion of no confidence in the Government this week

Opposition parties support fuel protests but stop short of endorsing blockades

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

O’Donovan’s comments on media coverage of fuel protest ‘sinister and deeply disturbing’, NUJ says Minister for Media suggests RTÉ report used to encourage protesters to Whitegate refinery

O’Donovan’s comments on media coverage of fuel protest ‘sinister and deeply disturbing’, NUJ says

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Fuel protests: Minister suggests RTÉ report encouraged protestors to go to Whitegate Motorway network ‘clear of protests’; Commissioner ‘appalled’ by threats to gardaí

Media minister Patrick O'Donovan thinks media coverage of the protests wasn't balanced, and he also seemed to blame RTÉ for sending out a signal to protesters to attend Whitegate oil refinery

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

How ‘feis-fixing’ scandal rocked the insular world of Irish dancing Alleged rigging of competitions stunned outsiders but came as no surprise to insiders

How the "feis fixing" scandal rocked the insular world of Irish dancing 🏆

Dirty Dancing is out this Thursday

www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...

Farming and haulage groups have just been told this afternoon the Government does have a package of supports ready, but it will not be announced until the blockade is lifted

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

The joys of pre-ordering books - you forget and then one day you get an email saying it’s on its way and now it feels like a free book! Really looking forward to this, from @ellenmcoyne.bsky.social

Ah thank you so much! I really appreciate it and really hope you enjoy it

Got some exciting book post today! Dirty Dancing is out next week. We are having a launch on Friday, April 17th in the Book Centre in Waterford (Ireland's most beautiful bookshop)
It kicks off at 6pm and everyone is welcome

Councillor resigns from committee tracking Limerick mayor’s progress over off-mic comment Local representative Catherine Slattery ‘sorry now’ she voted for John Moran

Councillor resigns from committee tracking Limerick mayor’s progress over off-mic comment

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Staffing issues at State agency led to delay in carrying out parts of plan to end sexual violence Majority of 95 actions in Government’s own Zero Tolerance strategy were not completed by the end of 2025

Staffing issues at State agency led to delay in carrying out parts of plan to end sexual violence

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Plans to strip convicted killers of parental rights to proceed despite Tusla’s concerns Department of Justice ‘satisfied’ that Valerie’s Law ‘is constitutional in all respects’

Plans to strip convicted killers of parental rights to proceed despite Tusla’s concerns

www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...

Tensions brewing in Government over slow progress on social media access age limit Jack Chambers moving forward with original plan to use digital wallet to enable to people store Government documents on their phones

Tensions brewing in Government over slow progress on social media access age limit

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Babies lost in pregnancy due to dangerous driving to be recognised in law for first time Cross-party support for Jax’s Law, which will recognise stillborn babies as victims in collisions

Babies lost in pregnancy due to dangerous driving to be recognised in law for first time

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Off-the-record conversation between Irish EU official and journalist leaked online Ursula von der Leyen’s communications chief’s call uploaded online by unknown party

Off-the-record conversation between Irish EU official and journalist leaked online

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

This is a follow up to my piece at the weekend about people who have to put off having children because of the housing crisis. Interesting discussion on this Reddit thread, with a few very sad stories from those in similar positions

www.reddit.com/r/ireland/co...

‘No plans’ for French-style egg-freezing service for women considering later pregnancies State-funded scheme only available for medical reasons, says Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

‘No plans’ for French-style egg-freezing service for women considering later pregnancies

www.irishtimes.com/health/2026/...

Government to track passenger flight data to help detect ‘suspicious travel patterns’ and terrorists Cabinet told of 63% rise in people on hospital trolleys over St Patrick’s weekend compared to same period in 2025

Government to track passenger flight data to help detect ‘suspicious travel patterns’ and terrorists

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Postponing parenthood: How Ireland’s housing crisis is forcing people to delay having children

The socioeconomic barriers - in particular housing - that are forcing women to hold off on having children.

www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...

Tax-free payment for putting up Ukrainian refugees to be phased out Extension of Accommodation Recognition Payment scheme to March 2027 part of winding-down process

A monthly payment to those who accommodate Ukrainian people in their spare rooms or second homes will be wound down over the next year

Using hotels for accommodation will also be wound down

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Desk-based officials will have more power to say if a child has a disability under reforms Under the proposed new law, an official will be required to make a determination of a disability first before a child is referred on for other services

Desk-based officials will have more power to say if a child has a disability under reforms

www.irishtimes.com/health/2026/...

Europe may be the one left paying the price for Trump’s war Inside Politics: Simon Harris promises to bring forward measures to help Ireland cope with a surge in oil and fuel prices

This morning's Inside Politics digest - Europe may be the one left paying the price for Trump’s war

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Journalism prize established in memory of hit-and-run victim Joe Drennan University of Limerick and The Irish Times announce award for third-level students across Ireland

Entries open for the Unheard Voices: the Joe Drennan Memorial Prize "for a piece of journalism offering a voice to those who so often go unheard." Any student in college/university on the island of Ireland can enter. www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

Government was advised that rent reforms carried ‘significant’ risk of evictions Housing Department’s analysis of new regulations conceded they would cause average rents to ‘increase in the short term’

Government was advised that rent reforms carried ‘significant’ risk of evictions

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/hous...

Martin survives White House visit Inside Politics: Micheál Martin kept a wise silence for most of his 40 minutes on the periphery of Donald Trump’s vision

Taoiseach survives White House shark tank unscathed - this morning's Inside Politics digest ✉️ ✍🏻

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

The fringe women’s anti-immigration group supported by three elected politicians The Women’s Coalition on Immigration was initially set up to campaign against ‘gender identity politics’ but has pivoted to immigration

The Dublin Rape Crisis centre has raised concerns about the weaponisation of sexual violence against migrants, and says it has no evidence that immigration is a central driver harming survivors

It comes after two TDs supported campaign linking migration to rape

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

In the wake of Bord Bia controversy, the only beef that matters is between farmers and Government With little hope of ending Larry Murrin’s tenure, has the IFA long since lost its high-profile battle?

There is beef between the Government and the Irish Farmers Association 🥩 🐮

Why? "Hubris - though some of them might think that’s a sheep drench.”

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

The Government is worried that the records would reveal personal details about survivors but the National Archives thinks data protection issues don't apply in many cases where records are much older than 30 years