Agility and innovation
Three Ireland’s Elaine Carey
Department of Justice Head of Modernisation
Darragh
European energy expert Cecilia Trasi examines the European energy market in the ‘America first’ era
DHLGH Assistant Secretary Paul Hogan on planning reform and residential construction
Aaron Rodericks
Head of Trust and Safety
Bluesky
Bree Treacy
Senior Social Manager
RTÉ
Laura Cummings
#SMDublin is back for 2026!
Now in its 12th year, Social Media Dublin is the major event for the Irish social media and communications industry. Bringing together over 350 attendees, the conference will look at trends and case studies in 2026 and onwards. A highlight of #SMDublin is showcasing successful social media campaigns from Ireland and beyond. As well as being significant in terms of social media expertise and case studies, #SMDublin has developed a strong networking dimension. It has become an event where the key communications and social media players meet for a day of networking and discussion.
PR and Communications Manager
RNIB Northern Ireland
Elan Iâl
Co-founder and Creative Director
Libera Studio
Alun Jones
Co-founder and Operations Director
Libera Studio
Amy Lynch
Digital and Content Manager
Aldi Ireland
Samantha Andrades
Social Media and Online Content Coordinator
Oxfam Ireland
Paul McGarrity
Managing Director
Octave Digital
Niall Cowley Managing Director
We the People
Christine Murphy
Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications
The Open University
Darragh Doyle
Strategic Communications
Dublin City Council Culture
Digital Events Publications
The post-Higgins Ireland…
In his 14 years as Uachtarán na hÉireann, Michael D Higgins presided over a period of profound social and political transformation. His tenure encompassed the aftermath of austerity, the legalisation of same-sex marriage and the repeal of the Eighth Amendment, the turbulence of Brexit, the global Covid-19 pandemic, and the deepening housing crisis.
While Higgins’ first term was marked by quiet reflection and moral leadership, his second term saw a more vocal and interventionist President; one unafraid to challenge prevailing orthodoxies or to speak to the conscience of the people of Ireland.
Through his rhetoric and his willingness to refer legislation to the Supreme Court, Higgins asserted the presidency as a check and balance on the Government, particularly on housing, inequality, and the Gaza genocide. In doing so, Higgins has reshaped public expectations of the office itself.
This expectation played no small part in Catherine Connolly’s victory. With Connolly’s mandate underpinned by her belief that the President must use their voice, it seems likely that Higgins’ legacy of moral engagement will endure. Furthermore, the ‘united left’ electoral alliance which has, in spite of the media’s best efforts, propelled her to office has the potential to upend politics as has been in this state since independence.
While the State’s leadership undergoes change, the challenge of meeting the needs of the people remains front and centre. The cover story of this 72nd edition of eolas Magazine features Three Ireland’s Elaine Carey, who discusses connectivity and innovation in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
Our housing report, in partnership with Clúid, comes amid the ongoing housing crisis, examining the policies and partnerships needed to deliver lasting solutions. Our justice report, sponsored by EY, explores reform and modernisation across the justice system, while our round table discussion hosted by Transport Infrastructure Ireland focuses on the climate resilience of the national road network.
We also provide analysis of Budget 2026, alongside an interview with Fianna Fáil TD Albert Dolan, and reflections from two Irish politicians who took part in aid flotillas to Gaza.
This issue also marks the departure of our former editor, Ciarán Galway, as he moves on to pastures new. Go néirí an bóthar leat, a chara.
Joshua Murray Deputy Editor
Editorial
Owen McQuade, Managing Editor owen.mcquade@eolasmagazine.ie
Joshua Murray, Deputy Editor
joshua.murray@eolasmagazine.ie
Ciaran Brennan ciaran.brennan@eolasmagazine.ie
Advertising
Sam Tobin sam.tobin@eolasmagazine.ie
Design
Gareth Duffy, Head of Design gareth.duffy@eolasmagazine.ie
Jamie Hogan jamie.hogan@eolasmagazine.ie
Events
Lynda Millar lynda.millar@eolasmagazine.ie
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71 Housing report
76 Analysis: ‘Housing for All 2.0’ facing repeated delay
84 Trilateral Research’s Rachel Finn on ethical and responsible AI for the housing sector
108 University of Melbourne’s Dan Hill examines climate considerations for housing policy
122 Europe
122 Lynn Boylan MEP: Mercosur is a bad deal
In partnership with
124 Cecilia Trasi analyses the European energy landscape in the ‘America first’ era
126 Public affairs
126 Mol an Óige: Fianna Fáil’s Albert Dolan TD
132 Martin Mansergh 1946-2025
134 Party conference report from the North
140 Oisín Coghlan: Crunch time for the Government’s climate commitments
matters arising
Planning approved for MetroLink
A new mostly-underground 18.8km railway from Swords Estuary to Charlemont via Dublin Airport and Dublin city centre has been granted planning permission by An Coimisiún Pleanála.
The commission published the railway order on 2 October 2025, paving the way for construction to begin subject to Cabinet approval and any potential legal challenge. Transport Infrastructure Ireland first applied for permission in November 2022.
First proposed in 2001, the largest infrastructure project in the State could cost up to €23 billion and commence operation in
Award-winning author and journalist Ed Moloney has died aged 77 after a brief illness. He is best known for his forensic investigative reporting during the conflict in the North.
Born in England, Moloney attended Queen’s University Belfast. As ‘the Troubles’ raged in the streets outside the campus, Moloney briefly joined the Official IRA before dedicating his life to journalism.
Moloney was the director of Boston College’s Belfast Project, which collated oral interviews with loyalist and republican paramilitary members to be released after their deaths.
the early 2030s. In July 2025, the Government committed €2 billion of funding as part of the National Development Plan Review 2025.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien TD says: “MetroLink will be transformative for the people of north Dublin and, by linking directly with Dublin airport, DART, heavy rail, Luas and bus services, the entire country.
“It will provide a fast, high capacity, high frequency public transport route, and it will enable the construction of tens of thousands of new homes.”
Journalist Ed Moloney dies aged 77
After publishing Voices from the Grave: Two Men’s War in Ireland in 2010, featuring interviews with former Provisional IRA member Brendan Hughes and former UVF prisoner David Ervine, Moloney faced protracted legal battles with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and US Department of Justice over the former’s desire to confiscate the tapes.
Assistant general secretary of the National Union of Journalists Séamus Dooley described Moloney as “one of the most consequential journalists of his generation”.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Credit:
IRJ
Modern Methods ofConstruction(MMC)
Standardised housing designs announced
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC)
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has revealed standardised housing designs as part of the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) initiative.
The aim of the study is to raise awareness of standardised housing designs to reduce the cost of housing construction, maximise sustainability, and maintain quality.
Described by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD as being “of considerable benefit to the construction industry”, the study contains five model “costefficient designs, optimised for MMC”, for the public and private sector.
Uisce Éireann has warned that a legal challenge against the Greater Dublin Drainage (GDD) project could impact new connections to wastewater systems.
An Coimisiún Pleanála granted permission for the €1.3 billion scheme in July 2025.
In September 2025, a group known as Wild Irish Defence lodged a legal challenge against the decision. First proposed in 2018, the project, which involves the development of a
Using the example of a standardised terraced house, undertaking various actions such as: reducing the size of the house to 102m² from 110m²; foregoing an en-suite bathroom, and reducing parking from two spaces to one could reduce the cost of building a terraced house by 12.5 per cent.
The Government aims to build 60,000 homes annually by 2030, compared to 30,330 homes completed in 2024. 15,152 were built in the first half of 2025.
In the 12 months to June 2025, the median price of a dwelling in Ireland was €370,000, seven times the average salary across the State.
Greater Dublin Drainage project faces legal challenge
new regional wastewater treatment facility in Clonshaugh and a new pumping station in Abbotstown, has been beset by delays that have been routinely cited as restricting housing development in the Greater Dublin region.
In May 2025, Uisce Éireann warned that “by 2028, Uisce Éireann may be unable to grant new connections to the wastewater network in parts of the Greater Dublin Area” without improvements to wastewater infrastructure.
AI schools guidance published
A guide on implementing AI in schools to support its use in teaching and learning was published by the Department of Education in October 2025.
It recommends schools implement the “4P approach” which comprises purpose, planning, policies, and practice.
It states that teachers should establish a clear purpose for using AI by identifying needs or challenges to address. This involves defining the desired outcomes and ensuring its use aligns with learning goals.
On planning, it states that schools should ensure that AI implementation aligns with a pre-existing digital learning plan. It says schools should ensure that current AI policies explicitly address ethical, legal, and operational considerations.
New ‘Troubles’ legacy framework announced
The Irish and UK governments have unveiled a joint framework on “addressing the legacy” of the conflict in the North.
Published on 19 September 2025, the framework substantially reforms the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) by ending the controversial immunity scheme for alleged perpetrators of Troubles-related offences who co-operate with the commission by sharing information and permitting the resumption of inquests and civil actions.
It commits the Government to establishing a dedicated unit within An Garda Síochána for ‘Troubles’-related cases, and
On practice, the effective use of AI should aim to optimise student learning while ensuring alignment with the curriculum, safeguarding student wellbeing, and maintaining the central role of the teacher.
Welcoming its publication, Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee TD said: “Given AI is a rapidly growing and changing area, with research and evaluation on its potential benefits in education still in its early stages, this guidance is intended to be a living document subject to ongoing updates.”
reaffirms the commitment of An Garda Síochána to investigate all such cases “within its jurisdiction”.
In December 2023, the Government took legal action against the UK Government over the ‘Legacy Act’; that legislated for the ICRIR, on human rights grounds.
Campaigners for victims and their families, alongside all major political parties in the North opposed the ‘Legacy Act’.
Welcoming the framework, Tánaiste Simon Harris TD says: “The joint framework provides for sweeping reforms of the mechanisms designed to address the legacy of ‘the Troubles’ in Northern Ireland, and across this island. I believe that what we have agreed can deliver for families.”
cúpla focal
“This is where I differ with Micheál Martin... I don't think we should put up an artificial barrier towards a border poll.”
“I felt this was my time, I’m 74, you weren’t going to get another chance and that was it.”
Bertie Ahern on not being considered as Fianna Fáil’s presidential nominee.
“As we approach the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and Ireland’s first climate law in December 2025 Minister O’Brien must decide is he serious about our climate commitments or face judgement in the court of public opinion and, most likely, the court of law.”
“This was obviously not a peaceful protest. The actions this evening can only be described as thuggery. This was a mob intent on violence against gardaí.”
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly speaking after an attack by far-right protesters outside an accommodation centre for International Protection applicants in Dublin.
Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Irish reunification.
Former head of Friends of the Earth Oisín Coghlan.
Buiseád 2026
Ostensibly laying the groundwork for fiscal prudency, Budget 2026 outlines another large increase in public expenditure, and further entrenches overreliance on windfall corporation tax receipts.
Budget 2026, the first since the 2024 general election, comes at time of heightened global economic uncertainty, amidst the shattering of the global freetrade consensus and accompanying tariffs, the continuance of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and tentative steps towards peace in Gaza.
Delivered to the Dáil on 7 October 2025, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD, who swapped places with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers TD after the formation of the present government in January 2025, described the Budget as “building up our [economic] resilience” which will “help us to adapt at a time of historic challenge for our economy”.
Amounting to €9.4 billion, the Budget package bucks the trend of recent years in dispensing with temporary measures designed to mitigate the cost-of-living crisis. Instead, the Budget represents a rightward shift toward supply-side economics, using tax incentives to
increase private sector supply aimed at alleviating the housing crisis and further stimulate growth in the economy.
Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty TD slammed the Budget as “abandoning workers and families to look after those at the top”.
At the same time, large-scale capital spending is allocated to housing, defence, and transport, with smaller allocations for other departments.
In the shadow of a crumbling global free trade consensus, Ireland’s position as a tax haven economy, home to a multitude of large multinational companies such as Microsoft, Meta, Google, and Pfizer, reinforces the perils of the State’s overreliance on corporation tax receipts; accounting for an estimated 31 per cent (€34.1 billion) of upcoming tax revenue in 2026.
Macroeconomic context
In recent times, the Government has enjoyed substantial budget surpluses,
with a general government balance of nearly €8.8 billion estimated for 2026, though this is a sizable decrease on the 2024 figure (€25.4 billion).
When ‘windfall’ corporation tax receipts are removed from this figure, the Department of Finance estimates the underlying government deficit to be €13.6 billion in 2026, an 84 per cent increase from 2025.
In effect, the current fiscal stability is wholly reliant on these corporations. As the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI) outlines: “The only thing differentiating Ireland from the deficits and austerity facing France, the UK, and other Western economies is the windfall corporation tax receipts emanating from a tiny group of US multinationals.”
These concerns are echoed by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC). The watchdog says that without these “phenomenal” levels of excess corporation tax, “there would be a substantial deficit, despite a strong economy”.
Minister for Finance
Paschal Donohoe TD
Speaking to RTÉ in September 2025, Minister Donohoe said: “The rate of current spending needs to moderate, we need to pull it down.”
Contrary to this, current spending will increase to €85.5 billion in 2026, up from €80.5 billion in 2025; itself an overrun of €4.5 billion from Budget 2025 estimates.
Overall government spending is projected to be €117.8 billion, a 9 per cent increase on Budget 2025 estimates. Once again, the Government has violated its own public spending increase limit of 5 per cent that was designed ensure that the public finances remain on a sustainable path.
In September 2025, the Department of Finance’s Annual Report on Public Debt said the State owed €218 billion, or 67.9 per cent of GNI* at the end of 2024.
This amounts to €40,500 per person, high by European standards but a decrease from the peak of €60,800 (inflation-adjusted) in 2013. Although this is a considerable percentage decrease from the 2020 peak of 109 per cent, the numerical value is unchanged (€218 billion) from 2020.
The report highlights that €49 billion of debt, currently locked into pandemic-era low interest rates, will require refinancing in the next five years, significantly increasing the cost of sovereign debt management.
Commenting on the report, Minister Donohoe says it “illustrates the importance of prudent management of the public finances”.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.7 per cent between September 2024 and September 2025, the highest rate since March 2024, and a substantial
“This Budget will boost our resilience and protect jobs. It puts us in the best possible position to create a stronger and more competitive economy while meeting the needs of our people today and in the time to come.”
increase from 1.7 per cent in the 12 months to August 2024; largely fuelled by notoriously volatile food and energy prices.
The latest inflation figure was revealed on 9 October 2025, two days after the budget announcement.
Global economic uncertainty
In April 2025, the global economic order was thrown into disarray after US President Donald Trump imposed “retaliatory” tariffs on all imports from outside the US. Ireland, as a member state of the EU, found itself in the crossfire of escalating trade tensions between the trading blocs.
After months of uncertainty, the EU and US struck a trade deal in July 2025, imposing a 15 per cent trade “ceiling” on all EU exports the US.
In March 2025, Trump promised to “take back… the wealth” generated by American pharmaceutical companies domiciled in Ireland, directly threatening the State’s preeminent fiscal model.
Acknowledging these concerns, Minister Donohoe says the Budget represents “a plan to strengthen the resilience we have shown in the past”, adding that it underpinned by a sensible budget that “will safeguard our future”.
In a distinct supply-side shift, the Government has decided to prioritise changes to taxation to support business. Most notably, VAT for the hospitality sector, alongside hairdressers, will be reduced from 13 per cent to 9 per cent at a cost of €681 million per year.
Though welcomed by the sectors concerned, the General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Owen Reidy slammed the move as “nothing less than economic vandalism.
The research and development tax credit will be increased from 30 per cent to 35 per cent, alongside increasing the firstyear payment threshold from €75,000 to €87,500.
To support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the Budget introduces a new market cap exemption stamp duty threshold of €1 billion for Irish SMEs and start-ups.
The Irish SME Association has welcomed the budget, calling it “a stable and responsible package that broadly maintains fiscal discipline in uncertain times”.
Cost-of-living
The Government has allocated €28.9 billion to the Department of Social Protection, a 7.6 per cent increase from Budget 2025, though in Budget 2026, there is a notable absence of one-off cost-of-living measures, a prominent feature of recent times.
In September 2025, Minister Donohoe said it is essential to “replace those kinds of measures with more permanent, targeted measures”.
During his Budget 2026 speech, Minister Chambers said: “This Government cares about our people and has designed a progressive Budget that delivers permanent and targeted social welfare measures that will shield the most vulnerable against cost-of-living rises.”
Pearse Doherty TD
“The people will remember this one, because [the Government] have shafted them royally.”
The minimum wage will rise by 65 cents to €14.15 per hour from 1 January 2026, a 4 per cent increase in real terms, though tax bands and credits will be frozen, amounting to a real-terms tax rise if wages increase at their currently forecasted rate of 3.7 per cent.
The Carer’s Allowance income disregard is increased to €1,000 for a single person and €2000 for a couple. Domiciliary Care Allowance is increased by €20 per month, to €380 per month.
In the lead up to the 2024 General Election, Fine Gael’s manifesto contained a commitment to abolish the disregard, at a cost of €600 million.
The decision to retain the disregard drew the ire of Sinn Féin’s spokeswoman on Social Protection Louise O’Reilly TD, who said: “Now that the election is over, we see that they are putting less money into it than last year and with a mere €10 million for a half-year. It will take 30 years to abolish the means test for carers.”
The weekly rate of Child Support Payment has been increased by €8 for children under 12, and €15 for children over 12, bringing total weekly payments to €58 and €78 respectively.
The Fuel Allowance rate is increased by €5 to €38 and the 9 per cent rate of VAT on gas and electricity will be extended to 31 December 2030.
The Government has allocated €27.4 billion to the Department of Health, a 6.2 per cent increase from Budget 2025.
As part of the package, diagnostic health services are to be expanded, and acute hospital capacity will increase by 220 beds. Alongside this, 500 extra nurses and an additional 1.7 million Home Support Hours will be funded.
Infrastructure and climate
To build greater capacity, Uisce Éireann will receive an allocation of €1.4 billion. This is alongside €12.2 billion of capital spending allocated in the National Development Plan to expand water and wastewater services.
ESB and EirGrid will collectively receive an allocation of €3.5 billion. Minister Chambers says this is to “strengthen energy security and accelerate the transition to renewable energy”.
Despite wide-ranging environmental challenges, the Government has allocated €1.1 billion to the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, a 21 per cent reduction from Budget 2025’s allocation to the then-Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
Residential and commercial energy upgrade schemes will receive €558 million in carbon tax revenue, and the climate action and environmental leadership programme will receive €209 million.
The Government has allocated €4.7 billion to the Department of Transport, a substantial 20.5 per cent increase from Budget 2025.
This amount includes €940 million for the Government’s Public Transport Public Services Obligation and further funds for DART+, Cork Area Commuter Rail Phase 1, and road projects such as the Adare Bypass; N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramouge; and M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy.
Broad analysis
At first glance, Ireland’s fiscal position is remarkable, but beneath the surface, a different picture emerges.
The rise of ‘America first’ economic nationalism, expressing itself through ‘retaliatory’ tariffs against trading partners, has laid bare Ireland’s overreliance on windfall corporation tax receipts.
When these receipts are excluded from revenue estimates, a plausible scenario given the rhetoric of Trump, the Government is running an underlying deficit of €13.6 billion, an 84 per cent rise in just one year.
In comparison, between 2008 and 2009, the State’s overall deficit rose by 79 per cent.
In this climate, the decision to reduce the tax take by €1.3 billion, and increase public expenditure by €8.1 billion is outright reckless.
Conor O’Toole, associate research professor at the ESRI says the budget “risks overheating the domestic economy and leaves less space to act if a downturn occurs.”
“A pathway to close the underlying deficit, by making difficult choices and trade-offs, should be developed.”
Writing in The Irish Times, John FitzGerald said: “It was a serious mistake in the budget to plan for big increases in health and education spending without ensuring a stable revenue base to pay for them through appropriate new tax measures.”
On the cost-of-living, the ESRI estimates that average household disposable incomes will drop by 2 per cent, with lowincome families seeing a drop of 4.1 per cent, partly because of the sunsetting of temporary cost-of-living payments.
For analysis of Budget 2026’s housing allocation, please see pages 94 and 95.
eolas Public Services Conference 2025
Speakers: Ronan Murphy, Iarnród Éireann; Elaine Teague, Disability Federation of Ireland; Grace Cunningham, Deloitte; Emer Higgins TD, Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment; Sinéad Lucey Brennan, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower; Nessa White, SOLAS; and Dara Ryder, AHEAD.
The 2025 eolas Public Services Conference recently took place in the Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, Dublin. Sponsored by Deloitte and OpenSky, the conference brought together key stakeholders from across Ireland’s public service to look ahead to what is next and how we can deliver transformation at scale.
The top line up of expert speakers, both local and visiting included Emer Higgins TD, Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment; Angela Hanson, Innovation Lead, OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation; Angela Denning, Chief Executive Officer, Courts Service and Nessa White, Interim CEO, SOLAS.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the 2025 conference sponsors, Deloitte and OpenSky, all speakers, exhibitors and delegates who joined us in the Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, Dublin and made the conference a huge success.
Robert Cazaciuc, Department of Transport asks the panel a question.
A delegate visits Chloe Roche and Alanna Braham at the Cyber Skills exhibition stand.
Minister Emer Higgins TD with William Flanagan and Michael Cronin, OpenSky Data Systems.
Speaker Angela Hanson, OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation with Lauren Redmond, CPL.
Shane Mohan and Pranati Mehtha, Deloitte at the Deloitte exhibition stand.
Speaker Deborah Szebeko, thinkpublic.
Customers at the centre of Three’s transformation
Elaine Carey, Chief Executive Officer of Three Ireland, speaks to eolas Magazine about leadership, organisational transformation, and her vision for the company’s next chapter, one defined by agility, innovation, and meaningful partnership.
cover story
“The customer has to be at the heart of everything we do. It is about remembering that there is a customer or business behind it all who has a requirement that we need to serve.”
Since stepping into the role of CEO in June 2025, Elaine Carey has set about reimagining how Three Ireland operates, collaborates, and connects with its customers. For Carey, this means placing the customer at the centre of everything the organisation does through the introduction of enterprise agile as an operating model.
“Our priorities are very much focused on how we deliver the best outcomes for our customers,” she begins. “We have just turned enterprise agile, which we are really excited by. Internally, it is about breaking down our traditional departments and creating crossfunctional teams that are focused on customer outcomes.”
Three Ireland’s adoption of an enterprise agile model represents a major step forward in how a large organisation structures itself. “We are one of the first in Ireland, and possibly in Europe, to go full enterprise agile,” she adds proudly. “It is not just about speed; it is about collaboration, accountability, and empowerment.”
A career built on growth and change
Carey’s own journey to the top of Three Ireland reflects a mix of adaptability, curiosity, and resilience. A proud Limerick native, she began her career in travel and tourism before moving into telecommunications when she joined Digifone’s contact centre in Limerick in the late 1990s.
“I started out just taking a summer job,” she recalls with a smile. “But that is where I really found my passion for telecoms. From there, I joined Digicel and
spent several years working across the Caribbean in St Lucia, Barbados, Aruba, and the Cayman Islands, and learned the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Returning to Ireland, Carey joined Three during its formative years and has since spent 18 years with the company. “It has felt like five different jobs in one organisation,” she says. “I started when Three was the challenger brand, growing from the ground up. Then we went through the acquisition of O2 in 2014, the integration of two large businesses, and later my role expanded to include the UK market. So I have seen transformation at every stage.”
That experience has shaped her leadership approach. “My philosophy has always been to have the customer at the centre,” she explains. “Everything we do should serve our customers better and create opportunities for our people to grow and shine.”
Transforming through enterprise agile
The decision to transition Three Ireland into a fully enterprise agile organisation was, Carey explains, driven directly by wanting a renewed focus on the customer.
Working with McKinsey, Carey and the leadership team explored how an enterprise agile model could unlock innovation and simplify decision-making. “The customer has to be at the heart of everything we do. It is about remembering that there is a customer or business behind it all who has a requirement that we need to serve. To do that, we now bring people from different
functions around the business together to solve real customer problems,” she explains. “You define clear outputs, work in two-week sprints, review every 90 days, and continuously prioritise.”
The new model is designed to create a laser focus on the customer. “Every business has a million things it wants to do, but you cannot do everything,” Carey notes. “Enterprise agile gives us the system to prioritise what really matters. It makes time visible and finite. It forces us to deliver.”
Just as importantly, it shifts the role of leadership. “Our leadership team has to show up differently, as supportive, servant leaders rather than commandand-control managers,” she emphasises. “It is about empowerment. Give people what they need to make the right decisions for the customer and the business, and then remove the obstacles in their way.”
Building a culture of empowerment
For Carey, the internal culture is the foundation of enterprise agile. Without the right mindset and values, the model simply does not work.
“You can have all the systems in the world, but if your culture is not strong, enterprise agile will fail,” she says. “So we have been really clear on what kind of culture we want to build for our people.”
At the heart of this is empowerment, what Carey calls “the ability to shine”. “We want every person to have the ability to shine because they are
empowered to make decisions that make sense for our customers,” the CEO explains. “That is where engagement, innovation, and satisfaction come from.”
Transparency and psychological safety are equally critical. “Everyone needs to understand the context and the why,” she continues. “And we need psychological safety, the ability to say something is not working without fear of blame. Perfection is not always possible. You have to release, learn, and improve.”
This open, learning-focused culture, she believes, is what will sustain Three’s agility and creativity in the long term. “Enterprise agile is a big shift from hierarchy to trust,” Carey reflects. “And I think that is what makes this transformation so powerful.”
From provider to partner
Beyond its internal transformation, Carey is equally passionate about how Three Ireland is evolving externally, particularly in its relationships with government and public sector clients.
“We have had brilliant success over the past few years,” she says. “From Dublin City Council and Dún LaoghaireRathdown to Tipperary and Sligo County Councils, we have built trusted partnerships across local and central government with organisations like the Department of Agriculture, Department of Foreign Affairs, the Taoiseach’s Office, the Central Bank, and, most recently, the HSE.”
Carey describes Three’s work with the HSE as a standout example of cocreation. “Back during the Covid period, the HSE faced real challenges communicating with patients and doctors,” she recalls. “We sat down with them to understand their business problem and co-created solutions that addressed it. That is what co-creation looks like in practice: collaboration, empathy, and innovation.”
The same approach applies across county councils and government departments. “When our public sector partners bring us a problem, whether it is connectivity, security, or network design, we bring our expertise to the table and work together to find a solution,” she explains. “It is not about selling a product. It is about being a partner.”
Unlocking potential through 5G
With Ireland’s digital transformation accelerating, Carey sees immense opportunity in the public sector’s use of 5G-enabled technologies.
“5G changes everything,” she asserts. “It allows for network slicing, guaranteeing dedicated, secure network capacity for specific uses. We understand what our market leading network needs to deliver, and we provide that day in and day out. Recently Three was independently awarded ‘Ireland’s Fastest 5G Network’ by Opensignal, and that is critical for applications like robotics, smart manufacturing, and public safety, where
you need low latency and real-time connectivity.”
Carey sees 5G as a catalyst for innovation across sectors. “One partnership that we are particularly excited about in this area is with Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Ericsson and Samsung; together we are showcasing the capabilities of 5G standalone technology through practical use cases, advancing research and development in areas like connected agriculture, health, fitness, personal safety, and more. The potential of the technology is really quite inspiring.”
Carey has also taken on another role as Chair of Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII), the Ibec group that represents electronic communications in Ireland. “The mobile and broadband networks in this country are world-class, and that is down to the significant investment that telecommunications operators and broadband providers have put into them. These networks are critical infrastructure for our country and I am looking forward to working to continue to enhance the capacity and capability of Ireland’s communications networks."
Early engagement and partnership
Carey firmly believes that engagement with the public, private, and third level sectors “should begin early”.
“We really value early engagement,” she stresses. “If you want a true partnership, do not wait until the tender stage. Have those conversations early, run workshops, let us understand your challenges. That is where differentiation happens.”
She believes this kind of collaboration benefits everyone. “When organisations allow suppliers like us to come in early, they often discover new ways of solving problems. Innovation comes from dialogue,” she says. “Yes, price matters; of course it does. But expertise and partnership matter too. You are not just buying a service; you are choosing a partner who can help you achieve your goals.”
Carey’s emphasis on people is evident throughout the conversation. “At the end of the day, you buy from people,” she says. “We are very proud of our people,
“We are a technology partner, a problem solver, and a trusted enabler of transformation. That is a journey I am incredibly proud to lead.”
their expertise, their creativity, and their ability to solve problems. They love a challenge, and they love to prove how they can make things better.”
Ambitions
Reflecting on her first months as CEO, Carey is candid about the journey ahead. “We are on a mission to simplify, to empower, and to grow,” she says. “Enterprise agile is helping us recapture that entrepreneurial spirit that made Three great in the first place, but now we are doing it at scale.”
For her, the company’s transformation is about more than process; it is about mindset. “It is about giving people the confidence to make decisions, to innovate, and to collaborate across boundaries,” she says. “And when we get that right, our customers feel it; whether that is an individual on a mobile plan or a government department managing critical infrastructure.”
As Ireland’s largest mobile telecommunications provider, Three continues to play a pivotal role in enabling connectivity “anytime, anyplace”. Under Carey’s leadership, the company’s focus is clear: to lead through connection between people, technology, and purpose.
“We are not just a mobile provider anymore,” she concludes. “We are a technology partner, a problem solver, and a trusted enabler of transformation. That is a journey I am incredibly proud to lead.”
Profile: Elaine Carey
A native of Limerick, Elaine Carey began her career in travel and tourism before moving into telecommunications in the late 1990s. After roles with Digifone, Digicel, and Eir, she joined Three Ireland in its early years, where she has spent 18 years in leadership roles across retail, commercial, and strategy.
She played a key role in the 2014 acquisition and integration of O2 Ireland and later served as Chief Commercial Officer across both the Irish and UK markets. In June 2025, Carey was appointed CEO of Three Ireland.
A passionate advocate for innovation, empowerment, and customercentric leadership, she continues to drive the company’s transformation through enterprise agile methodology and a renewed focus on collaboration with Ireland’s public and private sectors.
Reinforcing economic resilience
The newly published Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity urges the Government to “control the controllables”, by improving infrastructure, supporting SMEs, expediting the planning process, and investing in AI.
The plan, published by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in September 2025, includes the introduction of a ‘red tape challenge’ across government, aiming to significantly reduce regulation for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The plan identifies six thematic challenges and outlines 85 actions for “enhancing our competitiveness and productivity performance”, with 26 identified as priority actions:
1. Productivity: Embracing research, innovation, and skills.
2. International: Boosting FDI and exports, and influencing at EU level.
3. SMEs: Creating and scaling more SMEs.
4. Competition: Regulating for growth and controlling costs.
5. Infrastructure: Increasing the State’s capacity to deliver infrastructure.
6. Sustainability: Growing sustainable Irish businesses and boosting regional development.
Boosting infrastructure capacity
Building on the National Development Plan (NDP) Review 2025, which outlines €275.4 billion of public capital investment to 2035, the plan contains five actions, three labelled as priorities, to improve infrastructure delivery.
Credit: MerrionStreet.ie
Introduced in June 2025, the Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce, is to be prioritised to ensure that “barriers to delivery are addressed”. To increase construction sector productivity in national infrastructure and housing programmes, supply and demand-side initiatives at design and procurement stages are prioritised.
Furthermore, the plan encourages government departments to explore further flexibility for fixed-term contract recruitment of specialist expertise, with the aim of embedding such expertise into relevant areas.
Highlighting low productivity in the construction sector, the report says: “Ireland’s infrastructure has continually presented as the most significant detractor from its competitiveness performance.”
The report further highlights planning issues as a significant barrier to infrastructure development, urging the Government to “commence these [Planning and Development Act 2024] reforms to enhance delivery of infrastructure as soon as possible”. It further describes improved planning performance as “critical” for achieving the State’s housing and energy targets.
Artificial intelligence
The plan envisages the establishment of a National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO) to fulfil Ireland’s obligations under the EU AI Act, acting as a “focal point for the promotion and adoption of transparent and safe AI in Ireland”.
According to research conducted by Trinity College Dublin in collaboration with Microsoft, 91 per cent of Irish organisations currently use AI “in some form”, doubling since 2024.
To accommodate this rise in demand, the development of next generation sites (NGS) is listed as a priority action in the report. These are large-scale, preplanned developments designed to attract foreign investment, particularly in AI, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability.
Partly due to the rise in AI usage, the report highlights the need to design a medium-term plan to connect new, very large energyintensive industries to the electricity grid.
SMEs
While large multinational corporations represented 88 per cent of corporation tax receipts in 2024, SMEs represent most employment opportunities, accounting for 68 per cent of employment in 2022.
According to the OECD, SME business dynamism and startup rates are low and Irish SMEs are relatively inactive in international markets, with stagnant productivity growth.
To counter these concerns, Start-up Ireland, a new central coordinating body encouraging alignment and collaboration across the national start-up ecosystem, will be established, acting as “a focal point for policy, investment, and ecosystem development and aligning with European and global best practices”.
The plan contains a priority action in establishing an SME scaling fund to increase the available public capital to support scaling for SMEs alongside a further action of reviewing tax measures to incentivise investment into start-up and scaling companies.
Commentary
In June 2025, Ibec described the Irish economy as suffering from “poorly designed, overly complex, or excessive regulation”. Furthermore, in May 2025, Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) warned that “Ireland risks losing investment” due to what it calls an “increased regulatory burden”.
Launching the report, which seeks to address these challenges, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD said it “is designed to
address the challenges we face and drive the necessary action and reform needed to help Ireland, our businesses, and our people thrive into the future”.
Welcoming the plan, Fergal O’Brien, executive director of lobbying and influence at Ibec, describes the plan as an “important step forward”.
According to the International Institute for Managerial Development, Ireland has the most competitive economy in the Euro area. Likewise, according to the OECD, Ireland is the most productive country in the world, with a GDP per hour worked figure of $164 in 2024.
However, geopolitical strife and global trade tensions have necessitated an economic rethink. In 2024, foreign multinationals paid 29 per cent of all tax collected in the State, an estimated €33 billion. Without this sum, the €30.8 billion current budget surplus would have regressed to a €2.2 billion deficit, highlighting a dangerous overreliance on foreign direct investment to keep the public finances in order.
The ESRI has already warned that the economy is at risk of overheating. The plan, with its aim of further increasing FDI, risks applying greater demand to an already burgeoning economy.
Boosting Ireland’s competitiveness and innovation
Ireland’s international reputation and profile as an innovative, agile and high-performing economy is critically dependent on its talented and highly skilled workforce. Skillnet Ireland’s report entitled Ireland’s Talent Landscape 2025: Future Skills Challenges of Irish Business identified the skills challenges facing businesses in adapting to the changing nature of work in the face of the digital, AI, and green transitions.
The report, which surveyed 500 businesses from across Ireland stresses the challenges of sourcing and retaining skilled talent. In an economy operating at historic employment levels, sourcing skills remains a challenge, with 42 per cent of businesses struggling to find employees with essential skillsets. Almost 80 per cent of businesses indicated their staff will require digital upskilling in the coming years to perform their roles, while two-thirds (66 per cent) said they will need climate action and sustainability related upskilling.
The report also shows a growing consensus on the importance of AI across all sectors, albeit with different levels of AI usage across sectors of the economy. The research found that while 54 per cent of Irish companies are yet to use AI, 66 per cent of respondents believe the technology will have the potential to grow their business within the next two years.
Speaking at the launch of the Ireland’s Talent Landscape 2025 report, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, said: “This new research from Skillnet Ireland provides invaluable insights into the skills and workforce challenges facing Irish businesses at this pivotal time. Ireland’s highly skilled workforce has long been the foundation of our economic success, and this study underscores the critical importance of continued investment in talent development to sustain our global competitiveness.”
Accelerating innovation
Skillnet Ireland has continued to deliver the objectives set out in its Statement of Strategy 2021-2025, with the launch of innovative workforce development supports for businesses including new initiatives dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship, offshore wind and modern methods of construction.
Mark Jordan, Chief Executive, Skillnet Ireland, says: “As a knowledge-based economy, nurturing our highly skilled workforce is central to our national competitiveness. Our research and engagement with industry signals the skills challenges facing Irish businesses as they navigate a rapidly evolving economic landscape. A positive we are seeing is increasing numbers of Irish
Pictured at the launch of Skillnet Ireland's Ireland’s Talent Landscape 2025 report, (L-R) Mark Jordan, Chief Executive, Skillnet Ireland and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD.
Credit: Alan Place.
businesses choosing to invest in upskilling. They recognise the impact upskilling and reskilling has on their competitiveness.”
Skillnet Ireland recently launched Pathways to Innovate, a collaborative initiative delivered by a number of Skillnet Ireland industry partners which has been designed to help established small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to grow by embedding innovation into their operations. Through training, leadership development, and industry collaboration, the programme helps SMEs upskill their workforce, adopt digital transformation, and connect with partners and funding to achieve long-term success and a competitive edge. One of the Pathway to Innovate supports from the IRDG Innovation Skillnet is a hands-on practical programme which aims to help regional small and medium-sized enterprise leaders to not only navigate the route to innovation but convert it into business growth.
“In today’s challenging economic environment, Irish SMEs need practical, results-oriented solutions to stay competitive. Through our collaboration with Skillnet Ireland, this pioneering programme provides business leaders with a clear strategic roadmap, peer-topeer learning opportunities, and handson guidance to convert innovation into real growth for Irish enterprises,” says Dermot Casey, CEO of the Industry Research and Development Group (IRDG).
Growth-oriented Irish SMEs across any sector with a focus on new products, services or processes, who need structured support to accelerate, will benefit from their involvement in the Pathways to Innovate programme which is co-ordinated by Skillnet Innovation Exchange and IRDG Innovation Skillnet, in partnership with ISME Skillnet, Irish Medtech Skillnet and Taste4Success Skillnet.
Developing future skills
Another consistent area of interest amongst business leaders is how best to develop learning solutions that meet the needs of both businesses and their workforce. Micro-credentials have continued to play a crucial role in supporting lifelong learning and offer flexible, targeted, and accessible learning opportunities for individuals already in the workforce. The microcredential sized learning approach has
“By aligning its focus and supports with national priorities and industry needs, Skillnet Ireland demonstrates a deep commitment to building a resilient, innovative, and future-ready workforce.”
remained popular, aligns with the fastpaced changes in industry demands, and helps develop our agile and responsive workforce.
Skillnet Offshore Wind Academy have recently launched 12 new university accredited micro-credentials targeted at mid-career professionals currently employed who have the potential to transition into offshore renewable energy, including geophysicists, GIS technicians, resource analysts and able seafarers. The suite of programmes developed in partnership with a range of academic institutions including UCC, TU Dublin and UCD are crafted in collaboration with industry experts to help develop Ireland’s workforce in meeting the future demands of the offshore wind energy sector.
At the launch of the programmes, Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Marian Harkin TD, said: “The new university-accredited courses offered by
Skillnet Offshore Wind Academy will equip professionals with the specialised skills needed to drive the development of Ireland’s offshore wind sector. These programmes will provide pathways into high-impact, future-proofed careers that will help us deliver on our net zero commitments, strengthen our economy, and protect our environment for generations to come.”
By aligning its focus and supports with national priorities and industry needs, Skillnet Ireland demonstrates a deep commitment to building a resilient, innovative, and future-ready workforce. As skills gaps remain a critical challenge for businesses, Skillnet Ireland continues to be a cornerstone in Ireland’s competitiveness, enabling companies to thrive in a rapidly evolving global economy.
W: www.skillnetireland.ie
Pictured at the launch of IRDG Innovation Skillnet, (L-R) Dave Flynn, Director of Business Networks, Skillnet Ireland; Bernadette McGahon, Research & Innovation Services Manager, IRDG; Anna Coyle, IRDG Innovation Skillnet Chairperson; Peter Lennox, Development Advisor, Skillnet Ireland; and Dermot Casey, CEO, IRDG.
The left’s landslide: Catherine Connolly heading to the Áras
hÉireann has the potential to trigger a political realignment in Irish politics and demonstrates an electorate which is dissatisfied with the political establishment, writes Joshua Murray.
Catherine Connolly, the left-wing Galway West TD, has not only won the presidency; she has secured a larger mandate by number of votes than any political candidate or party in the history of the State. She won 914,143 votes, representing 63 per cent of the total, the largest popular vote margin since the presidency was established in 1938. The number of votes beats the record set by Fianna Fáil in 2007 for the largest number of votes in either a presidential or general election campaign.
This achievement is attributable to a number of factors, the first being
Connolly’s political capabilities. While the narrative surrounding her victory has been one of a ‘united left’ coalition, comprising Sinn Féin, Social Democrats, Labour, People Before Profit, and the Green Party, Connolly’s decision to declare early has proved decisive in the chain of events.
By declaring early, Connolly, who will take office on 11 November 2025, was able to secure a nomination while bypassing the need for Sinn Féin’s initial support, ensuring that she was a serious candidate in this election while forcing Sinn Féin into a corner.
Secondly, while Sinn Féin bided its time in choosing to support Connolly, its decision to do so was, as party leader Mary Lou McDonald TD said at the time, “a gamechanger”. With the apparatus and support of the biggest political party on this island, Connolly was presented as a unifier with the ability to unite the unlikeliest of opponents in one pursuit: defeating Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
FF and FG fallout
Speaking of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, the election of Connolly is also the culmination of disaster classes in running
an election by the two government parties. For Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin TD faces a fight for his leadership in November 2025, as RTÉ has reported that 10 of the 12 TDs needed to trigger a motion of confidence in his leadership have done so. This follows Martin using all of his political capital to pressure his parliamentary party into nominating the inept Jim Gavin as its nominee.
Gavin was a disaster for Fianna Fáil from the beginning, with his nomination demonstrating a clear divide in the party after 40 per cent of the parliamentary party voted against the leadership to nominate MEP Billy Kelleher for the presidency. Once he hit the campaign trail, the former Dublin GAA manager suffered a series of gaffes with his campaign, and was victim to a number of smears about his personal life on social media.
A presidential campaign can be a place where political newcomers can thrive, with Mary McAleese being the most famous example in modern times. However, Gavin’s maladroit mannerisms and insipid debate performances put him on unsteady footing. The ground went from under Gavin when it emerged that he had not paid back €3,300 owed to a former tenant; which he has now paid back. This culminated in the ludicrous situation where he dropped out of the race but remained on the ballot. Martin is now left to pick through the bones of a damaging campaign where Fianna Fáil wasted up to €500,000 running in an election it did not actively contest, and faces the fight for his life as party leader.
For Fine Gael, it was barely any better. There was enthusiasm at the beginning of the campaign when former European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness was unveiled as the party’s candidate. However, McGuinness quickly and unexpectedly dropped out, reportedly for health reasons, and party leader Simon Harris TD pushed for Heather Humphreys to be the candidate, with MEP and former GAA president Seán Kelly dismissed by Harris on two occasions as a potential candidate.
Humphreys was a capable candidate who could have had a fascinating case to make as an Ulster Protestant, however, she was unable to inspire voters in this campaign and, amid flailing poll numbers, turned to Trumpian negative campaigning against her left-wing opponent.
While the negative campaign regarding Connolly’s background as a barrister, her association with former TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly, and attempts to paint her as ‘pro-Putin’ caught the attention of the electorate, they failed to persuade voters that Humphreys would be the ‘president for all’ given that this campaign was alienating the very people who voted for the winning candidate.
While Harris is seemingly not facing the same kind of leadership pressure as his Fianna Fáil counterpart, this election is the latest in a string of poor election results for Fine Gael. An election which was presented to it on a plate has resulted in emphatic rejection.
Spoilt votes
Turnout in this election was up slightly from the 2018 vote, when Michael D Higgins won a landslide victory as a popular incumbent and right-wing independent Peter Casey shocked observers by polling a respectable second place with 23 per cent of the vote. There was no right-wing candidate in this election, after barrister Maria Steen was denied entry to the ballot having failed to win the necessary number of nominations.
In Steen’s absence, an online ‘spoil your vote’ campaign emerged and is arguably the secondary winner of this election, with 213,738 (around 12.9 per cent) votes spoilt, mostly with messages pertaining to either support for Steen or antiimmigration sentiments. It would be dangerous to overplay the significance of this, with the ‘spoil the vote’ campaigning significantly underperforming Peter Casey’s performance in 2018, and other rightwing independents (most significantly, Dana Rosemary Scallon in 1997) having gained respectable votes before failing to organise a rightwing political movement.
Nevertheless, the results show that there is a gap in the market of Irish politics, with the left united in an unprecedented manner, and Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil perceived as liberal parties by a significant portion of the electorate. This gap will be of concern to the two government parties, as it stands to reason that a significant portion of votes for a rightwing candidate would have subsequently transferred to their parties. This would not have been enough to prevent Connolly’s victory, but would have undoubtedly made the result closer.
‘Difference-maker’
While all of these factors are of interest, arguably the most important factor in this victory for Catherine Connolly has been Connolly herself. Her ability to score the biggest mandate in the history of the State demonstrates all of the Galway West TD’s political skills, both as a personality and strategist. By outmaneuvering Sinn Féin, uniting republicans, socialists and social democrats, and responding strongly under pressure to robust questioning, Connolly herself was the difference-maker in this election.
Furthermore, this result will be perceived as an endorsement for neutrality, support for a stronger stance by the Government on the Gaza genocide, and a stand against the Government on housing, with the president-elect’s promise to “use my voice when necessary” now having a mandate.
Overall, there are fundamental questions for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to face with challenges both to their left and right, and a clear lesson for the left: when united, it is possible to comprehensively defeat Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in a national election.
The left has shown that it can unite around a personality. The bigger question is whether this ‘united left’ coalition which has delivered this result can translate this spirit of cooperation into a general election campaign.
Ensuring the climate resilience of the national road network
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) hosted expert stakeholders from across the public and private sectors and academia to discuss how to ensure the climate resilience of the national road network.
Based on the most recent climate projections, what are the most significant likely stresses for Ireland’s national roads over the next 20 to 50 years and how should we prioritise resilience measures?
Stephen Smyth
The impact of flooding on operations and national road infrastructure is the predominant risk identified in our recently-completed Climate Adaptation Implementation Plan for national roads.
There are other risks that need attention such as hot and cold temperatures, rising sea levels, and slope failures. With the assistance of organisations such as Met Éireann and the TRANSLATE work they are doing, we will focus on these areas over the coming years to strengthen the resilience of the national road network.
Andrea Lennon
Development of the Climate Change Transport Sectoral Adaptation Plan involved identification of 150 hazards, narrowed down to 49 priority impacts assessed across all transport modes,
Round table discussion hosted by
with a whole-of-network approach, and consideration to cross-sectoral and cascading risks, and the impact on vulnerable groups and places. On roads specifically, hazards arise from climate change impacts like flooding, storms, cold spells, and coastal erosion.
Alan O’Connor
Risk-based prioritisation of intervention measures is critical and this must be assessed using quantitative analysis. Central to this is the comprehensive framework for vulnerability assessment being developed by TII. It is crucial to quantify the impact of investment on both risk and resilience to understand how investment must be prioritised. Enhancing resilience requires additional funding and that needs to be recognised by government.
Claire Scannell
The risk level changes depending on the scenario you assess. The National
Climate Change Risk Assessment report for example says to adapt for a global warming of 2 degrees Celsius (or RCP 4.5) but prepare for a global warming of 4 degrees Celsius (or RCP 8.5) so we understand the full range of potential outcomes. The TRANSLATE climate change projections show that Ireland could become wetter in the future, particularly in winter and spring. They also show that for scenarios with a global warming above 2 degrees Celsius, Ireland’s summers could become drier. Wetter winters and drier summers both can affect soil moisture for example which can impact roads. Storms with greater peak windspeed could also become more frequent in the future. Combining this future hazard information with exposure of the system to the climate hazard and vulnerability of the system we can formulate an indicative understanding of risk associated to climate change.
Joanne Treacy
Key likely stresses include overwhelmed drainage systems, loss of bridge structural integrity from scour, and maintenance challenges on regional and local roads. Furthermore, Storm Éowyn is a good example of compound events and cascading impacts. Some impacts on the national road network included bridge closures, road blockages, fallen trees, damaged assets, sign failures, and disruption. It is also important to consider transboundary climate risks. Storm Darragh in December 2024 highlighted Ireland’s vulnerability of supply chains and passenger movements, when marine infrastructure at Holyhead in the UK was damaged, causing significant impact in Ireland. This highlighted the need for contingency planning to build our economic resilience.
Conall Boland
We do not have all the solutions yet, so we need to invest more and focus on resilience and adaptation. We need to examine storm events to map out vulnerable elements of the road network that may cause more difficulty if they are compromised. We must assess portions of the national network to determine which are more critical for emergency services, communications, and power systems. We must also ask how we prioritise resilience measures.
With more frequent extreme weather events, how do we expect road infrastructure performance and deterioration to change? What asset management strategies could realistically extend service life under these conditions?
Andrea Lennon
We are talking about chronic hazards over time as well as acute hazards arising from extreme weather events. It is very important to integrate climate risk into asset management systems, both in the ongoing maintenance of those systems, and the design standards and materials that are used. There must be regular monitoring of the network to identify vulnerabilities and where there is damage. In that way, risk assessment, monitoring, and forecasting can help to prioritise planned activity and resources. The Sectoral Adaptation Plan identifies the
Participants
Conall Boland
Conall Boland is the senior consultant in the RPS sustainability team. He leads a team delivering sustainable design and carbon management on infrastructure and buildings. Boland is a member of the Centre Steering Group for Construct Innovate, Ireland’s National Centre for Construction Innovation. Boland also lectures to MSc students in Technological University Dublin. He recently advised DETE on development of Green Public Procurement measures for low carbon concrete, and SEAI in relation to methodologies for calculating Global Warming Potential of buildings. A Chartered Engineer and Planner, Boland served as a Board Member and Deputy Chairperson of An Bord Pleanála from 2007-2018.
Andrea Lennon
Andrea Lennon is Head of Climate Adaptation, Research, and Energy at the Department of Transport, leading on the 2025 revision of the Transport Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan. The Transport Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan was co-developed with transport sector stakeholders identifying the key climate risks facing Ireland’s transport system and focussing on climate adaptation action toward future-proofing Ireland’s transport system against climate impacts that are already happening or expected.
Alan O’Connor
Alan O’Connor holds the Chair of Structural Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. He is a Chartered Engineer (Engineers Ireland and Institution of Structural Engineers, London) and Fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland (CEng FIEI). O’Connor is a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin (FTCD) who has advised clients nationally and internationally. He has delivered keynote addresses at international conferences in Europe, the United States, and Australia. O’Connor is the President of the International Civil Engineering Risk and Reliability Association (CERRA). He is editor in chief of the ICE Journal Infrastructure Asset Management.
Claire Scannell
Claire Scannell is a Principal Meteorological Officer in the Climate Services Division in Met Éireann. Scannell leads the delivery of the TRANSLATE program responsible for the development of Ireland’s national climate change scenarios and is involved in the communication and translation of climate information through the National Framework for Climate Services.
Stephen Smyth
Stephen Smyth is a Fellow of Engineers Ireland, holds a civil engineering degree (1996) and a master’s in operations management (2013). With over 29 years’ experience, he has worked across road construction, maintenance, operations, asset management, and winter resilience. He began as a resident engineer before joining the National Roads Authority in 2002, becoming Engineering Inspector in 2005. Since 2016, he has served as senior manager in TII’s Network Management Directorate, overseeing national road and greenway asset management, resilience, and winter services.
Joanne Treacy
Joanne Treacy works in Arup’s Dublin office in the Climate and Sustainability team. She is a senior sustainability planner and chartered urban planner with extensive experience in sustainable development, climate adaptation, and environmental management. Since 2022, Treacy has managed a climate adaptation program for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), leading the development of a comprehensive climate adaptation strategy, conducting climate impact screening assessments, prioritising risks, and overseeing climate change risk assessments (CCRAs) and implementation plans for TII’s various asset groups.
“What we have currently is adequate for day-today events but as weather events become more extreme and intense, we must ensure the roads we build now are fit for the future.” Conall Boland
importance of nature-based solutions, with co-benefits for the environment, within adaptation of the transport network.
Stephen Smyth
In the last three years, we have published an asset management strategy, plan and framework. We are at the point where we need to embed climate change resilience into these strategic documents. Specifically, we need to focus on infrastructure condition, exposure, and vulnerability to severe or even catastrophic events. Operational capacity during extreme weather events, and our ability to recover quickly after these events, must also be strengthened. We operate under tight budgets; trying to deal with climate change and the resilience required to recover after severe events is something that requires adequate funding and resources to manage properly.
Alan O’Connor
We have done a lot of work in collaboration with TII around building Markovian models which predict the rate of the deterioration of assets going forward. We had a project a few years
ago which looked at how the transition rate between condition states is going to increase due to climate change. That will require budgeting and forward planning from TII to be able to consider what they need to maintain the network at the level of service which the public requires. We need a multi-criteria optimisation framework to account for this.
Conall Boland
One critical aspect for this is the monitoring and inspection of assets. Currently, the pavement condition on the national road network is examined every year. This is the business-as-usual model, and we need to think of ways to enhance this monitoring effort in the context of more extreme weather events. One example of this is mapping vulnerable trees along a route and conducting wider risk assessments, and making more pro-active interventions based on information collected.
Stephen Smyth
In terms of plans in place, we have mapped the criticality of our infrastructure and are now starting to look at how exposed and vulnerable that infrastructure is to the various hazards we have identified in our implementation plan. This was the first year we used an AI application for surveying our national road and greenways networks, so we are investigating how this might assist us in identifying locations on our networks that are exposed to climate change risks. In time, we hope this will lead to a significant improvement in our understanding of our infrastructure and how vulnerable or exposed it is to climate change.
Joanne Treacy
The impact on performance and deterioration will vary based on location, and the type of sub-networks. We know that there will be an impact, but we do
“The Sectoral Adaptation Plan identifies the importance of naturebased solutions.” Andrea Lennon
not know exactly how much this will be. In terms of asset management strategies, embedding climate scenarios into Pavement Management Systems (PAMS) will have an important role to play. Installation of cost-effective temperature sensors that track road temperature and weather event data would also help. What innovations in climate and weather forecasting could help road operators anticipate risks more effectively?
Claire Scannell
There is a lot happening in this space which could be beneficial for this sector. Within forecasting, for example we can improve the high-resolution convection permitting models which resolve thunderstorms and localised intense rainfall events. This can improve flash flood responses, improve local drainage, and help with forecasting. Met Éireann is constantly looking to improve and update its high-resolution forecast model to better resolve and predict these processes. There is also a move away from traditional style forecasting, towards impact-based forecasting and warnings. This means that instead of just focusing on the actual forecast, there would be a focus on potential impacts for sectors associated with the forecast. This can be tailored to specific sectors. There is also a UN initiative called Early Warnings for All. This is a multi-hazard approach which takes us beyond just having the information, communicating it effectively and strategically.
Another innovation is updating and improving our radar network which will give us improved observations which will underpin the model output. In terms of future climate the TRANSLATE programme is currently updating the national climate change projections in line with the current IPCC report as well as developing a high-resolution annual to decadal dataset for Ireland. There will also be a focus on quantifying uncertainty as well as how extreme events could change under different climate change scenarios.At the European level there is the development of the adaptation digital twin from the DestinE programme that could prove useful for understanding different adaptation strategies for different climate change scenarios within different systems.
Stephen Smyth
The availability of high-resolution forecast and climate scenario modelling is of great
“Trying to deal with climate change and the resilience required to recover after severe events is something that requires adequate funding.”
interest to us in TII, and it will enable stronger risk anticipation and allow us to manage infrastructure renewal and investment in a more effective manner. Over the years, we have looked at things like route-based forecasting, which is good, but it is focused on the operational needs of a particular area rather than long term climate change scenarios.
Conall Boland
Regarding communication with both the road network manager and the road user; the framework is probably not as sophisticated as it can be. There are other channels we can use to warn people who will be directly affected by events on a particular stretch of road, because we have more data available to us. The key is communicating to people.
Alan O’Connor
What Claire says about impact-based forecasting is very important, as is the integration of AI and machine learning. This is critical to understanding how the network will perform when there are weather emergencies, especially with us probably soon to have access to higherresolution data sets which will enable
Stephen Smyth
spatial and temporal analysis. The point on digital twins is critical and it will allow us not just to understand an event, but to simulate scenarios that we want to consider so that we will understand how the network will perform.
Andrea Lennon
There is a high level of embedded institutional recognition of climate science and forecasting within the climate adaptation planning process. Development of the Sectoral Adaptation Plan has relied on the best data available, as well as a process of ‘ground-truthing’ through workshops with transport stakeholders and operators. The other critical aspect is the further development of technology to support forecasting, monitoring, and asset management. I think AI will be a very powerful tool in this regard.
“The integration of resilience measures into funding appraisals and performance frameworks is critical.” Alan O’Connor
What new design solutions could help embed climate resilience into road asset management, planning, and delivery?
Joanne Treacy
This is not just a technical challenge, it is a cultural one too, which needs a shift in mindset from reactive maintenance to proactive adaptation. Resilience requires a blend of physical, operational, and technological measures; especially when some physical interventions may be unfeasible or extremely disruptive. Designers need to ensure redundancy can be built into the system. They could consider modular components and flexible designs for upgrades. Naturebased solutions will be key. This encompasses blue and green infrastructure such as bioswales, roadside planting, and living barriers. All enhance water absorption, reduce urban heat, and support biodiversity. These solutions also offer co-benefits for air quality and aesthetics.
Conall Boland
Elements of the current design standard may need to be reviewed and changed due to new climate information and patterns, particularly rainfall. What we have currently is adequate for day-to-day events but as weather events become more extreme and intense, we must
ensure the roads we build now are fit for the future. Our standards need to be tested against future climate scenarios. We work in Scotland where it has changed from a 100-year event to a 200year design event for rainfall; that ups the ante regarding capability.
Alan O’Connor
That piece around climate adaptive design, revision to our design standards,
performance-based design standards, and reliability-based design is critical. Using climate resilient and low-carbon materials is very important but we must ensure that performance and durability do not suffer. Joanne made a great point about nature-based solutions, but we must also be open to hybrid solutions. Nature-based solutions will not be a panacea. Educating the next generation of engineers who must consider climate adaptation is crucial.
Stephen Smyth
It is vital that we take a modular or sequential approach. Our implementation plan focused on a dynamic adaptive policy pathway approach that allows us to manage the uncertainty in long term future planning. As we build more confidence around future scenarios and collate more climate change data, we can adapt our infrastructure, operations, and systems sequentially as we move through multi-year plans. This approach ensures we invest in the right area at the right time.
Andrea Lennon
It is not just about technical solutions there is a cultural aspect to climate adaptation as Joanne said earlier. There needs to be more opportunities for accessing cross-sectoral data and for knowledge sharing. The more collaboration we engage in, the more we can build shared learnings and find solutions which are not purely technical.
“Climate resilience should be embedded within national policy itself for example within policies such as the National Adaptation Framework; National Development Plan; and the NTA Frameworks and strategies.” Claire Scannell
How can national policy and governance structures evolve to ensure resilience is not just reactive but systematically integrated into planning, design, maintenance, and funding of the road network?
Stephen Smyth
The Sectoral Adaptation Plan developed by the Department of Transport provides agencies and stakeholders with a clear framework to build upon. It is a key foundation for our own strategy and implementation plans for the coming years. The sectoral plan will have a significant positive impact on Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s adaption work.
Andrea Lennon
The overall aim of the Sectoral Adaptation Plan is to promote the mainstreaming of climate adaptation and support the agency of transport operators. Overall, 40 adaptation actions were co-developed with stakeholders in the Plan, 14 of those are cross-cutting with network-wide relevance and six actions concern the road sector specifically. The plan enables embedding of climate adaptation within asset management systems. Aside from NDP and budgetary funding, actions in the Plan enable exploration of alternative financing or EU funding possibilities. It is not only about the quantum of investment, but also the streamlining and targeting of investment where it is most needed.
Alan O’Connor
The integration of resilience measures into funding appraisals and performance frameworks is critical. We need to be able to: quantify resilience and have useful indicators to do so; an ability to quantify risk reduction in different areas of the network, communities, and vulnerable sectors; quantify the risk reduction we spend on reliability-based performance targets; and integrate these targets to optimally target funding. That will enable us to ensure funding will reward proactive adaptation measures, not just a post-recovery spend. We saw that with Storm Éowyn. We spent a huge sum of money in the recovery operation. Whereas, if we had a resilience framework, which considered the four Rs of resilience namely: Robustness, Redundancy, Resourcefulness and Rapidity, we could achieve a more optimal recovery process.
“Resilience requires a blend of physical, operational, and technological measures; especially when some physical interventions may be unfeasible or extremely disruptive.”
Joanne Treacy
Claire Scannell
Climate resilience should be embedded within national policy itself for example within policies such as the National Adaptation Framework; National Development Plan; and the NTA Frameworks and strategies. These provide the steer to include climate resilience into planning and decisionmaking. Strengthening institutional coordination is very important. Within the climate services community for example there are a lot of diverse actors similarly to the transport sector. Met Éireann established the National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS) with an interagency steering committee to provide cross sectoral coordination for the community. This has been beneficial in bringing people together, building relationships and identifying synergies.
Joanne Treacy
On Alan’s point about the interdependencies with other sectors, I think that is key. The next step needs to be about moving from theory to practical ways of looking at interdependencies with other sectors.
Examples include; how do you pay for cross-sector resilience, responsibility for ownership of cascading and cross-sector climate risk, and how organisations collaborate on this effectively.
Conall Boland
If we look at Hurricane Sandy, which devastated residential areas of New York in 2012, interconnected communities were most adept at resilience. That interconnectedness goes back to the human factor. We do well on the response to storms through forecasting and inter-agency cooperation, but we should shift that now to resilience building and improve knowledge-sharing and knowledge-transfer. A lot of resilience within the national network is underpinned by local authorities and we should avoid decoupling local authorities because they do much of the preventive work on the ground that we rely on.
Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People
The Government has published the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, setting out a new cross-departmental approach to implementing Ireland’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and advancing equality, participation, and choice for disabled people.
This is Ireland’s first national disability strategy since ratification of the UNCRPD in 2018 and represents a decisive shift toward a whole-ofgovernment model. The strategy aims to move away from fragmented delivery and embeds disability rights across every department, local authority, and state agency.
The framework sets out five pillars: inclusive learning and education;
employment; independent living and active participation; wellbeing and health; and transport and mobility. Each pillar contains measurable commitments to be implemented through two-year programme plans of action, detailing lead agencies, timeframes, and performance indicators.
Oversight will rest with the Cabinet Committee on Disability, supported by a senior officials group and a delivery and
monitoring committee that includes representation from disabled persons’ organisations (DPOs). The Department of the Taoiseach is to coordinate crossgovernment implementation, underlining the strategy’s political weight.
The strategy’s vision is to ensure that disabled people can live “a life without barriers”, participating fully and equally in Irish society. Its three underpinning values of equality, participation, and
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choice align with Article 3 of the UNCRPD, which emphasises respect for inherent dignity, autonomy, and inclusion.
In practice, this means embedding universal design, accessible communication, and participatory policymaking into all state functions.
Pillar 1: Inclusive learning and education
Led by the Department of Education and Youth, the strategy’s first pillar commits to progressively realising an inclusive education system for all learners. Actions include extending the access and inclusion model to all early-learning settings, developing a national roadmap for inclusive education, and enhancing teacher and special-needs-assistant training.
A focus on smoother transitions from early learning to school, and from school to further education, apprenticeships, or work aims to raise retention and attainment levels. The Department of Further and Higher Education is to expand flexible pathways and evaluate supports for students with intellectual disabilities across third-level institutions.
Pillar 2: Employment
Employment remains one of the most significant inequalities facing disabled people: just 49 per cent of working-age disabled people are in employment, compared with 71 per cent of others. The strategy’s employment pillar, led by the departments of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, and Social Protection, seeks to narrow this gap through publicsector leadership and private-sector engagement.
All public bodies will be required to meet a 6 per cent statutory employment target for disabled staff by 2025. The Government will expand work-placement programmes, strengthen the role of disability liaison officers, and reform the disability allowance to remove disincentives to work.
For the private sector, awareness campaigns and employer forums will promote inclusion, while schemes such as WorkAbility and EmployAbility are to be scaled up. The Wage Subsidy Scheme will be extended to cover workers who acquire a disability while in employment.
Pillar 3: Independent living and active participation
Recognising that equality is about more than access to services, this pillar promotes independent living, housing, and participation in community, cultural, and political life. The strategy pledges to enhance individualised supports, deliver the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027, and improve access to justice and community engagement.
Disabled people are to be supported to take part in arts, sport, and civic life, with public bodies required to apply universal design standards to facilities and events.
Pillar 4: Wellbeing and health
Disabled people continue to face poorer health outcomes and barriers to care. The Department of Health, working with the HSE and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, will make mainstream health services more inclusive. Priorities include improving mental health supports for children and young people, strengthening safeguarding systems, and ensuring equitable access to oral health, audiology, and screening services.
A cross-government workforce planning initiative, coordinated by the Department of the Taoiseach, aims to expand training and recruitment for therapists, psychologists, and other specialists to address skills shortages.
Pillar 5: Transport and mobility
Mobility is central to independence and participation. The Department of Transport will apply a “whole-of-journey” universal design approach to infrastructure and public transport services, ensuring accessibility from door to destination. For people unable to use public transport, new personal-mobility supports and accessible community transport options will be introduced.
Capacity and governance reforms
To sustain delivery, the strategy includes capacity-strengthening measures across three areas:
• Accessibility: Coordinated action led by the National Disability Authority to embed good practice in universal design.
• Research and data: Establishment of a disability research and data advisory group and a national disability survey led by the CSO.
• Stakeholder engagement: A formal framework to support ongoing dialogue with DPOs and disability stakeholders.
Three strategic focus networks on digital and assistive technology, cost of disability, and intersectionality are to convene experts and produce policy recommendations for future programme plans.
The Government says it will also undertake a whole-of-government review of disability expenditure, ensuring that investment is targeted, efficient, and evidence-based.
Ministers describe it as a “step-change” in how Ireland conceives of and delivers disability policy; moving from specialist services to a mainstream-first approach that integrates inclusion into everyday public systems.
Launching the Strategy, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD described it as “a whole-of-government framework for the implementation of the UNCRPD” and affirmed that delivery “will demand a genuine and significant collective effort”.
Tánaiste Simon Harris TD has highlighted the need to “do better for disabled people” through accessible mainstream services, while Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley TD pledges that “nothing about us without us” will guide implementation.
By 2030, the Government aims to have transformed how disability policy is designed and delivered ensuring that every department and agency sees inclusion as part of its core business. The strategy is both a policy roadmap and a governance test, however, progress will depend on coordinated leadership, sustained investment, and an unwavering commitment to equality in practice as well as in principle.
RESS 5 provisional auction results published
RESS 5 procurement of renewable generation capacity is 19 per cent lower than RESS 4, stifling government efforts to achieve 17GW of renewable energy generation by 2030.
Provisionally announced in September 2025, the fifth auction for the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS 5) has provisionally procured 1.5 GWh (1,500 MWh) of generation capacity, which equates to approximately 1,079MW of onshore renewable capacity.
This comprises 219MW of onshore wind and 860MW of solar resulting in a price decrease of 7.8 per cent for solar and an 11.2 per cent increase for wind energy. The RESS 5 generation capacity figure of 1.5 GWh, the maximum target volume set ahead of the auction, is 27.6 per cent lower than the RESS 4 figure of 2.1 GWh.
A total of 40 projects applied to participate in the RESS 5 qualification process, and the results qualified 33 projects to participate in the RESS 5 auction; both these figures represent a sizable reduction in interest in the scheme when compared to RESS 4.
The average weighted bid for the auction is €98.81 per MWh, representing a slightly higher price than RESS 4 (€96.85), but lower than RESS 3 (€100.47). The weighted average for wind was €100.63 MWh and €96.56 MWh for solar.
The weighted average bid is the amount of money that successful renewable energy providers are guaranteed to be paid, even when the wholesale price of electricity falls below that level. However, if wholesale prices are higher, the renewable electricity suppliers are required to repay money to electricity customers.
It is a two-way settlement arrangement that provides significant protection to consumers while at the same time aiming to ensure that the projects are economically sufficient to be able to attract the necessary investment.
The volumes secured in RESS 5 (1,079MW) are noticeably lower than those secured in RESS 4 (1,334MW), a 19 per cent drop, which was in turn a large increase on the RESS 3 figure of 548MW.
The outcome from the auction is set to see 23 major new renewable energy projects delivered over the next four years, mainly in the east, southeast, and midlands.
Included in the allocation are 18 solar farms and five onshore wind developments, which, between them, aim to produce around 200MW of electricity from wind and 860MW from solar, which is enough clean electricity for around 357,000 homes.
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien TD says the “successful auction secures enough clean power for over 350,000 new homes”.
“With this volume of new clean electricity, we are not only reducing carbon emissions and dependence on imported fuels but also generating investment and jobs in communities across the country.
“Accelerating and increasing the deployment of renewable electricity generation… is fundamental to meeting our sectoral climate targets. We are already world leaders for installed wind capacity per capita and for the integration of variable renewable electricity onto the grid. We will continue to advance our clean energy transition to secure a secure, sustainable and resilient energy future,” O’Brien adds.
“The deployment and connection of wind and solar energy generation at pace and at scale to our electricity grid benefits households and business by shielding them from volatile fossil fuel imports using our indigenous natural energy resources.”
Describing the auction as “delivering very competitive outcomes”, the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment states that its results “compare well with other recent renewable energy auctions in Europe in terms of volume procured and auction prices, when adjustments for scheme specific designs are accounted for, such as indexation, contract length, and so on”.
A missed opportunity
Designed to help the State achieve its ambitious target of 80 per cent electricity consumption through renewable energy, RESS 5 provides support to renewable electricity projects in Ireland.
The competitive auction-based framework is designed to promote renewable electricity generation, and the scheme is structured to ensure cost-effectiveness, technology diversity, and community engagement, while also providing clear legal and administrative processes for participants.
The scheme is crucial to achieving the Government’s Climate Action Plan targets of 9GW of solar PV and 8GW of onshore wind capacity by 2030, with renewable energy generation accounting for 80 per cent of energy demand.
In January 2025, Ireland had an onshore wind capacity of 5GW and in June 2025, solar PV capacity reached 1.78GW; 62 per cent and 20 per cent of their respective targets. 4
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List of RESS 5 provisionally successful applicants
In July 2025, Aurora Energy Research, an Oxford-based consultancy, said the RESS 5 scheme is “another costly auction that will likely fail to meet procurement targets”.
“This is largely due to the high-cost environment and project risks not covered by the scheme, such as localised grid constraints.”
Noel Cunniffe, chief executive of Wind Energy Ireland, says that the auction results “means more clean, affordable, and secure power for Irish families and businesses”, adding: “It will help to reduce our dependency on imported fossil fuels and to make Ireland more competitive.
“While we are delighted to see five of our projects win contracts, we had hoped for a bigger auction and to see more projects get over the line.
“Our priority now is to focus on finding an alternative route to market for those unsuccessful projects while
preparing for next year’s auction by working with the Government to get more wind farms out of the planning system and with secure grid connections.”
Contracts were also awarded to 18 solar energy projects with a combined capacity of 860MW.
Ronan Power, CEO of Solar Ireland, says: “The RESS 5 outcome, with 860MW of new projects awarded, continues to validate solar’s ability to deliver at scale, strengthening energy security, creating jobs, and supporting communities. From family homes to schools, businesses and utility-scale projects, solar is uniquely placed to drive Ireland’s renewable transition.”
“Solar achieved an increase of 7.3 per cent in allocation when compared to last year. A fantastic result that continues to validate solar as the fastest growing renewable and uniquely placed to support our climate action targets.”
‘He started accusing us of being Hamas’: Oireachtas members on being detained in Israel
In October 2025, Israeli forces intercepted international aid flotillas attempting to breach the Gaza naval blockade. Among those on board were Sinn Féin Senator Chris Andrews and independent TD Barry Heneghan. They speak with Ciaran Brennan about the tense interception, Trump’s proposed peace deal, and the Government’s stance on Israel’s actions.
Andrews was aboard the Spectre, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted by Israeli forces on 2 October 2025, 80 nautical miles out from the blockade by Andrews’ estimation.
Andrews says Israeli forces boarded and forced the group to sit with their hands around their knees for 15 hours.
“Throughout all of that, there were Israeli Occupying Forces with guns pointing at you.”
Heneghan, who was aboard the Thousand Madleens flotilla which was
intercepted on 8 October 2025, recounts how Israeli forces rammed their boat before they “jumped aboard screaming” and pointed guns at the crew.
“They tore down flags, and they put up the Israeli flags. They said they were the good guys and we were supporting the bad guys. I said: ‘You are just after breaking international law, putting a gun to my head. It is hard to imagine that you are a good guy’,” Heneghan recalls.
Andrews says the aggression intensified when they were directed to the port city
of Ashdod. “You are lined up there and it is baking hot. They left us on our knees for two hours, it was so sore,” he recalls.
Andrews’ group was blindfolded and had their hands cable tied before being transported to Ktzi’ot prison in the Negev desert. While they were held in the cell, Andrews states that Israeli forces woke them up “every hour-and-ahalf” to disorientate them.
“The only time we got out of the cell was to visit the judge who asked you to sign a form that you be deported, that you
“Yes, we experienced a small side to the mistreatment, but it is nothing compared to what they are doing to Palestinian life.”
Barry Heneghan TD
entered the country illegally,” he says. “I did not enter the country illegally, I was kidnapped into the country. But they said: ‘If you do not sign that, you will have to go to court next week’. That was all, as it happened, was not true.”
Heneghan was also instructed to sign documents, one of which stated he had illegally entered Israel. “I said: ‘I did not. I tried to bring humanitarian aid to Palestine’, and I did not sign that one,” he recalls.
“There was a document that said: ‘You waive the right of going to court for 72 hours’. We were told in training that if you sign that one, there is no legal obligation to it. You are not identifying the State of Israel; it is just waiving your rights. I said: ‘Ok, I will sign that one’.”
As Andrews recounts the group’s mistreatment at the hands of the Israeli forces, he is quick to stress that “anything that happened to me and my colleagues is nothing compared to what happens to Palestinian prisoners”.
Heneghan echoes this sentiment: “Yes, we experienced a small side to the mistreatment, but it is nothing compared to what they are doing to Palestinian life.”
Andrews recalls how on 2 October 2025, Israel’s Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered his cell accompanied by armed
IDF soldiers who were flanked by guard dogs. “He started accusing us of being Hamas: ‘You are Hamas, you are baby killers, you are killing Jews, you are terrorists. This is a terrorist prison and you are going to be in it for a very long time’,” says Andrews.
“I think we would have been in it a lot longer except for that peace deal that was signed. They did not want citizens from 44 nations hanging around raining on their parade, complaining.”
Trump’s peace deal
Both are critical of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, the first phase of which has been agreed upon by Israel and Hamas. This includes a ceasefire, increased provision of aid to Gaza, the first of three stages in the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the return of Israeli hostages, and the return of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Further points include governance of Gaza by a “technocratic apolitical Palestinian committee” supervised by a ‘board of peace’ headed and chaired by Trump. It also includes Hamas’ disarmament and its agreement that it will not participate in Gaza’s governance, and deployment of a temporary international stabilisation force (ISF).
Hamas has indicated its opposition to the
“The Government does nothing and Europe does nothing to hold Israel to account and face consequences for its actions.”
Senator Chris Andrews
board of peace and the ISF, and has only stated it is willing to discuss its disarmament.
Andrews says: “I would not call it a peace deal. First of all, I do not think Palestinians were involved in the negotiation of it. It is clear it was a ‘take it or leave it’ offer.
“From my point of view, I see it is great there is some respite from the genocide, from the famine, and ongoing terror and racism of Israel. Equally, I am not hopeful that it will last.”
On 19 October 2025, Andrews’ fears were realised as Israel suspended the delivery of aid into Gaza and attacked the exclave, killing 33 people despite the ongoing ceasefire. It claimed that it launched this attack in response to an attack by Hamas.
Irish Government response to Gaza
Andrews asserts that the Irish Government’s response to Israel’s genocide in Gaza has not been sufficient. He says that it has failed to effectively hold Israel to account for its actions and also criticised its “attitude around the Occupied Territories Bill”.
“I would be concerned that they will try to shelve it altogether now in light of this new ‘peace deal’,” says Andrews who criticises the Government for indicating that services will not be included in the Bill.
“It is a watered down, yellow pack version that will really do very little. But, we will see,” he adds.
The senator commends the Government for recognising the State of Palestine in May 2024, but adds that “it should have been done years ago”. Ireland was the 144th State to recognise Palestine.
Andrews also states that the Government “has always been good in terms of funding Palestinian infrastructure”, but adds that “they say and do nothing” when it is destroyed by Israel. “Israel ends up being able to do what it wants and face[s] no consequences,” says Andrews.
“The Government does nothing and Europe does nothing to hold Israel to account and face consequences for its actions.”
When asked if he is satisfied with Sinn Féin’s response, Andrews states: “I am obviously biased, but I genuinely think Sinn Féin has led the way in terms of campaigning for justice for Palestinians and campaigning for recognition of Palestine.”
Sinn Féin received heated criticism from members and supporters in November 2023 over its initial decision to not advocate for the expulsion of then-Israeli Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich. The ire supporters directed at Sinn Féin leadership contributed to the party performing a U-turn.
Explaining the party’s initial reluctance to expel Erlich and subsequent reversal of its position, Andrews says: “You do not go from A to Z in one jump. It was about moving strategically forward, increasing the pressure.”
When asked if he wishes the party called for Erlich’s expulsion sooner, Andrews pauses before replying: “You could argue both ways, but I do not think ultimately it did any damage to the campaign.”
On the Government’s response to Israel, Heneghan, who supports the Government as part of Michael Lowry TD’s Regional Independents Group, says: “We need to bring in the Occupied Territories Bill, I do not know what the delay is, and I have called for it since. I faced a bit of criticism as I am supporting the Government, and I voted for the amended Occupied Territories Bill.”
Heneghan asserts that “it is very important that services are included” in the Bill. The independent TD voted against the Occupied Territories Bill when it passed through the Dáil in February 2025. When presented with this fact, he says: “At the time, I was given advice that it would not have stood EU scrutiny.
“I think that was naive of me. I understand that I made a mistake. All I can do now is rectify that mistake.”
Peace prospects
Andrews explains that he is still “processing everything and reflecting on things”, but indicates that the flotilla achieved a positive outcome despite the aid not reaching Gaza. The Sinn Féin senator says it served “to shine a light on Gaza and on the brutality of Israel”.
Heneghan states: “You have to show that what they are doing is completely illegal. If you look at what we did, we were bringing humanitarian aid to a starving population and we were illegally intercepted.”
Andrews reiterates that he is “sceptical” about the prospect of lasting peace in Gaza, adding that he is “fearful for Palestinians”. He explains: “I do not believe they will get justice as they have not had justice in decades.”
Speaking in the days after Israel breached the ceasefire, Heneghan says he remains optimistic that lasting peace can be achieved: “We need to keep the pressure on as much as possible, and the only way for me to keep the pressure on is for me to be optimistic.
“I was on the phone to people from the West Bank and Gaza, and they are optimistic, so I have to be in solidarity with them. I have concerns. All I can do is be optimistic and hope. You have to be. Hope is all we have in this scenario.”
Credit: Sinn Féin
Ireland’s digital story
For 25 years, .ie has helped Ireland navigate the digital world, supporting people, businesses, and communities in building a trusted online presence.
As the national registry for over 330,000 domain names, we at .ie protect Ireland’s unique online identity while enabling growth, connection, and opportunity. Our mission has always been to make the internet a place where Ireland can thrive, providing a resilient, secure, and accessible space for everyone connected to the country.
This year, as we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we look back on the journey so far, and look forward to the next chapter of innovation and digital prosperity.
Laying foundations 2000-2009
At the turn of the millennium, Ireland’s online presence was beginning to take shape. Internet access was limited, broadband reached few areas, and only
a handful of organisations had websites. From the first registration of a .ie domain in 1988, the namespace and the organisation became a trusted guide; providing reassurance and structure for anyone joining the online space. By the end of 2000, over 26,000 .ie domains were registered, a meaningful sign of Ireland’s emerging digital identity.
Some key milestones include how by the mid-2000s, personal domain names became available, giving individuals the chance to make their personal mark online. By the end of the decade, the introduction of a formal Registrar Agreement and Policy Development Process created clear guidance for all .ie domain holders, with 150,000 .ie domains registered in total by the end of 2009.
With these foundations in place, the next decade would open the doors to
wider access and new opportunities, bringing Ireland’s digital story to even more people and businesses.
Building momentum 2010-2019
In the 2010s, .ie evolved from a trusted registry into an enabler of Ireland’s digital economy, helping businesses, entrepreneurs and communities claim their space online with ease.
Streamlined policies and simpler validation made securing a .ie domain easier than ever, while maintaining the trust that had defined its early years.
The Policy Development Process, launched in 2010, matured into a collaborative framework, This process enables members of the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) to consider suggested changes and implement updates, giving stakeholders a direct role in shaping .ie’s policies. The PAC reviews proposals, advises the Board, and ensures that decisions are fair, transparent, and aligned with the needs of Ireland’s online community. This collaborative environment has guided the registry with updates such as short domains (like AA.ie), internationalised domain names (like éire.ie), domain resale, and broader policy liberalisation.
By the end of the decade, the 300,000th .ie domain had been registered. What began as a way to protect Ireland’s digital identity had become a platform for growth, innovation and national connectivity, setting the stage for the next chapter of .ie’s story.
The digital decade 2020-2025
When Ireland’s daily life moved online almost overnight during the Covid-19 pandemic, .ie was ready to meet the moment. Almost 120,000 new .ie domains were created during the pandemic years, representing the digital-first mindset for communities and for local small business.
As more people and businesses turned to the online world, cybercriminals targeted the inexperienced new arrivals online. .ie deepened its role as one of the guardians of Ireland’s digital space. Security became an even sharper
priority with the NIS2 legislation, which sets EU-wide rules to strengthen the security of online infrastructure.
Preparing for NIS2 compliance ensures that .ie can continue to protect Ireland’s unique online identity and help businesses and communities operate safely.
Through the .ie Digital Town Programme, initiatives like the Digital Town Awards celebrated communities using digital innovation to improve local life, while the Digital Town Blueprint, developed with DCU, offered practical guidance and data to help towns measure their digital readiness and plan their future online journeys.
Collaboration with government and stakeholders ensured that Ireland’s online infrastructure remained not just active but secure. These initiatives ensured that, even in a time of rapid change, Ireland’s online identity remained resilient for everyone who relied on it.
Looking ahead
Ireland’s digital journey is far from complete. The coming years will bring fresh challenges, from the growing sophistication of cybercrime to the spread of misinformation and the increasing dependence on global platforms. These pressures will test the strength and resilience of Ireland’s digital infrastructure and the trust that underpins it.
For .ie, the mission remains clear: to help Ireland get online, grow online, and thrive online. This involves continuing to support small businesses as they establish and expand their online presence, empowering local communities to harness digital tools for social and economic development, and guiding individual users to safely navigate an increasingly complex online world. By combining awareness, advocacy, practical initiatives, and technological safeguards, .ie ensures that the internet remains a secure, accessible, and innovative space for everyone connected to Ireland.
The past 25 years laid the groundwork. Now, it is time to lead with purpose into the next chapter.
W: www.weare.ie/history-timeline/
DMAP proposal published
The National DMAP proposal envisages the designation of renewable energy sites around the coast of Ireland that are considered suitable for offshore wind development including fixed, floating, and floating demonstration locations; assisting the Government in its target of 20GW of offshore renewable energy generation by 2040 as laid out in the Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy
The Department says the national DMAP proposal “outlines the development and management of offshore renewable energy resources off Ireland’s coast by providing a clear and sustainable framework for developing offshore renewable energy, balancing economic growth, environmental protection, and community engagement to support Ireland’s transition to a lowcarbon future”.
Building on the South Coast DMAP published in October 2024, the proposal incorporates the National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF) and accounts for existing or planned ORE, enabling alignment of exiting energy policy and activities. The South Coast DMAP designated four sites for ORE
with the first site, Tonn Nua, planned to go to auction in November 2025, with the aim of procuring 900MW of generation capacity and saving 1.8 MtCO2e per annum post-construction.
The proposal provides a spatial planning policy framework for ORE on a national scale, assisting the State in meeting its EU obligations under the Renewable Energy Directive which came into effect in December 2018, setting an EU-wide aspirational target of 45 per cent of energy produced through renewables by 2030.
Under the Climate Action Plan and Climate Action and Low Carbon (Amendment) Act 2021, the State is mandated to produce 5GW of offshore wind by 2030, with a further 2GW earmarked for production of green hydrogen.
According to Wind Energy Ireland, there are currently 79 offshore wind farm projects in Ireland, but just one; Arklow Bank I; is currently operational with a running capacity of 25MW, just 0.13 per cent of the 2040 target and 0.58 per cent of the State’s overall wind energy capacity. First commissioned in 2004, a planned expansion was cancelled in
2007, and the current operator, GE Verona, filed proposals to decommission the wind farm in 2025 as it reaches the end of its operating lifespan.
The Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy, launched in 2024, claims that Ireland has a hypothetical offshore wind energy capacity of 597GW. The plan contains an aim of 37GW capacity by 2050.
In 2024, then-Minister Eamon Ryan hailed floating wind farms as the “future of energy”, though he admitted such technology was “not technically available or viable”.
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien TD says the plan “supports [the State’s] decarbonisation efforts and our offshore renewables ambition of 20GW by 2040”.
“Having a single National DMAP for ORE in place to follow on from the Phase One projects and the South Coast DMAP for ORE published last year [2024] will provide greater certainty for our marine stakeholders and the renewables industry.”
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Shape the future with confidence
Strengthening Ireland’s industrial security
A key priority for the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration is to strengthen national security. This objective was highlighted in the Programme for Government and includes a range of objectives the Government are committed to achieving, writes EY’s Gary Comiskey.
In addition, the National Risk Assessment, published in late 2024, identifies an “increase in global insecurity and division” as a key risk facing Ireland.
It is very clear that the risk to national security extends beyond traditional threats such as breaches of state borders or attacks on state assets. The National Risk Assessment notes that “an increasingly divided world can also be seen in the growth of trade tensions between the large international trading blocks, including in relation to
technology and critical materials, developments which impact on our current economic model”.
Reconsidering industrial policy
In response to shifting global dynamics, Ireland is now reassessing long-held views on sovereign industrial policy. There is growing consensus that strategic intervention is vital for safeguarding industrial security, enhancing economic competitiveness,
protecting national interests, and addressing challenges such as climate change and technological disruption.
A recent EY report explores how governments can revitalise sovereign industrial policy in light of these trends. The report highlights how China’s rapid emergence in the automotive sector has challenged Germany’s longstanding leadership, demonstrating the speed at which circumstances can change and the complexity of industrial policy decisions. It also reflects on vulnerabilities exposed in global supply chains during the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly between the United States and China, which have underscored the risks of economic interdependence. While some caution against potential government overreach and market distortion, others argue that wellstructured industrial policies are necessary to address market failures and seize strategic opportunities. The
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challenge lies in striking a balance between increased state involvement and market-driven growth, while avoiding protectionist actions that could fragment the global economy.
Risks and opportunities for Ireland
As a small, open economy, Ireland faces the unique challenge of balancing economic security with its global trading position. Security policies should be guided by three main objectives: reducing dependence on geopolitical competitors, promoting competitiveness within domestic industries, and supporting social and political stability at home.
Ireland’s robust multinational manufacturing sector contributes approximately €50 billion to GDP annually, accounting for around 30 per cent of the national total. Given its significance, it is essential for Ireland to identify key products within strategic industries. Targeted government and industry investment can then be directed to ensure resilience of supply and competitiveness in these areas. Since it is not feasible to support every product, efforts must concentrate on those goods vital for maintaining national economic security and competitiveness.
In addition to strengthening domestic industrial security, Ireland must remain cognisant of its role in the global economy and the potential risks posed by other countries seeking to bolster their own industrial security. The EY Geostrategic Outlook report found that governments worldwide are increasingly implementing regulatory measures, such as foreign direct investment restrictions and subsidies in strategic sectors, to protect national interests and promote domestic manufacturing. Such actions could have significant implications for Ireland’s manufacturing base.
Government and industry partnership: A path forward
Addressing industrial risk effectively requires a strong partnership between government and industry. While it is
“Establishing clear regulatory frameworks will attract sustained corporate investment, while ongoing incentives will encourage companies to invest in strategic sectors.”
neither possible nor desirable to apply sovereignty measures to all products and components, ensuring the security of industrial production is becoming a top priority for business leaders. Many are prepared to make significant compromises to reduce risks in their supply chains and production capabilities.
Clear objectives and effective prioritisation are essential, focusing efforts on supporting domestic manufacturing and safeguarding the supply of critical goods through collaboration between government and the private sector. According to the EY CEO Outlook Pulse survey (April 2024), 82 per cent of CEOs globally are willing to engage in initiatives to enhance national resilience and autonomy, with 56 per cent open to accepting reduced profit margins for domestically produced goods aimed at the local market.
Ireland can harness this corporate willingness by enacting targeted policy measures. Establishing clear regulatory frameworks will attract sustained corporate investment, while ongoing incentives will encourage companies to invest in strategic sectors. Increased government funding should also be allocated to support crucial research and development initiatives.
Continued focus on industrial policy and investment is necessary to foster innovation and strategic production. A robust regulatory, social, scientific, and financial ecosystem will drive both incremental and transformative innovation, thereby strengthening Ireland’s industrial sovereignty. Ongoing efforts by agencies such as IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, and Research Ireland to invest in workforce development and
research are fundamental to achieving these objectives.
Ireland should also maintain robust public-private dialogue to define a clear vision of national strategic concepts, goals and challenges. This collaboration will engage public decision-makers and CEOs in making long-term investments, ensuring alignment on priorities and fostering sustainable economic growth. This dialogue will inform key development such as the proposed pharmaceutical strategy for Ireland and other similar strategies.
Public investment may also be required to bridge the gap in production costs between the Ireland and elsewhere. Clearly any investment or subsidy will need to consider State Aid rules but can be used to foster the inception of new industries, and sharing risks associated with breakthrough innovations. Although CEOs have indicated they are willing to reduce their profit margin to manufacture products domestically, public investment is still likely to be required to attract new business and continued multinational investment.
E: gary.comiskey@ie.ey.com W: www.ey.com
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Programme for Government. Government commitments on justice
Published in January 2025, the Programme for Government contains 119 commitments on justice. Priorities include increased resourcing for An Garda Síochána, modernising the courts and legal system, and tackling violence against women and girls.
Under the banner of “safe and secure commitments”, the framework says the Government is “committed to building stronger, safer communities”.
Garda recruitment
To address a shortage of officers, the PfG commits the Government to provide funding for 5,000 new garda recruits by 2030.
As of August 2025, there are 14,369 active gardaí across the State, alongside 3,494 civilian staff and 296 reservists. The figure of 14,369 is a decrease of 188 from the 2009 figure of
14,547. If garda recruitment had held pace with population growth, there would have been 17,623 gardaí.
To improve the attractiveness of a garda career, the PfG says the Government will “consider allowing garda trainees to undergo part of their training in… universities or technological universities” while also increasing the trainee allowance, while also “examining the introduction of an accelerated graduate entry programme”.
To facilitate the anticipated rapid rise in recruitment, the PfG reiterates support for the expansion of Templemore Garda Training College in County Tipperary, alongside a pledge to “consider” the establishment of a second training college.
In August 2025, The Irish Times reported that Minister for Justice, Home
Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan TD was warned by the Policing Authority that “in the absence of radical and meaningful reform… it is highly unlikely the target of at least 5,000 gardaí… will be met”.
Enforcement
The number of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras is set to increase and, partially in response to the 2023 Dublin riots, facial recognition cameras (FRT) will be legislated for.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties have branded FRT “highly intrusive and invasive technology that is faulty, unreliable and discriminatory”.
To protect gardaí, there will be investment in extra equipment and technology, including body armour, additional vehicles, and water cannons.
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Alongside this, all gardaí will be equipped with body-worn cameras. Gardaí will also receive guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in criminal investigations.
As crime continues to proliferate online, gardaí will be given the authority to “request” passwords for electronic devices when executing a search warrant, and the National Cyber Crime Bureau will receive an increase in funding.
Modernising courts legal systems
To address understaffing, the PfG commits the Government to appointing 20 additional judges within 12 months, alongside establishing a judicial training institute to “support ongoing training and continuous professional development for judges”. They are expected to be appointed in 2026.
The Government is also committed to a review of the criminal justice system within 12 months, with publication expected in Q1 2026.
Currently, sentencing guidelines are standardised across the State, the PfG contains a commitment to “draw up sentencing guidelines for a particular crime area”. The Government also commits to “[developing] new guidelines to set clear rates of scales of fees for all forms of civil litigation”.
In 2023, the European Commission introduced an “e-evidence package”, simplifying the process of police and judicial authorities obtaining electronic evidence in criminal investigations. The PfG commits the Government to “prioritising implementation of the e-evidence package”, including the creation of a new standalone agency.
To improve the efficiency of the administration of justice, the framework commits the Government to “designing and implementing a modern courts infrastructure”.
Tackling crime
The PfG contains a commitment to the publication of a Rural Safety Strategy, published in September 2025, and an action plan to tackle corruption and economic crime.
In recent years, a spate of protests outside the homes of TDs and councillors, most notably that of then-Taoiseach Simon Harris TD have occurred. In response to this, the Government
have committed to “asking the Joint Oireachtas [on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration] to consider a ban on protests outside private homes”.
A commitment to banning the wearing of face coverings at protests was watered down in May 2025, as the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 stopped short of an outright ban on the wearing of face coverings at protests. Instead, gardaí will have the power to require an individual to remove a face covering, subject to criteria.
While stopping short of outright decriminalisation. the Government have also reiterated its commitment to pursuing a “health-led” approach to drug addiction, diverting those found in possession of drugs for personal use to health services. Simultaneously, sentences for those involved in the supply of narcotics will be reviewed to “ensure the punishment… reflects the destruction and devastation those drugs impose on our communities”.
Gender-based violence
Since 1996, 275 women have been murdered across the State, 63 per cent in their own homes. According to the 2024 EU gender-based violence survey, 35 per cent of Irish women have experienced psychological, physical and/or sexual abuse from an intimate partner, with 25 per cent of women experiencing sexual violence as an adult with a partner; a staggering estimate of over 660,000 people.
To fight this epidemic, the PfG commits the Government to introducing a Zero Tolerance Plan [on gender-based violence] for 2026-2030 alongside delivering 280 refuge spaces by 2026.
Stronger laws against ‘spiking’ were introduced to the Dáil in May 2025, alongside the criminalisation of ‘sex for rent’, as promised in the PfG.
The framework also commits the Government to reviewing maximum sentences to those convicted of child sexual abuse, and examining proposals to remove guardianship rights from those convicted of killing their partners.
Operation Táirge
In December 2023, An Garda Síochána
launched Operation Táirge, supporting operational activity aimed at detecting and preventing organised retail crime.
The purpose and objectives of the Operation were aimed at addressing an international trend observed following the pandemic which saw the level of retail crime, but also aggravated retail crime rise.
Operation Táirge has served to disrupt such organised retail crime, and has led to a significant number of arrests and charges in its first year.
This included the arrest of 8,460 people and the issuance of 20,052 charges or summons between December 2023 and November 2024.
Significant arrests were made in June of this year further supporting the success of the Operation, with 47 individuals arrested and charged in connection with ongoing investigations under Operation Táirge on 18 June in the DMR North Division.
These included offences relating to incidents of robbery, burglary and theft in across the North Dublin area. A total of 76 charges were brought against those arrested in this phase of the investigation.
The initiative supports retailers, creates avenues for greater engagement between this sector and An Garda Síochána, and serves to identify and prosecute those involved in organised retail crime as well as recidivist offenders.
Gardaí attached to Pearse Street Garda Station pictured on patrol in Dublin City Centre as part of Operation Táirge.
Operation Táirge has seen An Garda Síochána working with high risk retailers to enhance prevention, investigation and prosecution, and key to this is encouraging those affected to report such thefts and incidents.
An Garda Síochána is particularly conscious that retail crime has a significant impact on individuals, on the retailer, and on the wider community and we are here to support those affected.
Inspector Damien Boland of the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau acknowledges that a success of the operation has been the positive engagements forged from its roll-out.
“Retail Crime is not a victimless crime. This can clearly be seen from the reports of assaults and verbal abuse on retail staff. It effects staff safety, staff retention and staff recruitment. It is imperative that this crime is not tolerated in society and that perpetrators are reported and held accountable for their actions”.
He adds that “the engagement between An Garda Síochána and retailers has been greatly enhanced, resulting in improved intelligence and greater collaboration”.
There are a number of strands to how Operation Táirge is utilised to combat this type of crime, and there are specific areas of focus.
For instance, An Garda Síochána may use an intelligence-led approach to identify criminals engaging in retail crime. Gardaí also work with retailers to strengthen their security and other measures to help prevent them becoming victims of this criminality. An Garda Síochána also aims to identify and target the areas where organised retail crime black markets operate, and their leadership.
Primarily there is a focus on disrupting the most prolific groups in operation through the use of organised crime legislation and proceeds of crime legislation.
While awareness raising of the consequences of committing such offences also has an important role in deterring people from becoming involved in this crime.
Operation Táirge forms an integral part of An Garda Síochána’s Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy supporting operational activity aimed at detecting and preventing Organised Retail Crime.
Organised retail crime is usually coordinated and well-organised by people who recruit others to commit theft from retailers.
It is a term used to describe situations where a number of individuals are acting together, targeting retailer outlets to steal significant quantities of goods. This generally results in the reselling of these goods on the black market.
It also encompasses refund fraud, which sees an offender attempting to benefit financially or materially from the theft by seeking a refund or exchange for the stolen goods.
The organised nature of this activity may not be immediately obvious. An Garda Síochána do rely on retailers to engage with them. It could be that an attempt to steal was prevented but information about that incident may link to other crime in the locality.
There are a number of other avenues being explored to develop upon the success of the Operation, according to Inspector Boland.
“While recent figures indicate the positive impact Operation Táirge has had since its introduction, there is now an opportunity to build on those positives and further enhance the collaboration between An Garda Síochána and the retail sector.
“For instance, the Garda National Crime Prevention Unit continue to lead out on the delivery of Operation Táirge. This includes holding biannual National Days
of Action to ensure the operational objectives are met. This is in addition to local days of action which have already been planned to counter retail crime trends,” Inspector Boland said. He added that An Garda Síochána remains dedicated to ensuring the safety of all communities countrywide and works very closely with community leaders and stakeholders, to address local issues.
Operation Táirge is led by the Organised Retail Crime Tasking and Co-ordination Group within An Garda Síochána and supports each Garda region to monitor and respond to emerging trends in their area.
W: www.garda.ie
Gardaí attached to Pearse Street Garda Station pictured on patrol in Dublin City Centre as part of Operation Táirge.
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Improving rural safety
The establishment of local community safety partnerships (LCSPs) is identified as central to delivering on the plan’s actions. It asserts that each LCSP is required to develop a tailored community safety plan.
Community safety and engagement
Action one is to support a collaborative approach to rural safety. In line with this, the National Office for Community Safety is responsible for the establishment of 36 LCSPs by Q4 2025 and delivery of a strategy for improving community safety by Q2 2026.
Action two is to support crime detection and prevention in rural communities. Under this, the Garda must develop its Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy 2026-2029 by Q4 2025. The plan also states that the Garda and Muintir na Tíre must support and encourage participation in community alert programmes but does not set targets for this sub-action.
The Rural Safety Plan 2025-2027, published in September 2025, contains 18 actions and 53-sub actions aimed at improving four key areas: community safety and engagement; property crime; roads policing; and animal wildlife and crime.
Action three is to ensure nationwide accessibility to youth justice services through ongoing investment in youth diversion and youth justice initiatives. Action four is to promote youth engagement in rural communities through Foróige, farm safety events, and the Divisional Garda Youth Awards.
Action five is to promote senior engagement and safety in rural communities underpinned by continued implementation of the Garda Síochána Older People Plan and Property Marking Ireland’s Senior Alert Scheme.
Action six is to improve drug harm reduction in rural communities. This is underpinned by PsyCare expanding the Nightlife Intervention and Training for Empowerment into rural communities by Q1 2027. PsyCare must also partner with LCSPs, youth services, and local gardaí to improve drug harm reduction literacy by Q1 2027.
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Property crime
Action seven is to prevent and deter the theft of farm and forestry machinery, and agricultural vehicles. To achieve this, the use of crime prevention products, technologies, and programmes must be encouraged. No targets are set for this sub-action.
Additionally, Property Marking Ireland is responsible for establishing and developing a property marking service for larger organisations by Q4 2027.
Action eight is to tackle home burglaries and trespassing on private property. To achieve this, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and the National Rural Safety Forum must inform the public of trespassing laws. No targets are set for this sub-action.
Action nine is to prevent fraud and cyber-crime targeting rural communities. In line with this, an aim is set for Muintir na Tíre’s community safety app CAIRDE to be launched in Q4 2025.
Action 10 is to reduce crime against rural businesses. In line with this, engagement with Garda community crime prevention programmes such as Business Watch must be encouraged but no targets are set to measure this.
Road safety
Action 11 is to enforce road traffic legislation to improve safety on rural roads. In line with this speed enforcement zones must be reviewed. Action 12 is to raise awareness of safe and responsible road use. To achieve this, the RSA is tasked with implementing educational measures aimed at protecting vulnerable road users.
Action 13 is to increase the availability of safe options for rural communities. Under this, the NTA must implement 52 Connecting Ireland routes across rural Ireland by Q4 2026. The plan also sets an aim for the NTA to “continuously review routes to identify areas of social exclusion”. Despite indicating that reviews must be continuous, the plan sets a delivery deadline of Q4 2024.
Animal and wildlife crime
Action 14 sets an aim to develop strategies to combat wildlife crime including illegal hunting, trespassing, and intimidation. In line with this, gardaí and the NPWS must liaise with local communities, stakeholders, community alert groups, and the IFA in “identified problem areas”. It does not indicate what the aim of this liaison is.
Action 15 is to maintain oversight of animal welfare and dog control policies. In line with this, the Department of Agriculture must engage with local authorities and “disburse relevant allocations to local authorities” to implement and enforce legislation.
Action 16 is to “foster collaboration among agricultural representative groups to address animal safety issues”. In line with this, the plan asserts that the IFA and National Rural Safety Forum must “strengthen engagement” with the Farmers and Animal Welfare Network by Q1 2026. It does not state how delivery of this sub-action will be measured.
Action 17 is to promote education and awareness campaigns on the dangers posed by uncontrolled dogs. The NPWS must produce awareness leaflets and structured media campaigns by Q3 2026.
Action 18 is to encourage livestock keepers to report stolen livestock to gardaí and their regional veterinary office as well as log updates on the AIM system. In line with this, relevant information for reporting must be included in the IFA’s newsletters and brochures.
While the plan is clear on targets for some sub actions it lacks detail on numerous others. For example, the plan states that uptake of crime prevention tools should be encouraged but does not outline how this should be measured.
However, it does provide comprehensive detail on the implementation of LCSPs which are identified as the most important component in delivering on the strategy’s goal of making rural communities safer.
Courts Service’s next phase of modernisation
eolas Magazine talks to Owen Harrison, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Courts Service, about his digital transformation plans for this next phase and how they will benefit the justice sector and end-users.
The previous ICT strategy 2021-2024 and the initial years of the Courts Service Modernisation Programme were about laying the foundations to realise the long-term vision for an organisation that supports access to justice in a modern, digital Ireland. The transition from the first strategy to this second ICT, Digital and Data strategy demonstrates a strong alignment with the Connecting Government 2030: A Digital and ICT Strategy for Ireland’s Public Service and its goal of “providing better access to trusted, high quality digital government services; services that are delivered in an equitable, inclusive and, sustainable manner with better service”.
From a digital perspective the strategy centres around a Unified Case Management System (UCMS), which aims to provide a single, modern platform through which users can manage and engage with cases. This will replace 150 internal legacy systems for Courts Service staff, provide a portal for external court users and a judicial view of the system for the judiciary to manage their cases, access and annotate documents and track upcoming court dates.
Harrison has introduced the UCMS for the Courts Service staff which interacts with the Judicial UCMS and the external facing portal to provide a single modern platform that allows users to manage cases online.
The CIO is taking a user-centred and incremental approach to the rollout. The digital team works closely with users one system at a time, adapting and ideating based on user feedback and constantly updating before progressing further.
“We have reached the point where digital divorce proceedings have been dealt with before the Court. In the coming months, once we are satisfied with the pilot experience, we will roll-out the Portal and judicial UCMS nationwide for Circuit Court Family Law.”
The path forward
“A key priority is to introduce the Courts Portal for probate. We have already introduced UCMS internally to the probate offices and are looking forward to introducing the ability to apply for probate online. In the next few years across Civil and Family Law, the Portal
will allow for e-filing, e-serving, making e-payments, and the collection of digital orders. We intend to expand to ebundles, online handling of books of pleadings, which contain the relevant documents and evidence for a hearing. All of this will help to open up interaction with the courts system at a time that suits court users.”
Harrison, who is motivated by improvement right across the justice sector as a result of the work of the Courts Service, is excited for the next stage.
“Further benefits for the justice sector will be realised when we can maximise UCMS to integrate with other systems. For example, integrating with finance systems to streamline online payments, receipting, reconciliation, data management, and reporting. Another example, a data exchange with Revenue will support probate applicants being able to use the same information that they have provided to the Revenue system. This should reduce data entry and errors, modernise the Probate application process, and streamline case management and resolutions.
Harrison is particularly interested in the benefits which will enable Ireland to meet EU regulations.
“Our improved ICT capability within the organisation will allow us to support the implementation of e-CODEX, Service of Documents, Taking of Evidence, and other EU digital systems. Enhancing collaboration between Ireland and other EU member states to improve access to justice and judicial cooperation across Europe.”
Harrison also envisages benefits from the integration of UCMS with the digital audio recording (DAR) in courtrooms.
“Centralised management of courtroom sound systems to a single point of support for all courtroom technology will enable us to move away from the current fragmented arrangements which occupy too much space in the courtroom. Ultimately, we will pair these improvements with a gradual equipment upgrade to modernise the audio experience for courtroom users.”
External consultation with users prior to the development of this ICT, Digital and Data strategy, emphasised the critical importance of the capability and option to attend hearings remotely. Particularly, for example, in cases with vulnerable witnesses, to help those involved feel safer and more secure. Coupled with the DAR improvements and integration
with the UCMS, enhancing the remote court platform will continue. Continued collaboration is also envisaged with An Garda Síochána and the Irish Prison Service which are already reaping the benefits of video technology enabled courtrooms.
Improvements in data maturity assessments (DMA) held since the start of the Modernisation Programme illustrate the achievements made to enhance the collation, quality, management and measurement of data in the initial years. Harrison describes the implementation of the Courts Service Data Architecture, Unified Data Model and Data Lake under 2021 Data Strategy as a game changer.
“Having a ‘single source of truth’ in place provides users access to up-todate, consistent, and accurate information, essential for informed decision-making.”
This will lead to Harrison’s ambition of transforming the Courts Service into a data-driven organisation.
“All areas across data need continued improvement from data management, governance and retention to data quality and sharing to an improved understanding of the power of data across our staff and the judiciary. Ultimately the goal is to increase the datasets shared on our Open Data Portal, which provides a vital
mechanism to grow public trust through openness and transparency.”
Building trust with the user for Harrison is about all users, he explains: “It is essential that all individuals who engage with the Irish legal system can understand and navigate content, systems, data, and processes. To that end, our services must be delivered in an equitable and inclusive manner, providing better service to those who need assistance, in alignment with the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty.”
This focus on accessibility has led to a recent major upgrade of courts.ie. The ambition for the website upgrade, using a plain language approach, is to significantly lower the reading age, reach over 90 per cent in the National Disability Authority Accessibility Score (top 10 per cent of public body websites) and achieve a Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 level of ‘AA’.
W: www.courts.ie
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New legislation required to reform ‘in camera’ family law proceedings
Describing the current operation of the in camera rule in family court proceedings as “failing to ensure absolute protection for children and families”, a comprehensive report has recommended an overhaul of the rule to enhance transparency in the administration of family justice.
Labelling the current operation of the rule “confusing”, the principal recommendation of the report, titled The Operation of the In Camera Rule in Family Law Proceedings and published in May 2025, is that “the most comprehensive way of addressing many of the existing shortcomings surrounding the operation of the [in camera] rule… is the creation of primary legislation that would apply across all relevant proceedings”.
Published by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the report describes the current operation of the rule as “an impingement on young people’s lives”. The 253page report contains 21 recommendations regarding incamera family court proceedings.
Name and parameters of the in camera rule
Article 34.1 of Bunreacht na hÉireann defines in-camera proceedings as those “otherwise than in public”. The report says this term “does not provide sufficient clarity” on the parameters on the rule and recommends a “new title be
given to this rule… [providing] a clear, concise explanation which is reflective of the actual naming of the rule”, namely court proceedings that are held in private and with reporting restrictions in place.
To provide clarity, the report recommends that the “transparency and privacy rule is clearly and consistently defined in law, policy, and practice”.
In keeping with the principle of open justice, the report recommends that any definition of the in camera rule “does not extend further than is necessary to the extent that its operation impacts constitutional or legal rights”.
The study considered international equivalents of the incamera rule, recommending that “certain [eligible] individuals, professions, and services [such as foster parents, schools, etc] should have automatic access to redacted versions of the court order akin to the approach of Australia”, providing the material is not published.
Based on the position taken in England and Wales, and Australia, the report says parties to the proceedings are
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“permitted to request a copy of the transcript of the digital audio recording pertaining to their family law proceedings”, subject to strict privacy rules to avoid publication.
To improve transparency and fairness regarding proceedings, the report recommends the introduction of “an efficient mechanism” to ensure all cases connected to the parties “can be systematically tracked between courts and judges”.
A ‘gagging order’
As part of the research, 13 judges were interviewed, 317 members of the public completed an online survey, and 18 focus groups comprising professionals such as lawyers and social workers, court service staff, academics, and journalists were conducted.
Some participants argued that the in camera rule acts as a ‘gagging order’, significantly impairing the ability to access support services. The report describes the rule as “rendering the true implementation of [a child’s] right to be heard unworkable”.
To counter these concerns, the report recommends “a pragmatic approach be adopted… allowing private communication between parties to… family law proceedings and their family members and friends as to what is happening in court to seek support and/or access to services”.
The report recommends granting victims of domestic abuse or coercive control the right to seek the permission of the court to waive their right of anonymity, similarly to victims of sexual crimes.
Balancing privacy and transparency
The overriding purpose of the in camera rule, namely that “the privacy rights of children and parties… be maintained” in family court proceedings is reaffirmed in the report.
To improve transparency, the report recommends the establishment of a “system of reporting of anonymised family law judgments” with a recommended minimum percentage of between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of judgments published from all court levels.
The report further recommends removing the current requirement for academics to seek ministerial permission for “bona fide academic researchers” before accessing family court proceedings, alongside introducing a “presumptive right” for eligible journalists to access proceedings and speak to parties involved, though judges retain discretion to refuse access in limited circumstances.
Breaches of the in camera rule
Describing judges’ enforcement of rule breaches as “light touch”, the report recommends ensuring that “clear provisions as to what constitutes a breach [are] set down in legislation”. A distinction is drawn between “inadvertent breaches and those of a more deliberate or malicious nature”. It adds that appropriate sanctions for a breach should be clearly outlined in legislation.
Although initially envisaged as a temporary measure during the Covid-19 pandemic, the report recommends that “a remote hearing option… where all the standard court rules and etiquette would apply… should be available to facilitate access to justice for certain categories of individuals such as persons with disability, full-time carers, and domestic abuse victims”.
Furthermore, the report says: “The new guidance should address how the in camera rule would operate within remote hearings.”
The report finds that in most instances, “a very narrow interpretation of the in-camera rule is being applied” to those granted access to reports of in camera proceedings due to concerns that providing copies to these parties risks a breach of the rule. Countering this, the report recommends that “parties should be permitted to retain a copy of any court ordered report… that contains information relating to them”.
Justice ‘must be seen to be done’
In its introduction, the report quotes former Chief Justice Liam Hamilton as saying: “In a democratic society, justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.”
The in camera rule conflicts with this principle by excluding members of the public from accessing proceedings and imposing reporting restrictions. As the report says, these impositions are necessary to “protect the right to privacy of the parties and any children to whom these proceedings relate”.
At present, the rule is used to protect the identity of parties and children related to the proceedings, but the operation of the rule has been criticised for limiting transparency and undermining the principle of open justice.
The operation of the rule has been likened to a ‘gagging order’, hampering the ability of victims to seek support. In December 2021, Mary-Louise Lynch of Survivors Informing Services and Institutions (Sisi) said the rule created a “paradise for abusers” in family courts, claiming that abusers are being given access to children following in camera proceedings.
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan TD says: “I have asked my officials to now consider this report and revert by the end of this year with policy proposals for my consideration that will reform the in camera rule.”
Delivering the Government’s justice priorities
Earlier this year, the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) set out its priorities for the newly-formed government to improve and enhance our criminal justice system and the specific steps it should take to deliver on its Programme for Government commitments.
In particular, the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) highlighted the urgent and pressing need to ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) as well as progress key legislation to support greater use of community-based sanctions.
While we have seen some green shoots of progress, these have been somewhat overshadowed by the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT)’s report, published in July 2025 following its eighth official visit to Ireland in May 2024.
The Committee raised serious concerns around potential inhuman and degrading conditions, observing that “three or four prisoners were held in cramped, squalid spaces with insufficient ventilation”.
As well as noting the increase in interprisoner violence, the CPT expressed its “deep concern” about “the deterioration of physical safety” particularly noting an increase in allegations of deliberate illtreatment by prison staff since 2019 and excessive use of force by staff, singling out Cloverhill and Limerick prisons and outlining incidents of serious concern.
It also raised the alarm around “a deeply troubling pattern of deaths in custody” including preventable deaths and the failure on the part of the Irish Prison Service (IPS) to complete adequate reviews and implement systemic learning.
The Committee particularly highlighted the situation of people with mental health issues in prison without access to adequate healthcare, women in prison, mothers and babies in prison and the treatment of people held on restrictive regimes for both security and protection, including the treatment of a transgender woman.
It also noted the problematic use of closed supervision cells (CSCs), including the routine practice of stripping prisoners naked and placing them in thin, rip-proof ponchos, which appeared to be a punitive measure.
The Committee also emphasised the impact of staff shortages on mental health and addiction teams when the prisons are already overstretched and cannot meet demand. At a recent IPRT
Derval McDonagh, Chairperson of IPRT and Saoirse Brady, Executive Director with Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan TD in April 2025.
event, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Mark Kelly noted that during general inspections since, some of the same serious issues persisted despite being earmarked by the CPT for immediate action.
Notably, the Committee visited Ireland before we crossed the threshold of 5,000 people in prison in July 2024. Since then, the prison population has continued to grow with records being broken almost weekly. At the end of September 2025, there were 5,490 people in prison with 454 sleeping on a mattress on the floor while a further 516 were on temporary release. This situation is clearly untenable and makes it almost impossible for the IPS to comply with basic human rights standards.
However, responsibility for this crisis does not only lie at the door of the prison authorities. It must be tackled at the highest levels of government. The CPT recommended that when a prison has reached capacity, no one else should be admitted. This echoes a recommendation made by the Strategic Review Group on Penal Reform back in 2014 and while it might seem extreme to some, our prisons cannot cope with demand. Investment in alternatives to detention is the most effective way to divert people from the criminal justice system. Research and international experience show we cannot build our way out of the prison overcrowding crisis and more immediate and humane solutions are necessary.
The CPT repeated its call for the State to ratify OPCAT, an international human rights treaty that Ireland first signed in October 2007. We are now the only EU member state that has not ratified this treaty. As the State prepares to take on the EU Presidency in July 2026, we will see a flurry of legislation to ensure we are compliant with our international legal obligations. This appears like an opportune moment to ensure the Inspection of the Places of Detention Bill is enacted to allow for OPCAT ratification. Arguably, this would also strengthen our bid to become a member of the UN Human Rights Council in 2027.
The autumn legislative programme gives us some cause for cautious optimism as the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill is listed for priority drafting. We also welcome changes brought forward by Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan TD to expand the use of community service
orders (CSO) in the General Scheme of the Civil and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025, currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny. IPRT has long campaigned for the increased use of non-custodial sentencing options to tackle the overcrowding crisis and reduce the use of short-term custodial sentences. The proposed reforms are welcome, particularly the obligation on the court to provide reasons for its decision to impose a custodial rather than a community sentence.
We believe this bill takes us one step closer to making the principle of prison as a last resort a reality but to see real progress we must also see the Community Sanctions Bill 2014 prioritised and significant investment made in the Probation Service. In Budget 2025, the Probation Service’s entire budget of €60 million was still less than the additional €79 million granted to the IPS. Until we see a redirection of funding into the necessary services, IPRT is
concerned that prison and the criminal justice system will continue to have to step in where other social services have failed.
With an overcrowding crisis overwhelming our prisons, the EU Presidency around the corner and a UN Human Rights Council bid on the horizon, now is the time for the State to take action to meet its human rights obligations to deliver meaningful criminal justice reform.
W: www.iprt.ie
IPRT team members meeting with Chief Inspector of Prisons, Mark Kelly, and colleagues from the Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP) in March 2025.
Graphic recording by Robyn Deasy at IPRT 30 year anniversary event.
and Migration, speaks to Joshua Murray about digitally enhancing the Department’s service delivery.
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Joshua Murray (JM): Can you give us a broad overview of the Department’s modernisation efforts?
Darragh Brennan (DB): Modernisation in immigration service delivery has a few key dimensions. On the technology side, we are replacing outdated systems, consolidating them, and moving toward a single source of data. At present, information is scattered across multiple databases, and much of our work is still paperbased. By digitalising our services, we will build a 360-degree view of those who use our services which will be better for both them and our staff.
JM: What are the main challenges involved?
DB: There are three. The first is technology, more specifically, modernising our systems. Second is structure; where we are re-engineering processes and moving towards what we call a ‘functional model’, combining efficiency with better service. The third branch is focussed on people, which is about ensuring that staff have the training, support, and tools they need to deliver effectively.
JM: Which reforms have worked well, and which have been more of a learning curve?
DB: Staff engagement has been a real success. They know the systems best, so we have made sure they have a strong voice in shaping reforms. That has helped us rebuild immigration service delivery from the ground up.
We have also worked to understand our users better, listening to feedback and tackling pain
points. Some major wins include the new digital contact centre, where users can check application status, ask questions, and book appointments online. We have also launched the first stage of our case management system, covering EU Treaty Rights forms which we believe is the first real step in digitalising services and consolidating information.
JM: In terms of digitalisation, how does the department balance innovation with ensuring accessibility for all?
DB: Accessibility is essential. We know some users may not have strong digital literacy or may face other challenges. That is why our forms and websites are written in plain English and designed to meet accessibility standards.
Not everyone can use digital services, so we will continue to provide offline channels as well. Modernisation is about inclusion and making sure services work for everyone, not just the majority.
JM: Does that mean a reduction, but not elimination, of traditional service delivery models?
DB: Exactly. Service design cannot happen in a vacuum. Everyone experiences the system differently, and we need to understand those pain points before redesigning services.
While we are moving ahead with digital tools, accessibility is at the heart of our approach. We cannot just design for 90 per cent of users, it is about delivering for people and having services which work for 100 per cent of users.
Profile: Darragh Brennan
Darragh Brennan is Head of Citizenship and Modernisation at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. He has responsibility for the citizenship team, including citizenship by naturalisation, international family reunifications, non-EEA investors and entrepreneur start-up, and atypical permits in the Department.
This team has responsibility to ensure that the full range of ministerial responsibilities pertaining to naturalisation as encompassed by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 as amended is exercised with appropriate due diligence and that the integrity of the immigration process is protected.
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Justice at a crossroads
Justice systems worldwide are at a crossroads, where tradition meets the force for change. Calls for reform are growing louder, from civil society, legal professionals, and international bodies, driven by a shared recognition that justice must evolve to meet the demands of modern governance and public expectation.
The justice system in Ireland has long relied on established customs and procedures that have provided continuity and structure. However, these same traditions now risk becoming barriers to progress.
The nature of crime is evolving rapidly, challenging long-standing assumptions about how justice is delivered. Justice systems must now manage high volumes of traditional offences whilst responding to increasingly complex, digitally enabled threats.
Conventional crimes remain prevalent. In Ireland 76,142 thefts and 20,019 assaults were recorded in 2024, up 12 per cent and 6 per cent respectively since 2019 as reported by the Central Statistics Office. However, these are now compounded by crimes that exploit digital platforms and technologies. Ransomware attacks targeting public services, online child exploitation facilitated through encrypted messaging apps, and cryptocurrency-enabled fraud are just a few examples of how criminal behaviour has adapted to the digital age.
Even traditional offences are reshaped, with domestic abuse cases now often including digital stalking via devices, while harassment increasingly occurs through social media. More broadly, traditional crimes are becoming more complex to investigate and prosecute, as they involve digital evidence such as mobile data, surveillance footage, and online communications, which demands greater technical expertise, time, and inter-agency co-ordination.
Structural gaps
This convergence of volume and complexity is straining justice systems worldwide. Cases are taking longer to process on an end-to-end basis, undermining the timeliness of justice and eroding public confidence. Crossagency processes, which are essential to uphold independence, governance, and accountability, can also introduce limitations on how to tackle the increasing volume and complexity, particularly when systems are not fully integrated or when coordination mechanisms are underdeveloped, as is the case in many jurisdictions.
Prison overcrowding remains another critical concern in justice systems across many jurisdictions. As of September 2025, 11 of the 14 Irish prisons were operating above 100 per cent capacity. Despite proposals to expand prison capacity, experts argue that such measures fail to address the root causes of offending. The Irish Penal Reform Trust advocates for alternatives to incarceration, especially for non-violent offences, highlighting the need for restorative justice, communitybased sentencing, and investment in rehabilitation programmes.
Public expectations for transparency, fairness, and responsiveness are rising. To remain effective, Ireland’s justice system must evolve, building new capabilities, integrating processes, and committing to reform that goes beyond digital upgrades to address the structural foundations of justice delivery.
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How can justice systems evolve?
Rising caseloads, increasingly complex digital crime, and growing public expectations have exposed the limitations of traditional legal frameworks. In response, several jurisdictions have introduced ambitious reforms, offering practical lessons for Ireland as it seeks to reform its justice system.
In England and Wales, the Leveson Review proposed structural changes to reduce delays, including reclassifying offences to avoid jury trials and creating new judicial divisions for mid-level cases, saving thousands of court sitting days.
Northern Ireland has similarly focused on delay reduction through its Speeding Up Justice programme. The expansion of out-of-court disposals allows lowerlevel offences to be resolved more proportionately. Crucially, the abolition of oral evidence at committal hearings has streamlined pre-trial processes, freeing up Magistrates’ Court capacity and reducing re-traumatisation for victims.
In Ireland, the Courts Service is working on its own Modernisation Programme, focused on improving access to justice, reducing delay and cost within the justice system and maximising the use of technology to improve services.
Beyond digital upgrades
To modernise infrastructure, the UK’s His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service Reform Programme introduced online courts, unified case management systems, and remote hearings, improving transparency and efficiency. Ireland’s Courts Service is rolling out similar reforms, including AI-assisted scheduling and digital jury systems. Full implementation, supported by training and accessibility, will be essential. However, technology alone is insufficient. As crime becomes more digitally complex, justice personnel must be equipped with new skills and ways of working. Justice systems are investing further in capability building to ensure criminal justice organisations can manage encrypted communications, forensics, and crossborder cybercrime.
“With the right leadership, investment, and vision, Ireland can build a justice system that is not only fit for purpose but fit for the future.”
Integrated digital ecosystems
Many jurisdictions are working on how to improve collaboration across the multiple agencies responsible for delivering justice. For example, the Netherlands and Estonia have developed integrated digital platforms linking police, courts, and correctional services.
Sentencing and rehabilitation
Other jurisdictions have embraced community-based alternatives to certain offences that are classed as low-level:
• United States: Cities like New York have expanded restorative justice and re-entry programmes.
• Norway: A reintegration-focused prison model has achieved low recidivism through humane conditions and structured release planning.
• Brazil and Costa Rica: Legal reforms have reclassified offences to avoid custodial sentences, expanding probation and community service.
International bodies such as the UNODC advocate for sentencing policies that prioritise alternatives to custody, including electronic monitoring, fines, and restorative justice.
Shaping a future-ready justice system
EY is working with Justice systems around the world, and we understand that these systems are not static. The institutions must evolve with society. Ireland’s justice system is at a turning point. The pressures are real, but so is the opportunity. Policymakers are embracing evidence-based, crosssystem solutions that reflect the realities of today’s justice landscape and have the opportunity to collaborate with other justice systems across the world. With the right leadership, investment, and vision, Ireland can build a justice system that is not only fit for purpose but fit for the future.
Sean Breen is a director in EY’s Government and Infrastructure practice and provides support to a wide range of government and public sector clients. Breen has worked extensively across the justice sector and has assisted with a number of large-scale transformation projects.
W: www.ey.com
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Youth Justice Strategy progress
The latest progress report on the Youth Justice Strategy 20212027 shows a youth justice system becoming more collaborative, data-driven, and evidence-informed, with an increasing focus on prevention, diversion, and rehabilitation.
The 2024 statement highlights strengthened coordination across agencies through the Youth Justice Oversight, Governance and Advisory Groups, which met regularly throughout the year. These bodies, the report says, have helped sustain focus on addressing underlying factors of youth offending, supporting early intervention, and promoting desistance.
Ongoing priorities include capacity-building for Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs), developing supports for children in care, and enhancing data systems for evidencebased decision-making. The Department also continued its partnership with Northern Ireland through the North South Youth Justice Advisory Group, which met twice in 2024 to discuss shared challenges and legislative developments, including the forthcoming Children (Amendment) Bill 2024.
The joint-commissioning or No Wrong Door approach, now active in six pilot areas, continues to promote collaboration between local services to ensure young people receive coordinated support without duplication or gaps.
Youth diversion projects
One of the strategy’s central aims is full national coverage of YDPs. The report asserts that this moved closer to completion in 2024. Following four new projects launched in 2023, the Department advanced plans for two final projects in north Tipperary and east Clare, completing the network.
Consultations with local services, including Tusla, the Probation Service and Education and Training Boards, informed the design of new projects that will serve children aged between eight and 11, family members of participants, and harder-toreach groups. Six expressions of interest were received, and assessments were undertaken by local committees chaired by senior gardaí and supported by community-based organisations and the University of Limerick’s Research Evidence into Policy, Programmes and Practice (REPPP) team. The successful providers will be announced in early 2025, with operations expected to begin by year-end.
The national network of YDPs represents a cornerstone of the State’s preventative strategy, offering structured interventions and family support to divert young people away from offending behaviour and into pro-social development pathways.
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Court Accompaniment Scheme
The 2024 report says that “significant progress toward introducing” a nationwide Court Accompaniment Scheme for young defendants was made. Modelled on the Victim Support at Court (V-SAC) initiative, the scheme will provide trained youth justice workers to explain court processes and offer informal emotional support, without overlapping with legal representation.
This initiative, to be delivered through participating YDPs, aims to reduce stress for young defendants and strengthen engagement with diversionary options. Early pilots will run in Dublin, Kerry, Kildare, Limerick, Laois, Sligo, Clare, and Leitrim, with training developed jointly by V-SAC and the Solas Project. A full national rollout is anticipated by the end of 2025.
The Greentown Programme
The Greentown Programme, designed to disrupt the recruitment of children by criminal networks, continued in two confidential trial sites. Its four pillars of network disruption, community efficacy, intensive family support, and pro-social opportunities remained central to delivery. A standard operating procedure was finalised to support data sharing and collaboration among agencies, and work began to replicate the Twinsight research process for updated crime-network mapping.
The Department has confirmed funding for Greentown until 2026, conditional on evaluation and replication milestones. International collaboration also deepened, with Irish representatives engaging in knowledge exchange with Dutch officials on the Prevention with Authority initiative.
Relationship-based practice
The newly integrated youth diversion projects research and development team focused on embedding the relationship model of practice across YDPs. Through national workshops, new training resources, and a ‘mastery group’ of expert practitioners, the model emphasises trust-building, empathy, and accountability as foundations for behavioural change.
Training programmes on motivational interviewing, restorative practices, and outcomesfocused planning were delivered nationwide, reflecting the strategy’s objective of ensuring growing professionalisation of the youth justice workforce.
Collaboration across the system
The 2024 statement says that the Probation Service and Young Persons Probation (YPP) worked with 764 young people during the year, supporting community supervision, presanction assessments, and restorative approaches. A new Youth Joint Agency Response to Crime (Y-JARC) project was launched in Dublin’s north inner city to coordinate responses to high-risk youth offending.
Cooperation with the North’s Youth Justice Agency intensified, with shared training and practice exchange is intended to be pursued in 2025. Meanwhile, Oberstown Children Detention Campus continued implementing its Children’s Rights Policy Framework, focusing on education, employment readiness, and reintegration supports.
Speaking in the Dáil in April 2025, Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration with special responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice, Niall Collins TD, said: “The youth justice strategy is a forward-thinking plan designed to address the unique challenges faced by young people in Ireland.
“At its core, it emphasises early intervention, prevention, family support and community engagement. It includes a number of key objectives aimed at promoting positive behavioural change. It is only by targeting this behaviour that we can break the cycle of young people reoffending.”
A new era of independent policing oversight
Authority.
The Policing and Community Safety Authority (PCSA), formally established on 2 April 2025, marks a new chapter in independent oversight of An Garda Síochána.
The Authority brings together the functions of the former Policing Authority and the Garda Síochána Inspectorate, with strengthened inspection powers and an enhanced role in community safety.
At its core, the PCSA exists to independently and transparently oversee and assess the performance of An Garda Síochána in providing policing services to communities across Ireland. Our work builds on the legacy of our predecessor organisations; the Policing Authority and the Garda Síochána Inspectorate and
places the public interest at the centre of everything we do.
Gardaí hold significant powers to use force, to search homes and to restrict our liberty. These powers must always be used legally, fairly and proportionately. Robust supervision, management and oversight from inside the policing organisation is one element of the checks and balances that seek to ensure the appropriate use of policing powers. Independent civilian oversight, provided by the PCSA, is another essential check that ensures policing powers are exercised in a way that serves all communities, respects the law and upholds human rights.
We give effect to this oversight through continuous engagement, with communities, with garda members, and garda management. This includes monthly meetings with the Garda Commissioner, held both in public and private.
We listen to the experiences of people in the community in all its diversity. We listen to gardaí who are delivering the policing service. And we listen to and challenge those in garda management on the performance of the service.
An integral part of the Authority’s remit is meeting with the Garda Commissioner and senior officers in person almost every month, both in public and private. The meetings held in public are livestreamed and recorded. The agendas and minutes of all the meetings are published on our website. A cursory glance at the agendas of our first six meetings, three of which were in public, gives an indication of the breadth of our work.
Elaine Byrne, Chairperson of the Policing and Community Safety
“We are committed to ensuring that Ireland’s policing service operates with transparency, accountability, and the confidence of the people it serves.”
Community safety
Keeping communities safe is about more than policing. It requires a collaborative approach involving mental health services, housing, youth services, local authorities, and education; all involved in multi-agency cooperation. The inclusion of community safety in our name and mandate is an exciting development. It recognises that safety is complex, personal, and our sense of being and feeling safe can change through our life. We work closely with other agencies through the National Community Safety Steering Group and the recently established National Office for Community Safety, sharing information and insights to help shape this new dimension of our role.
A busy first few months
In April 2025, we began developing the 2026-2028 Policing Priorities by engaging directly with communities and garda personnel around the country. We wanted to find out what areas of policing are most important for gardaí to focus on. Four in-person regional events brought together around 100 community stakeholder groups. A public online consultation received 3,794 responses and our staff met more than 400 serving gardai from every county.
These new Policing Priorities, currently with the Minister for approval, will form a cornerstone of our future oversight work. They are the benchmark against which we will assess garda performance, reflecting the voices of both those who deliver and those who receive the policing service.
At our July 2025 Authority meeting in public, the Authority discussed the Crowe Report, which revealed serious shortcomings in roads policing performance, revealing how a significant minority of gardaí are not doing their jobs properly and have no interest in doing so. It highlighted wider issues of performance management. We continue to engage closely with the Garda Commissioner on how these findings are being addressed, both immediately and at a strategic level.
At our most recent meeting in public in September 2025, the new Garda Commissioner, Justin Kelly, outlined his vision and ambition for An Garda Síochána and was questioned on key policing priority items. Each month, the Garda Commissioner also submits a detailed report to the Authority –published for transparency – and it contains important information on the use of force, garda strength, information on suspensions and the key focus of the organisation. The PCSA does not have a role in individual complaints made against gardaí; this is the remit of Fiosrú, the new statutory body replacing the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), which deals with complaints from members of the public about the gardaí.
Inspections and oversight in practice
The PCSA now has the power to conduct announced and unannounced inspections at garda stations and facilities. A key milestone this year was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the PCSA and An Garda Síochána setting out the framework of inspections. These inspections, and the reports arising from them, will be published and will play a central role in shaping our future oversight. Work is already under way on our Inspection Plan 2026.
We are also finalising our Strategic Plan 2026-2028, developed following extensive consultation. It is ambitious but achievable, focused on improving both the policing service the public receives and the working environment for those who deliver it.
As required by legislation, the Authority’s members bring collective expertise across human rights, social services, the justice system, data and services for victims. As a practising barrister, my own work has brought me into contact with people from all walks of life, deepening my understanding of community and fairness in public service. The Authority is supported by a dedicated executive team under the leadership of the Chief Executive Helen Hall. Together, we are committed to ensuring that Ireland’s policing service operates with transparency, accountability, and the confidence of the people it serves.
Elaine Byrne BL is Chairperson of the Policing and Community Safety Authority.
W: www.pcsaireland.ie
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@PCSA_Ireland
X: www.x.com/PCSA_Ire
Instagram: pcsa_ireland
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/policingand-community-safety-authority/
Authority members of the PCSA at the meeting in public with Garda Commissioner in Dublin in September 2025.
The shortfalls of government’s anti-racism plan
Thirty-one
months after the launch of the National Action Plan Against Racism (NAPAR) in March 2023, eolas Magazine considers progress on its implementation.
NAPAR commits to “identify and eliminate any policing practice that targets specific racial and ethnic minority groups, including through racial or ethnic profiling”. However, no clear statutory prohibition of racial profiling currently exists in Irish law.
Civil society reports, including those from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR), have noted the absence of explicit legal bans, detailed definitions, or sanction frameworks. Without legal clarity, policy commitments may be difficult to enforce and victims may have limited formal means of redress.
Data collection and publication disaggregated by race, ethnicity, or other protected grounds remains inconsistent. Policing bodies do not reliably publish statistics on stopand-search, use-of-force, complaint outcomes, or internal investigations in forms disaggregated by race or ethnicity.
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Similarly, the courts and prosecutorial services do not consistently provide breakdowns by racial or ethnic category for charging, sentencing, remand, or judicial decisions. The absence of such data complicates assessment of whether reform efforts are producing equitable outcomes.
Hate crime and racist incidents
Recent Garda figures indicate the number of hate crimes and related discriminatory incidents in Ireland has increased modestly. In 2024, there were 676 hate crimes and hate-related (non-crime) incidents recorded, up from 651 in 2023. Of those 676, 592 were hate crimes and 84 were non-crime hate-related incidents.
“Anti-race” was the most prevalent motive among discriminatory motives, comprising 39 per cent of all recorded motives in 2024, rising from 36 per cent in 2023. “Anti-nationality” also increased, accounting for about a quarter of all discriminatory motives in 2024, compared to about 18 per cent in 2023. The most common categories of crime in which hate motives are evident include public order offences, minor assaults, and criminal damage (not by fire).
Community experience and trust
A Policing Authority-commissioned report, Experiences of Policing Among Brazilians and People of African Descent in Ireland, describes perceptions among affected communities of profiling, dismissive responses to reports of racist incidents, and limited trust in Garda responsiveness.
Similarly, the INAR/ICCL Policing and Racial Discrimination in Ireland report describes differential treatment in interactions with gardaí across a range of settings, including during identity checks, crime reporting, and use-offorce incidents.
Resource constraints and staffing pressures
Recent assessments outline well-documented staffing and resource pressures affecting the Garda. The recruitment and retention of members, as well as constraints in training capacity, are cited among factors limiting performance on policing priorities.
These pressures are reported to complicate implementation of reform measures across oversight, complaints handling, and other obligations under the NAPAR.
Analysis
The increase in reported hate crimes and related incidents suggests somewhat greater reporting or awareness, but does not establish whether the underlying incidence is increasing, or whether reporting remains incomplete.
The persistence of “anti-race” as the leading motive indicates that racial discrimination remains the dominant category among hate motives.
The rise in anti-nationality motives suggests shifts in the pattern of discrimination or harmful attitudes.
Regions and offence types data show that a substantial portion of hate-motivated incidents occur in public order offences, minor assaults, and vandalism.
As of October 2025, several of the institutional frameworks promised under NAPAR are in place. However, the evidence indicates that in the justice and policing domains, several commitments have not yet been fully realised: statutory prohibition of profiling remains unestablished; disaggregated data remains incomplete; and trust among affected communities continues to show deficits.
The recent statistics on hate crime and discriminatory incidents provide measurable data points, however, they also underscore that recording and responding to incidents remains uneven.
50 years of justice
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the appointment of the first Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Eamonn Barnes in January 1975, writes Director of Public Prosecutions Catherine Pierse.
Before the enactment of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1974, when the practical implications of an independent DPP were still being considered, Limerick State Solicitor Gordon Holmes wrote to the Attorney General, Declan Costello, stating: “Candidly, we are absolutely plagued with representations here, largely coming, I am afraid, from TDs.”
In a later letter, he described how one TD had lobbied on behalf of both an accused person and a victim in the same case, a clear illustration of why a new Office was needed. The creation of the Office of the DPP was intended to strengthen public confidence in the rule of law by ensuring that prosecution decisions could not be subject to political interference or even the perception of it. Another key principle of our prosecution service, one that is established in the Irish Constitution, is that when we prosecute, we act on behalf of the people of Ireland, and not on behalf of any one participant in the criminal process. Independence therefore is at the heart of why our office was created.
Although we act on behalf of the people, the prosecution does also have an important role to play in vindicating the rights of victims, accused persons and witnesses and ensuring fairness at all stages of the process. A prosecution decision can have enormous consequences for the individuals involved. Where a decision is made not to prosecute, victims can feel disbelieved and unheard. Where a decision is made to prosecute, an accused person’s life can be turned upside down with implications for their job, family and future. The wider community’s confidence in the rule of law is also at stake.
Today the values of independence and fairness remain at the core of the Irish prosecution service. They are as essential now as they were in 1975 to maintaining the rule of law in a functioning democracy. When the Office was established, there were four lawyers making prosecution decisions. Today we have a staff of almost 300, from legal and other professional backgrounds.
Credit: Cian Redmond
Director of Public Prosecutions, Catherine Pierse.
We work closely with State Solicitors in 30 locations around the country and over 200 barristers on our panels. We now deal with around 17,000 files a year, make prosecution decisions in all serious cases and conduct prosecutions in the higher courts. Recent government decisions mean that we are also working towards being able to provide better support for, and quality assurance of District Court prosecutions which are taken by our colleagues in An Garda Síochána in the name of the DPP.
The nature of crime has also evolved dramatically over the past 50 years. The Office now deals with increasingly sophisticated forms of organised crime, financial and corporate offending, cybercrime, and offences involving digital evidence and international cooperation. The volume of digital data continues to grow relentlessly, from mobile devices, social media platforms, and CCTV footage. For example, 15 years ago, a file involving a typical latenight assault on a street might have included a victim’s statement, a memo of interview with the accused, and perhaps a few witness statements. Today, that same file could include phone footage from bystanders, CCTV from nearby premises, and records of social media activity following the incident. This surge in digital material gathered during investigations and submitted to my Office for review continues to reshape both the volume and complexity of evidence that must be assessed when deciding whether to prosecute, examined for relevance at the disclosure stage, and ultimately presented in court. It is clear that all of us who work in the criminal justice system must re-examine how this data is managed at each stage of the process, and the policies and practices that underpin our current approach to disclosure.
While my office operates independently in making prosecution decisions, effective criminal justice depends on collaboration among various agencies to improve the system for all those who must interact with it. Independence does not mean isolation. My office continues to collaborate on a range of projects and working groups with colleagues from An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service, the Legal Aid Board, the Department of Justice, and the Probation Service with the aim of improving the criminal justice system and the efficient running of the courts.
“Today the values of independence and fairness remain at the core of the Irish prosecution service.”
In response to increased demands on the criminal justice system, additional funding has been provided to support the recruitment of legal and support staff and enhance our information management systems. The rapid increase in the demands has prompted efforts to identify ways in which we can collectively work towards a more efficient and effective system which better meets the needs of the people who are interacting with it, and in particular the victims, accused persons and witnesses.
I welcome the Government commitment in this year’s Programme for Government to conduct a review of the criminal justice system, and publish an action plan to improve efficiency, remove blockages and cut waiting times. In the meantime, work is already underway to deepen collaboration across the system so that unnecessary delays are avoided.
By way of example, earlier this year the Office of the DPP committed, along with 15 other criminal justice agencies, to the implementation of a Juvenile Protocol for the handling of Central Criminal Court cases involving children. This judicially led initiative was launched in February 2025 with the aim of ensuring that all such cases are dealt with within 12 months of the date of the allegation.
Notwithstanding the many changes that have taken place in the Irish prosecution service over the past 50 years, our mission has remained the same, to deliver a fair, independent, and effective
prosecution service on behalf of all the people of Ireland. Difficult prosecution decisions must continue to be made without fear or favour. Cases must be pursued fairly and in the public interest, while protecting the rights of both victims and accused persons. This commitment serves not only those who directly interact with the justice system, but also everyone who values living in a safe and fair society.
To learn about the work of the Office of the DPP: W: www.dppireland.ie
To read more about the 50th anniversary of the Office: www.dppireland.ie/about-us/50-years
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New migration strategy
The newly-published National Asylum and Migration Management Strategy sets out a new framework for handling migration and asylum under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
Produced under EU Regulation (EU) 2024/1351, the strategy is designed to “deliver a fair, efficient, and sustainable model of accommodating applicants” while ensuring Ireland meets its obligations under the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
The pact is aimed at creating a common European system for migration and asylum across EU member states. It seeks to balance two main objectives:
• Efficiency and control of migration flows (including irregular migration); and
• Ensuring the protection of rights for those in need of international protection. The pact entered into force on 11 June 2024, with the bulk of the legislative instruments scheduled for application by mid2026.
The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, which led the strategy’s development, describes the plan as a “comprehensive framework for asylum and migration management in Ireland”. It highlights declining international protection applications in 2025 and emphasises that migration is
essential to “deliver economic growth and jobs, and to raise living standards”.
At its most forward-looking, the strategy acknowledges that “migration remains central to sustaining our economy and public services”. Legal migration and talent attraction feature prominently, with new schemes such as the Seasonal Employment Permit and participation in the SUSTAIN Europe and STEP programmes. These initiatives aim to create, in the Government’s words, “mutually beneficial partnerships that support migrants who may alternatively have taken irregular routes”.
The plan also commits to addressing the weaknesses of Ireland’s asylum infrastructure. A new Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy seeks to move “away from reliance on private providers, with a scaling up of stateowned accommodation at its core”, targeting a 35,000-bed capacity by 2028.
Oversight is to be strengthened through a proposed Chief Inspector of Asylum Border Procedures, empowered to “inspect asylum border facilities,
investigate potential breaches of fundamental rights, and deal with complaints”.
However, much of the strategy’s energy remains directed toward control and compliance. It promises to “continue to increase returns through aligning with EU law” and to “arrange more enforced returns, including through new charter flights”. Integration, meanwhile, is deferred to a separate forthcoming migration and integration strategy, leaving gaps in social policy coherence.
The strategy clearly is aimed at appealing to anti-immigration sentiment among parts of the general public and is symptomatic of a government which is walking the tightrope between not calling immigration a crisis while also failing to outline immigration as a defining and positive feature of modern Ireland.
The challenge ahead lies not only in managing migration effectively, but in realising the strategy’s implicit recognition that mobility, far from a threat, is “an essential underpinning” of Ireland’s economic and social future.
The Parole Board
The Parole Board is an independent body established under the Parole Act 2019. It currently reviews parole applications from people in prison serving a life sentence and decides whether or not they should be released on parole.
Parole involves release from prison under certain conditions. If granted parole, the person must comply with all the conditions of their parole order. They are still serving a life sentence, but in the community. The person may be returned to prison if they reoffend or break a condition of the parole order.
A person serving a life sentence can usually apply for parole when they have served 10.5 years of their sentence. Parole will not be granted to anyone who has served less than 12 years or is serving a sentence for another offence.
When deciding on a parole application, the Parole Board considers many factors including:
• the potential risk presented by the applicant to the safety and security of the public;
• the applicant’s rehabilitation and capacity to reintegrate into society; and
• whether it is appropriate that the applicant be released on parole.
The Parole Board may also request reports from relevant services relating to the applicant. Free legal aid is available to persons applying for parole.
Engagement with victims
The Parole Act 2019 defines a “victim” as:
1. A person who has suffered harm, including physical, mental or emotional harm or economic loss, which was directly caused by a criminal offence for which the person is serving a term of life imprisonment;
2. The family members of a person whose death was directly caused by a criminal offence and who have suffered harm including physical, mental, or emotional harm, or economic loss as a direct result of that offence.
Relevant victims can make a submission to the Parole Board, if they wish to do so. A submission is an account in their own words of the effect and impact the offence has had on them. They can tell the Board how the offence affected them and how the parole applicant’s release might affect them, their family and their community.
A victim can also ask the Parole Board to consider specific conditions to be attached to a person’s parole order, if granted. Meetings with victims are held separately to the Parole Board’s meeting with the parole applicant.
Free legal aid is available to victims to assist them in making their submission.
For more information visit www.gov.ie/paroleboard
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Building sustainably
Susan Vickers, Head of Environmental Sustainability at Clúid, speaks to eolas Magazine about the steps the organisation is taking to deliver on climate targets and how this can benefit residents.
Clúid’s greening strategy, Building a Sustainable Future Together, sets an aim to ensure everyone in society has a “great place to live”. It underpins Clúid’s intention to create sustainable homes and communities, reduce the organisation’s environmental impact, and contribute to the State’s climate goals. The greening strategy sets a pathway for Clúid’s vision for 2030 of building homes that do not cost the Earth.
Vickers explains: “The greening strategy was developed to identify the organisation’s environmental sustainability and climate goals and set a pathway to achieving them. It is based on three pillars: Be Green, Live Green and Build Green. That encompasses everything we want to do.”
Under the Build Green pillar, Clúid has set an overarching goal for all new homes to be net zero operational carbon, produce 40 per cent less embodied carbon, and for existing homes to be retrofitted to a minimum BER B2 rating.
“In 2022, we started exploring how best to establish a methodology to (a) measure; and (b) report on the embodied carbon of our builds. To work towards this, our procurement manager, Amy O’Farrell, identified an opportunity to establish an innovation partnership which would focus on lean construction, minimising construction waste, and embodied carbon reduction in our new design and build properties,” says Vickers.
In December 2023, Clúid concluded a partnering agreement with Gem Construction with the first project awarded under the agreement in early 2024. It is aimed at delivering a multiyear building programme to develop an additional framework and a methodology to report on lean construction, construction waste, and embodied carbon reduction.
Eibhlin O’Connor, Chief Commercial Officer at Clúid, expands on this: “Clúid is committed to delivering high-quality, sustainable homes across Ireland. We are continuously investing in new and innovative ways to meet the ambitious housing targets that are required to tackle the housing crisis.
“We have appointed GEM Construction as our first Innovation Partner to help us streamline the building process through early contractor engagement, working
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“Reducing energy poverty among our residents is a key priority for Clúid. Deep retrofit measures typically deliver annual energy savings of around €1,170 per household, providing a significant and tangible benefit to household budgets.”
alongside our in-house team of experts right from the feasibility and pre-planning stages.
Vickers explains: “In early 2025, we set the baseline figures and sustainability KPIs for the partnership. This initiative will play a key role in guiding us to improve each project’s performance while exploring the smartest, most effective ways to meet our sustainability goals.
“It is a very ambitious partnership which could potentially save about 12 months in the development process and advance the establishment of methodologies to reduce embodied carbon to meet our 2030 targets.
“The partnership focuses on collaboration and early contractor engagement between Clúid and Gem and their design team. This ensures that Gem’s building expertise and the agreed
sustainability KPIs are included in the project design at the earliest stages. It also ensures that we are working together to manage the project costs, programme, sustainability, and quality outcomes.”
Vickers notes that a comprehensive cost analysis of the embodied carbon reduction and other KPIs, is essential to ensure continued progress within the partnership. “This analysis will enable us to balance our sustainability ambitions with financial feasibility,” she explains.
“As sustainable construction practices continue to evolve rapidly, we will have the opportunity to explore alternative materials and innovative methodologies, integrating them into our future builds.”
Retrofitting
The
greening strategy sets a commitment to establishing a retrofitting
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programme in all existing Clúid homes to improve their building energy rating (BER) to B2. This aligns with the European Commission’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive EU/31/2010 (revised in 2018).
Clúid’s retrofit activities include insulation, LED lighting, more efficient heating systems, and the installation of new doors and windows. Exemplifying this, the €23 million regeneration project of St Mary’s Mansions in northeast inner city Dublin, completed in September 2020, saw 200 photovoltaic panels installed and all apartments retrofitted to an A-3 rating.
Clúid has also partnered with EnergyCloud, a social enterprise supported by Irish utilities providers and the wind energy industry, to increase energy efficiency and enable residents to reduce their energy bills.
“With them, we trialled redirecting excess energy, that would otherwise be wasted, to provide tanks of free hot water to residents during the night. We are proud to see EnergyCloud expand and develop both within and outside Ireland. We are always seeking to innovate and utilise our developments as test-bed projects where possible,” explains Vickers.
“Providing high-quality homes is a core priority for Clúid. We are proud that 61 per cent of our homes currently hold an A-rated BER, with a further 16 per cent rated B. Our retrofit programme, one of the most ambitious in the sector, is led by our Head of Asset Management, Brendan Cunningham.
Cunningham says: “Launched in 2018, the programme has delivered upgrades to 2,161 homes between 2018 and 2024, at a total investment of €48.7 million; half of which was supported by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, the remainder was funded directly by Clúid. These efforts reflect our commitment to energy efficiency, sustainability, and improving living conditions for our residents.
“Reducing energy poverty among our residents is a key priority for Clúid. Deep retrofit measures typically deliver annual energy savings of around €1,170 per household, providing a significant and tangible benefit to household budgets.”
Biodiversity
Vickers outlines how Clúid identifies gaps in biodiversity guidance in housing developments: “In exploring ways to strengthen Clúid’s approach to protecting and enhancing biodiversity, it became clear there was a lack of a meaningful landscape and biodiversity guide for public and communal open spaces in Irish housing developments,
particularly for new and planned schemes.
“The built environment has a huge impact on biodiversity and therefore has the potential to drive significant positive change. This is especially important in light of the Government’s housing targets in the coming years, as we work to address Ireland’s substantial housing crisis. Around 50 per cent of our properties are direct design and build, so it is crucial to consider sustainable building elements which the biodiversity guide can assist in.”
To positively influence biodiversity outcomes in our developments, Clúid developed a comprehensive guide outlining landscaping and biodiversity design requirements for all new schemes. The guide, endorsed by the All Ireland Pollinator Plan, is intended to provide developers, construction contractors, landscape architects, horticulturalists, and other stakeholders with clear, practical guidance to design and plant public and communal open spaces in ways that protect and enhance biodiversity.
Vickers explains: “To ensure the guide delivers its full potential impact, it was designed to be accessible, understandable, and relevant to the wide range of roles involved in landscaping and biodiversity decisions. Its development drew on the expertise of our architects in Clúid’s Commercial Development department, with Landscape Designer Ingrid Swan playing a key role in shaping the guidance and ensuring it is practical and actionable across Clúid’s developments.”
Vickers worked closely with Dean Murphy, Senior Project Manager –Design and Placemaking at Clúid, to develop the organisation’s new Design Guide 2025-2030. Dean states: “Clúid’s updated Design Guide focuses on creating attractive, sustainable communities with a strong sense of place. It aims to ensure Clúid homes are comfortable, secure, easy to use, and maintain. The guide is the result of extensive consultation with residents, staff, and stakeholders like the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
“The guide emphasises the importance of creating a sense of place and attractive communities within residential developments. It promotes sustainable building practices and aims to develop
housing that enhances the lives of residents and integrates well with the wider community. Incorporating Clúid’s Landscaping and Biodiversity Guide supports the integration of nature into developments, promoting biodiversity and sustainability.”
Airton Plaza
Vickers identifies the development of Airton Plaza on the Belgard Road in Dublin as an exemplar of what approved housing bodies (AHBs) can achieve for residents while working towards climate targets.
Consisting of 230 A2-rated cost rental homes and 93 general needs social homes, the plaza is strategically located near vital services including Tallaght Hospital and TU Dublin Tallaght campus, amenities such as the Belgard Retail Park and The Square shopping centre, and transport links including bus and Luas routes. The homes in this new neighbourhood are spread across two main blocks connected by a central landscape courtyard. Airton features commercial spaces, retail units, a crèche, an outdoor communal space, and a children’s play area.
Vickers states that the plaza is Home Performance Index (HPI)-certified, demonstrating the value it delivers for residents. HPI is Ireland’s first national certification system for quality and sustainable residential developments. Developed by the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC), it offers a comprehensive framework for assessing the environmental, social, and economic performance of new homes.
Collaboration
Collaboration across the social housing sector is essential to achieving climate action goals while delivering social and economic value. “It is vital that we work together as a sector to share knowledge, learn from each other, and advocate for greater support to meet our environmental sustainability and climate targets,” says Vickers.
Clúid actively engages with stakeholders to advance sustainability initiatives. In 2023 the Housing Alliance established a Climate Action Working Group (CAWG), which Vickers proudly chairs. The group’s primary aim is to provide support on climate action and sustainability matters.
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“Achieving sustainable housing developments requires money and collaboration is key in ensuring we acquire better funding for the sector.”
That same year, the Alliance published a research report it commissioned, funded by The Housing Agency, titled Providing Environmental Leadership in Social Housing to Advance Climate Action Goals. Building on that work, the Housing Alliance and The Housing Agency co-funded a follow-up research report, A Playbook on Innovative Solutions to Advancing Net-Zero Carbon in Social Housing, scheduled for release in November 2025.
The CAWG is currently collaborating with the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), working together to secure greater retrofit funding for the sector.
Prioritising environmental sustainability
Looking ahead, Vickers outlines both opportunities and challenges. “Many approved housing bodies are making strong contributions in sustainability and climate action. While Clúid strives to lead, where possible, the sector as a whole must collaborate to achieve our climate goals. As social housing providers, we recognise the importance of value for money, and through aggregation, we can deliver significant climate action and retrofit outcomes, provided there is adequate support and funding.”
She adds: “With ambitious housebuilding targets alongside climate and biodiversity crises, it is critical that we prioritise environmental sustainability in every project we undertake.”
Vickers emphasises that Clúid is motivated by a desire to drive sectorwide progress and sustainability. She praises outgoing CEO Brian O’Gorman for fostering a culture that places sustainability at the organisation’s core, describing him as “admirably forwardthinking around sustainability”.
Vickers expands on what motivates Clúid to continue leading in the AHB sector: “Clúid is committed to creating sustainable and thriving communities. It is an organisation driven by an ambition to innovate and provide best practice templates that others can follow.”
Concluding, Vickers says: “Achieving sustainable housing developments requires money and collaboration is key in ensuring we acquire better funding for the sector. There is a lot that needs to be done.”
Profile: Susan Vickers
Susan Vickers is
Head of Environmental
Sustainability at Clúid, leading the organisation with its environmental ambitions while delivering high-quality affordable housing. She joined Clúid in 2020, bringing with her over 20 years’ experience as an accomplished environmental scientist with comprehensive knowledge across a broad range of environmental and sustainability areas.
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‘Housing for All 2.0’ delayed
The Government’s new housing plan, initially due to be published in July 2025, is still not formal policy as of late-October 2025.
The Government announced through the 2025 Programme for Government in January 2025 that there would be a successor plan to Housing for All, the previous government’s housing strategy which set high ambitions for increasing supply and reducing homelessness. It failed spectacularly with homelessness at a record high and housing supply decreasing according to the latest annual figures.
In June 2025, The Irish Times reported that senior government sources were claiming that the delay was due to the fact that multiannual funding could not be secured until the publication of the review of the National Development Plan. However, the NDP review has since been published and active for three months.
The latest rationale for the delay of the new plan’s publication is the legislation surrounding the review of rent pressure zones. However, the legislation which implements these reforms has also been presented to the Cabinet.
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Likely new measures
While the details of the forthcoming Housing Plan have yet to be published, it has been widely reported that compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) are expected to play a central role in government efforts to tackle vacancy and dereliction. Census 2024 identified over 166,000 empty and derelict homes across the State, underscoring the scale of the challenge.
Government sources have suggested that the following measures are anticipated to feature in the plan:
• Expanding the use of CPOs to tackle vacancy and dereliction: It is understood that local authorities are to be given greater capacity to address derelict and vacant properties through enhanced use of CPOs. In cases where property owners fail to engage with regeneration efforts, councils would be encouraged to deploy CPO powers. Access to the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is reported to be expanded to help finance such acquisitions.
• Reforming derelict site legislation: The Derelict Sites Act is anticipated to undergo significant reform, with the Revenue Commissioners expected to assume responsibility for enforcement and levy collection. Local authorities may be required to expand their derelict site registers and strengthen enforcement actions. Reports also indicate that a national register of derelict sites could be published annually, providing standardised data and mapping to enhance transparency and track progress.
• Reviving vacant homes: A key ambition of the plan is understood to involve returning up to 20,000 vacant homes to the housing market, supported by the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. It is expected that the scheme would be expanded to include an ‘above the shop’ top-up grant and a new ‘expert advice’ grant, aimed at supporting the conversion of vacant commercial and upper-floor spaces into residential use.
• Starter homes and affordability measures: Reports suggest that the new housing plan will include a starter homes programme, backed by a multiyear investment worth several hundred million euro. The initiative is anticipated to deliver an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually through to 2031, promoting both home ownership and long-term affordable rental options.
The Land Development Agency (LDA) is expected to have its remit expanded to play a greater role in delivering starter homes, while proposed adjustments to Local Authority Home Loan criteria would raise income and price thresholds in line with current market conditions.
• Strengthening the rental sector: The regulation of the rental market is anticipated to be reinforced through increased funding for the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), enhancing its capacity, resources, and IT systems. The Government is also reported to be recommitting to the development of a rental price register, aimed at improving transparency for tenants and landlords.
• Expanding cost rental: Finally, the plan is expected to reaffirm a commitment to growing the cost rental sector, expanding access to long-term affordable tenancies as part of a broader strategy to stabilise the housing market.
Analysis
These speculative proposals, however tentative in phrasing, betray a tacit admission. The Government appears to have effectively relinquished any serious ambition to resolve Ireland’s housing crisis.
The sheer scale of failure is laid bare in the numbers. Figures published in late-September 2025 show that a record 16,353 people (including 5,145 children) were housed in emergency accommodation, a figure that fails to capture those sofa-surfing or sleeping rough.
Meanwhile, the much-touted target of 40,000 new homes in 2024 was exposed as political hyperbole: only 30,330 were completed, a contraction of 6.7 per cent on the previous year. Sinn Féin and others have accused ministers of deliberately suppressing internal forecasts which warned that the 40,000 figure was unattainable; data that, had it been disclosed, might have altered the course of the election.
In this context, the new emphasis on minimallyeffective compulsory purchase orders, derelict site registers, and tinkering to cost rental calls into question whether the Government is any longer serious about solving the housing crisis as it approaches its 11th year.
Building on solid foundations
As its land portfolio expands, the Land Development Agency is now targeting an annual output of over 5,000 homes by 2029.
At a time of urgent housing need, the Land Development Agency (LDA) is now active on more than 40 sites with a series of projects at every stage from design and planning through to construction and completion.
The LDA’s latest data shows it is on course to reach an annual output of more than 3,000 homes by 2027 and to become the country’s largest housing producer by 2028 when it will deliver a total of almost 3,800 new homes.
The Agency is targeting the completion of over 27,000 homes between now and 2031 including 15,500 through its direct delivery channel and a further 11,600 through Project Tosaigh homebuilder partnerships. The projected output is based on existing funding levels and is in addition to the 2,000 homes already completed since the commencement of the LDA Act in 2021.
As part of its direct delivery channel, the LDA develops housing on land acquired through transfers from other state bodies and through the private market. It also partners with city and county councils to build homes on sites owned by the local authorities.
Through Project Tosaigh, the LDA works in partnership with homebuilders to provide the financial impetus needed to get stalled or unviable projects under construction and ensure their completion.
Significant progress is being made through both channels, with the Agency now targeting the delivery of 5,250 homes in 2029, 5,700 in 2030 and 6,350 in 2031. While the data highlights the increasing levels of LDA activity, the Agency’s impact is best understood through its individual projects.
Later this year, for example, the LDA will bring the first phase of 219 homes at its Barracksfield West development to market, through the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. The homes, on the site of the former Devoy Barracks in Naas, County Kildare, comprise a mix of houses, duplexes and apartments.
The development is located southwest of Naas town centre, just minutes from the M7, meaning residents will benefit from easy access to a host of surrounding amenities and services in an area that is also close to major employment hubs.
Meanwhile, the Agency has completed the delivery of 597 homes at Shanganagh Castle Estate in Shankill in Dublin, in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and construction is ongoing at several other sites including Clongriffin Central
The Gasworks, Dock Road, Limerick with potential to deliver 285 affordable homes
in north Dublin, Cherry Orchard Point in west Dublin and An tSrúill in Cromcastle in Dublin 5.
Housing Minister James Browne TD recently visited two developments in north Dublin where the LDA is building 817 homes in Balbriggan in partnership with Ballymore and 345 in Skerries in partnership with Lydon.
As the number of sites under construction increases, the Agency is progressing others through its delivery pipeline with new announcements being made at a steady pace.
In August of this year, for example, the LDA lodged a planning application for 285 new affordable homes at a site on the Dock Road in Limerick, which was transferred to the Agency by Gas Networks Ireland.
In July, it acquired a site in Cookstown in Tallaght from the private market with the potential for 700 homes and in June it announced the purchase of another site in Cherrywood in Dublin 18 with the potential for over 350. In the same month, the LDA and Horse Racing Ireland reached an agreement on the transfer of land in Leopardstown in Dublin to the Agency with the potential for 800 homes.
A key part of the LDA’s private land acquisition programme involves the targeting of sites already identified as suitable for housing or where planning permission has been secured, but where construction has not gone ahead. Such sites then provide an opportunity for the Agency to not only develop sustainable new communities but to deliver new amenities and facilities for those already living nearby.
The Clongriffin Central site in north Dublin, for example, was acquired by the LDA from the private market in late 2023 and in March of this year, the Agency announced the purchase of a neighbouring site in Baldoyle. The two sites are located either side of the Dublin to Belfast train line and the LDA now has the potential to deliver about 4,000 homes in the area surrounding Clongriffin train station, in addition to new infrastructure, streets and parks.
As part of its direct delivery channel, the LDA is also increasingly working in partnership with local authorities. In May, it marked the start of construction on Donore Project in Dublin 8 on the site of the former St Teresa’s Gardens. Like Cherry Orchard Point and An tSrúill, this development is being delivered in partnership with Dublin City Council and involves 542 new homes in addition to a new crèche, community
spaces, a café/retail unit, mobility hub and a new home for Donore Boxing Club. Construction on a multipurpose municipal sports pitch is to follow the completion of the new homes.
In the same month, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD accompanied Minister Browne on a visit to the Cork Docklands where the LDA is partnering with Cork City Council and other stakeholders to deliver new housing in an area undergoing major redevelopment.
At Marina Depot in Cork’s South Docks, the Agency is partnering with Glenveagh to develop 337 new homes, while it is also ensuring the delivery of 302 at Horgan’s Quay in Cork’s city centre in partnership with HQ Developments.
Meanwhile, the LDA is advancing plans to deliver 147 homes at Anglesea Terrace in Cork city centre in partnership with Cork City Council and has just received planning permission to build more than 340 homes at a state-owned site in Wilton in Cork, which was transferred to the Agency in 2024 by the ESB.
These and other projects are just part of a growing pipeline that includes similar developments in cities and commuter belts throughout the country. In time, they will become vibrant communities offering residents the means to enjoy a high quality of life in a new home that they can afford to rent or own.
W: www.lda.ie
Construction has begun on Hampton Demesne, Balbriggan, County Dublin to deliver 817 affordable homes.
AnnMarie Farrelly, CEO of Fingal County Council; Cllr Tom O’Leary, Mayor of Fingal; Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne; Patrick Phelan, Managing Director Ireland of Ballymore; and John Coleman, CEO of the Land Development Agency.
OECD: Long-term reforms needed to solve housing crisis
Long-term reforms in land use, taxation, and construction productivity are required as Ireland’s housing market continues to struggle with affordability and supply shortages, the OECD asserts.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) states that while housing completions have increased in recent years, they remain significantly below what is required to meet demand, especially amid demographic challenges and long-term undersupply.
The report warns that “housing supply has not kept up with population growth”, and notes that the Government’s increase in annual housing targets from 33,000 to around 50,000 units “does not fully reflect total housing needs”.
It further criticises the use of local housing targets as ceilings rather than minimum requirements, arguing this practice risks constraining supply in urban centres already under pressure.
Housing for All implementation
Housing for All is recognised as a “comprehensive framework”, however, the OECD says quicker and more data-
driven implementation is needed. In particular, digitalisation of planning processes and the development of a national land-use classification system are seen as critical to improve efficiency and transparency.
At the time of writing, it is unclear whether the Government intends to incorporate these recommendations into its successor strategy to Housing for All, which is due to be published in October 2025 but has been delayed multiple times since the new government took office in January 2025.
The report says that compact growth and higher housing density are essential to make better use of existing infrastructure and to curb urban sprawl. It identifies the new Planning and Development Act 2025 as an opportunity to accelerate progress, provided that planning and permitting systems are streamlined effectively.
Construction sector costs
High construction costs, particularly in apartment building, are flagged as a significant barrier to boosting supply. Productivity in the Irish construction sector is relatively low, and regulatory requirements around unit size and specification add to costs.
The OECD urges implementation of the recommendations from the 2023 Residential Construction Cost Study, including the wider adoption of standardised building methods and easing regulations around design specifications. International best practices, such as Germany’s Construction Cost Reduction Commission, are cited as models.
Private rental sector
The OECD asserts that the private rental sector faces high costs and low supply. It also warns that “complex rental regulation and policy uncertainty” can deter investment and recommends simplifying rules to provide greater certainty for landlords and developers.
Social housing provision is expanding but remains insufficient to meet needs. The OECD outlines that there is increasing dependence on housing allowances and the private rental sector, which raises long-term questions on fiscal sustainability.
The report advises reforming the funding model to shift more resources towards direct construction of social and affordable homes, and suggests examining alternative funding approaches used in Austria and Denmark.
Allocation processes across local authorities are also criticised for being overly complex and inconsistent. Streamlining these systems and prioritising people experiencing homelessness is seen as vital, given the continued rise in homelessness despite record levels of public spending.
Building communities at scale
As Respond, an approved housing body and service provider, continues to ramp up its large-scale developments (LSDs), eolas Magazine explores the ways Respond has adapted to working with large numbers of tenants and ensuring community is at its focus.
Traditionally, social housing developments managed by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) were modest in scale and single tenure. The introduction of Cost Rental and the growth of large, mixed-tenure estates have changed that landscape. Respond is adapting through innovation, evidence-based learning, and a deep commitment to community integration.
With 3,458 social and cost rental homes now in construction, including major schemes such as Griffin Point (397 homes) and Lisieux Hall (203 homes), Respond’s approach places people and place at the centre of design, delivery, and management.
A whole organisational transformation
Respond’s move into high-density, large-scale developments represents more than a new housing model. It is part of a major cultural and structural transformation across the organisation.
This long-term investment is designed to build stable, resilient communities supported by strong governance, clear standards, and trauma-informed services. The shift involves two parallel journeys:
• a physical journey, scaling up delivery, introducing multi-tenure developments, and embedding place-based teams and community infrastructure; and
• a cultural journey, bringing together trauma-informed practice, global brain health insights, and tenant voices to create thriving, connected communities.
Charlestown
Charlestown marked a milestone for Respond, with 138 homes delivered in a single phase – the organisation’s largest handover at the time. Managing this level of scale brought new challenges around density, onboarding, and tenant engagement.
Respond introduced a multi-skilled, site-based team to provide daily support and ensure a consistent, trusted presence within the community. Lettings were managed collectively across teams, improving communication and responsiveness.
Respond worked directly with the Local Authority on the nomination process and agreed on sensitive allocations, ensuring tenants’ needs were considered from the outset. Frontline staff were empowered to act when
issues arose, creating a more agile, people-centred management model that continues to inform all future schemes.
Rathcoran: Brain Health Village
Respond’s collaboration with the Global Brain Health Institute on their Brain Health Village in Rathcoran has provided valuable evidence on how housing and community design can improve wellbeing and connection.
A study carried out by Just Economics found that integrating brain health principles through opportunities for creativity, intergenerational activity, and social participation, reduced loneliness and strengthened tenants’ sense of belonging. Communal green spaces were especially valued.
These insights are shaping future developments: dedicated community spaces are standard in all large-scale schemes, encouraging interaction and engagement. Rathcoran will also have a purpose-built community space to support ongoing participation and wellbeing.
This evidence confirms that the Brain Health Village Framework supports long-term mental, physical, and cognitive health, a cornerstone of Respond’s place-based model.
Elanora Court
At Elanora Court in Dublin, a 153-home apartment development, Respond brought a framework that combines trauma-informed practice, tenant engagement, and the Brain Health Village principles into their way of working.
The model places tenants firmly at the centre, ensuring person-led, traumainformed services. A shared community room and on-site office enabled staff to engage directly with tenants, creating trust, access to support, and stronger community ties.
Building on the success of Elanora Court, Respond is embedding this approach across all new large-scale developments. Core teams are now integrated early in each project. Collaboration between Respond’s Housing, Services, and Development teams ensures a consistent, highquality tenant experience. The Tenant
Satisfaction rating in Respond is 95 per cent (IPSOS, 2025).
Seven Mills
At Seven Mills, one of Respond’s largest developments with 450 homes, the organisation’s approach to community integration comes vividly to life.
The Tenant Experience team is a trusted first point of contact for tenants, supporting tenants with practical issues that make daily life easier while building strong relationships through everyday interactions.
Seven Mills is home to tenants from diverse cultural and social backgrounds, many of whom had experienced long housing waits before moving in. For some, transitioning to apartment living brought new challenges. Having an onsite, familiar presence has proven vital in building a sense of belonging and stability.
The development reflects Respond’s broader commitment to community integration, where local, person-centred support is embedded into the design and management of housing schemes. Seven Mills is a clear example of how investing in onsite staff who know the community well can foster strong relationships, support tenant wellbeing, and contribute to the overall success of large-scale developments.
By recognising the unique challenges of apartment living and responding with empathy and practical support, Seven Mills continues to demonstrate how thoughtful estate management can build stronger, more connected communities.
A community anchor for the future
As Respond continues to scale up delivery, it is clear this transformation is about more than housing, it is about anchoring communities.
By integrating housing, services, and community support; embedding trauma-informed practice; and continuously improving through data and lived experience, Respond is demonstrating that large-scale housing can be deeply human in design and delivery.
This is the new way of working: a whole-organisational response to building homes, and supporting strong, connected communities.
W: www.respond.ie
Griffin Point, Clonburris.
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Ethical and responsible AI for the housing sector
Rachel Finn, Director of Managed Services and Head of Irish Operations at Trilateral Research, outlines a practical vision for implementing ethical and responsible artificial intelligence (AI) in the social housing sector.
Speaking from her experience at the crossroads of law and emerging technologies, Finn warns that “while AI presents major opportunities for improving housing services, it must be implemented with care”.
“Technology itself is value-neutral but when we make decisions about how we design and deploy it, we embed our societal values for better or worse.”
Trilateral Research, originally a research-focused organisation specialising in privacy, data protection, and ethics, now builds AI tools to solve complex social problems and advises public sector bodies on AI governance.
Drawing on 15 years of work across both academic and applied settings, Finn’s key message is clear: responsible AI is achievable, but it takes planning, oversight, and collaboration.
The promise and hesitation around AI
Finn highlights that many organisations in housing and beyond are still hesitant to adopt AI, despite its potential. Public services, already under pressure, are seeking ways to increase capacity and AI is often cited as a means of delivering “massive
productivity increases, from 15 per cent to 400 per cent”.
However, Finn outlines three fears that commonly hold organisations back:
1. approving a risky system;
2. choosing the wrong tool; and
3. lack of internal oversight.
These challenges are well-founded, says Finn, and are reflected in global examples of AI systems causing harm through bias, hallucinations, or lack of transparency. However, she notes that organisations now have more clarity on why systems fail and what can be done to avoid it.
Three steps for responsible AI
Finn offers a practical three-step framework for housing organisations seeking to use AI to improve services while mitigating risk:
1. Pick the right use case
AI is most effective in high-volume, data-rich environments where decisions are repetitive and time-sensitive. In housing, this could include:
• real-time tenant support such as arrears prediction;
• chatbots for benefit advice;
• application triage; and
• resource planning.
She cites an example from Lincolnshire in England, where Trilateral Research developed a safeguarding tool for identifying children at risk. The system consolidated data from datasets of arrests, social services, and anti-social behaviour to reduce case review time from 25 person-days to 20 minutes.
“That is time that can now be spent safeguarding children; rather than reporting on it,” Finn says.
Leading the way home
2. Build an interdisciplinary team
Ethical AI is not just a technical project. Finn stresses the importance of collaboration between subject matter experts, legal professionals, behavioural scientists, and user interface designers, especially in public services where trust is critical.
She describes a project in Trim, County Meath, where Trilateral Research built a hyper-local air quality monitoring tool. Using AI, it translated raw environmental data into “meaningful, health-related outcomes” such as localised asthma or diabetes risks for both residents and policymakers. “If all local authorities reduced carbon emissions by 20 per cent, we could save 360 lives and €18 million annually for the HSE,” she says.
3. Be an active partner
Finn is firm that AI adoption is “not plug-and-play”. “It is not like a TV that you send to someone’s house. It is more like a houseplant; it needs regular care,” she says. Data evolves, user needs change, and systems must be monitored for accuracy over time.
That, Finn states, is why Trilateral Research sets up shared responsibility models with its partners, clearly defining who manages what, and how decisions will be made across the AI lifecycle.
She also asserts that organisations must invest in AI literacy, ensuring staff understand both capabilities and limitations, and establish AI governance programmes alongside existing compliance functions (e.g., GDPR or information security).
From risk to reward
Finn says: “Done right, responsible AI brings tangible benefits: faster insights, better service outcomes, and scalable solutions that remain ethical and trusted. These investments really pay off not just in efficiency, but in ensuring that technology works for the people we serve.”
In a housing sector facing rising demand and shrinking resources, Finn concludes: “Ethical, well-governed AI is not a luxury; it is a necessity.”
Enhancing housing options for an ageing Ireland
Ireland is rightly proud of being the first WHO-recognised age-friendly country in the world but if we are to continue as leaders and innovators in this field, we need to rethink our approach to housing and supports for older people.
Fold Housing is dedicated to ensuring the changing housing and care needs of older persons are firmly on the Government’s agenda. Fold’s team knows the impact that great housing and appropriate care can have on a persons’ quality of life and continued independence. This is reflected in the organisation’s vision of a society where older people have a great quality of life and choice.
Demographic urgency
With people living a lot longer, Ireland is entering a demographic transformation and the time to prepare is right now. By 2040, more than one in four people will be aged 65 or older and many of us will live into our 80s and 90s. While this is good news and undoubtedly the result of investment in health and ageing supports, these projections also bring profound implications for existing and future services.
We know exactly how many people will require homes that support independent living and timely access to health and care services. At present, our housing, health, and care systems are simply not developing the required capacity to meet rising demand. Most older people live in family homes that no longer suit their needs, they are either too large, inaccessible, or too isolated. Unless we act decisively, too many will face
unnecessary admissions to nursing homes because the right housing and community supports are unavailable to them.
Fold Housing CEO Kath Cottier comments: “Government policy prioritises helping people to remain within their communities, which aligns with the preference of most older persons. But staying at home in your community does not necessarily mean remaining in your current property if it is unsuitable, cannot be adapted, or is too large. By offering appropriately designed housing and care options, it is possible to better meet the needs of older people and to free up larger family-sized homes.”
A spectrum of housing and care
From independent living to specialist care, the Government’s Housing Options for Our Ageing Population policy statement recognises the need for a broader range of choices for older people. However, implementation of the report’s recommendations has been slow and fragmented. Increased delivery of specialist-designed independent living homes for older people is a positive step forward. However, action on housing options that meet a care need is lacking. We urgently need a clear strategy that delivers across the whole continuum of housing options, with smooth pathways between each. Older people should be able
to have the choice to move into a home that meets their current needs, confident that as their health changes, additional support and care will be available without uprooting them from their community.
Through the delivery of our new strategic plan, Fold has set itself goals that seek to redefine standards in older persons’ housing. Drawing on the organisation’s unique combination of skills and experience in delivering both housing and care, Fold is seeking to enhance existing models of housing to truly meet the needs of older persons. Fold believes this enhanced model will become an important option for older people, supporting greater independence, security, and enabling people to live well in their own home for longer.
Action on policy and funding
Fold recognises that achieving the organisation’s objectives will require a concerted effort across multiple partners. Cottier says: “We need funding models that continue to actively encourage the development of new homes for older people at scale. We need homes that are accessible, adaptable, and built with communal facilities.
“In addition, we need funding that specifically supports organisations like Fold to work in partnership with residents to reduce isolation and sustain person-centred care services that enable people to stay living at home whilst enjoying a great quality of life.
“We know our homes and care services work, and we are ambitious to develop a Fold model of housing that brings together our skills as a property developer and care provider to further enable our society to better meet the needs of older people.”
As housing and care experts, Fold knows that all future housing and care policies must be focused on bridging the divide between health and housing. Older person’s housing is not solely a health issue, nor is it solely about bricks and mortar. It is about creating environments where people can live independently, with the right supports close at hand.
Cottier continues: “We know that to achieve our ambitious goal, we will need to work closely with our partners across local authorities, the Department
of Housing, the HSE, the Department of Health, and all our community and private sector partners to deliver integrated solutions. A combined housing and health approach is required.”
Building on Ireland’s age-friendly foundations
Cross-departmental collaboration through initiatives like Age Friendly Ireland shows what is possible when government departments, local authorities, and community organisations work together.
On collaboration, Cottier says: “We must now build on this strength, embedding age-friendly housing at the heart of national planning. What we now need is a comprehensive national strategy for older persons’ housing, one that is backed by clear funding commitments and aligned across housing, health, and local government.
“This strategy must set out ambitious targets for delivery, prioritise universal and dementia-friendly design, and
commit to tackling isolation and loneliness through community-based models.”
Fold knows that the demographic changes Ireland is facing are not distant, they are already here. The organisation firmly believes its vision of a society where older people enjoy great quality of life and choice is within reach. However, the team also know that this will not happen by chance and that it will take commitment, reform, and collaboration. Undoubtedly though, the time to act is now.
T: 01 822 8804
E: enquries@foldireland.ie
W: https://www.foldhousing.ie/
Strategic Plan: https://www.foldhousing.ie/publications/
Leading the way home
Budget 2026 and the housing crisis
As housing becomes increasingly unaffordable, Budget 2026 represents a full-scale embrace of supply-side economics; using tax incentives to stimulate supply, while continuing to hurl vast sums of money toward building an unambitious number of social and low-cost homes.
The Government has allocated over €9 billion in capital funding for housing in a redetermined effort to turbo-charge the delivery of new homes and alleviate the seemingly ever-escalating housing crisis.
This figure consists of €5.19 billion capital exchequer funding alongside investment through the Land Development Agency and Housing Finance Agency.
Delivering the budget, the first since the 2024 general election, Minister of Finance Paschal Donohoe TD said “increasing supply is key” to resolving the housing crisis.
Vowing to “use all polices” at his disposal to increase housing supply, changes to the tax system form the
backbone of the measures designed to tackle the chronic housing shortage.
Apartments
To incentivise apartment building, VAT applied to completed apartments will be cut to 9 per cent from 13.5 per cent. Presently, a freshly built apartment on the market for €200,000 includes VAT of about€24,000. Post-budget, the same apartment should see a price reduction to roughly€192,000, including approximately €16,000 of VAT subject to market forces.
Apartments currently under construction will also be covered by the scheme, a decision that “makes absolutely no sense” according to Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin TD.
Describing this as a “blatant way” to increase property developers profits, Ó Broin chastised the Government by saying: “You are going to blow €250 million on a so-called activation measure for apartments that are already under activation.”
To reduce the cost of building apartments, an enhanced corporation tax deduction has been introduced, allowing 125 per cent of the actual costs of construction, up to a cap of €50,000 for firms developing 10 or more apartments. Both provisions are time-limited, expiring on 31 December 2030.
Leading the way home
“These targeted tax measures represent an important step toward unlocking Ireland’s apartment pipeline… They are designed to tackle the financial barriers that [have] been a challenge.”
James Browne TD
Social and affordable housing
With nearly 59,000 households on social housing waiting lists, there is a paramount need to scale-up the delivery of social homes.
Budget 2026 includes a capital allocation of €2.9 billion to local authorities and approved housing bodies to assist in the delivery of 10,200 new social homes, equating to roughly €284,000 per dwelling.
Branding this target “pitiful”, Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne TD said: “The Government’s lack of ambition and commitment to addressing a catastrophe that is growing exponentially.”
Furthermore, €1.2 billion has been allocated for the delivery of 7,500 affordable purchase and cost rental homes, averaging €160,000 per dwelling.
According to the CSO, the median price of a property in Ireland is €370,000 as of June 2025.
To support the delivery of affordable homes, rental profits arising from Cost Rental Scheme homes, built post-budget, will be exempt from corporation tax.
Living Cities and derelict buildings
The remit of the Living City Initiative, which supports the regeneration of older commercial and housing properties in Special Regeneration Areas throughout the State, has been significantly widened.
Previously, only homes built before 1915 were eligible for relief under the scheme. After the budget, this has been expanded to include all homes built before 1975.
The relief cap has been raised from €200,000 to €300,000, and the scheme has been amended to support the use of “over the shop” premises.
Considering the ferocity of the housing crisis, the importance of reversing dereliction is paramount. With close to 20,000 derelict buildings throughout the State, a Derelict Property Tax has been introduced. Replacing the Derelict Sites Levy, Minister Donohoe told The Journal that those who fail to pay the tax are liable to be added to Revenue’s tax defaulter list.
Homelessness
Since the formation of the present government in January 2025, there has been a five per cent increase in homelessness, with 16,535 people living in emergency accommodation.
Describing homelessness as “our most pressing challenge… our top priority”, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD announced a €564 million to support homeless services provision, a 72 per cent year-on-year increase.
Describing the additional funding as “undoubtedly necessary”, the Dublin Simon Community urged the Government to go further, warning that “2026 simply cannot be another year of spiralling numbers in need of emergency accommodation, unaffordable rent, and inadequate housing supply”.
Analysis
Ireland is in the midst of a mounting housing crisis. Figures compiled by the Central Statistics Office show that 30,330 dwellings were completed across the state, a 6.7 per cent decrease from 2023, far below the 50,000-target contained in the Revised National Planning Framework.
In 2022, the Central Bank summarised the crux of the crisis as the following: “Fewer houses are being built, for a given level of house prices relative to incomes, than in the past.”
In other words, demand for housing is considerably outpacing supply, causing prices to rapidly increase.
During his budget speech to the Dáil, Minister Donohoe said he was considering “how the tax system can contribute to supporting additional supply”.
The theory is eerily similar to former-US President Ronald Reagan’s fondness for implementing sweeping tax cuts to stimulate economic growth while pumping government funds into defence spending, dubbed ‘Reaganomics’ by critics.
Closer to home, the Irish Government hopes its twin track strategy for addressing the housing crisis: throwing gargantuan sums of money at developing a relatively small number of homes; €4.1 billion for just 17,000 dwellings, while using tax incentives to encourage an increase housing supply at a time of skyhigh demand, will continue the boom, but avoid a bust.
Social and cost rental progress
At the Oaklee AGM held on 9 October 2025, the Oaklee Annual Report was presented for the year 2024/25. The year represented the second year of Oaklee’s three-year strategic plan, with key strategic objectives, including the key priority which is the delivery of more homes.
The year began with a strong development pipeline of over 200 homes in contract and finished the year with 359 new homes delivered, which included 205 social homes and 154 cost rental homes with a total new homes investment spend of €158 million. Oaklee strengthened its relationships with a number of strong counterparties, and acknowledged the continued support from our local authority and government partners.
In the year, improvements in customer services continued with a call answer rate of 98 per cent for the services centre. With many new homes coming into management throughout the year by the end of March 2025, and the end of our financial year, the Housing Team had
allocated a total of 190 homes. The team hit their targets for reducing rent arrears and relet times, proudly achieving alltime lows in Oaklee.
There was an investment of €5.5 million in the maintenance and upgrading of homes, with a range of planned works, including fire safety works, lift replacements, retrofitting works and kitchen replacements. The team worked tirelessly to ensure that health and safety property compliance performance remained consistently high at 98 per cent. This is in addition to managing the high level of contractor performance for response repairs and repairs satisfaction rates.
Oaklee’s Tenant Conference was held in
September 2024 at which 20 residents were presented with Community Spirit Awards in recognition of their dedication and efforts in fostering community engagement and improvements in their estates and neighbourhoods around the country. Biodiversity initiatives were a distinct theme, which will be built on in the coming years as part of Oaklee’s updated Sustainability Strategy which was also completed in the year.
As the Oaklee organisation grew so did the Oaklee workforce, with an additional 10 colleagues, increasing the team to 64 by the end of the year. The corporate services team was established, bringing together colleagues from IT, communications, and people and culture under one senior lead person. They, along with our development colleagues helped establish Oaklee’s new headquarters in Dublin’s Heuston South Quarter. Having outgrown the old office, this new space with lots of collaborative spaces for teams, boards and committees has brought comfort and a new energy to the team.
Meeting regulatory requirements, ensuring continued good governance
The Oaklee Team in their new offices at Dublin’s Heuston South Quarter.
and strong financial management is critically important to the Oaklee Board. Throughout the year they completed an Independent Board Effectiveness Review and Skills Audit, the outcome of which is assisting with board succession, and strengthening the committed group of people involved in a voluntary capacity on Oaklee’s Boards and Committees. The work of committees – Audit and Risk, Housing Delivery, Housing Services, and Governance, Nominations and Remuneration – and their contribution was praised in relation to their contribution to the development and ongoing performance of Oaklee.
The Chair at the AGM thanked all his colleagues for their valuable and dedicated contributions. He emphasised the importance of the work in creating great homes and communities where people live, thrive and prosper. He reiterated their commitment to continuing to deliver quality homes and excellent services to Oaklee residents both now and in the future.
Growth, impact, and community
As Oaklee enters the final stretch of its three-year strategic plan, the year 202425 stands out as a testament to progress, purpose, and partnership. With the delivery of new homes remaining our top priority, this year marked a significant milestone: 359 new homes completed, including 205 social homes and 154 cost rental homes, representing a total investment of €158 million.
This achievement was underpinned by a robust development pipeline and strengthened relationships with trusted partners. Our collaboration with local authorities and government stakeholders continues to be a cornerstone of our success, enabling us to deliver highquality housing solutions across the country.
Putting people first
Customer service remained a key focus, with our service centre maintaining an impressive 98 per cent call answer rate. As new homes came into management, our Housing Team rose to the challenge, allocating 190 homes by the end of March 2025. Their efforts also led to record-breaking performance in reducing rent arrears and relet times, setting new benchmarks for Oaklee.
We invested €5.5 million in maintaining and upgrading our housing stock, with planned works including fire safety
enhancements, lift replacements, retrofitting, and kitchen upgrades. Our commitment to health and safety remained unwavering, with property compliance performance holding steady at 98 per cent.
Community and sustainability
September 2024 saw the launch of our first Oaklee Tenant Conference, a landmark event that brought residents together to share ideas, celebrate achievements, and strengthen community ties. A highlight of the day was the presentation of 20 Community Spirit Awards, recognising residents who have gone above and beyond to foster engagement and improve their neighbourhoods.
Biodiversity and sustainability emerged as key themes throughout the year, culminating in the completion of our updated Sustainability Strategy. These initiatives reflect our growing commitment to environmental stewardship and community wellbeing.
Growing together
As Oaklee grows, so does our team. We welcomed 10 new colleagues, bringing our total workforce to 64. The formation of the corporate services team, uniting IT, communications, and people and culture, marked a strategic step forward, enhancing collaboration and operational efficiency.
Our move to a new headquarters in Dublin’s Heuston South Quarter has brought fresh energy to the organisation.
Designed with collaboration in mind, the space supports our teams, Boards, and Committees in delivering on our mission.
Governance and financial stewardship remain central to our work. This year, we completed an Independent Board Effectiveness Review and Skills Audit, supporting succession planning and strengthening our governance structures. We also welcomed Maurice Leonard and Brian Bowden to our Board, following the retirement of Tom Mackey, Aiden Devlin, and Deirdre Owens, whose contributions have been deeply valued.
A strong financial footing
Our subsidiary, Acorn, continued to perform strongly, contributing €5 million to Oaklee Group’s turnover of €28 million, and delivering a net surplus of €1.7 million.
As we reflect on another successful year, we extend heartfelt thanks to our dedicated colleagues, Board members, and Committee volunteers. Their commitment ensures that Oaklee continues to deliver quality homes and excellent services, making a lasting impact on communities across Ireland.
With momentum building and our vision clear, we look forward to the final year of our strategic plan and to continuing our journey of growth, innovation, and service.
W: www.oaklee.ie
The Sidings, Adamstown.
Planning and Development Act 2024 and residential construction
Housing, discusses the Planning and Development Act 2024 and its implications for residential construction.
Leading the way home
Although Hogan describes the Planning and Development Act 2024 as a “pivotal moment of reform”, he warns that the introduction of the legislation itself will be “necessary but not sufficient” to meet the State’s housing demand. Instead, he advocates for a holistic approach spanning policy, legislation, finance, infrastructure, and performance.
“Our housing targets are not just numerical goals; they must deliver communities, services, and sustainable places across every part of the country,” he explains.
Analysis of the planning pipeline reveals significant challenges. Although the system granted approximately 40,000 housing units annually between 2018 and 2024, roughly half have been completed as of mid-2025.
Hogan contextualises that planning is “demand-led”, adding: “The planning system can only process what comes in, but people withdrawing or projects failing means we are working with surplus permissions that never materialise.”
The Assistant Secretary highlights apartments as the keystone of current delivery: “Permission data shows housing output closely mirrors trends in apartment authorisations. Investment in higher density housing is critical,” he stresses, saying reaching 80,000 homes a year will not happen without it.
‘From complexity to clarity’
Speaking on the preceding planning legislation, the Planning and Development Act 2000, Hogan states that it ended up creating a planning
system which could be incoherent and was burdened by EU directives and court-led amendments. The result of this, he says, has been “escalating judicial reviews, slower decisions, and investor uncertainty”.
Hogan says that the new Act establishes national planning approved by government, replacing fragmented ministerial guidance.
“This enables a consistent, hierarchical planning framework, underpinned by 10year development plans and clear alignment between national and local priorities.”
On reforms to the judicial review process, he outlines that there will be fixed-fee structures and strict cost ceilings, reducing the incentive to use legal challenges as delay tactics. This will be complemented by the elimination of superfluous procedural stages such as initial leave hearings and limitations on new pleadings.
A central component of the legislation is the renaming of An Bord Pleanála to An Coimisiún Pleanála, with An Coimisiún to be equipped with dedicated governance, executive independence, and statutory targets. Hogan states that the organisation will also be equipped with resources and oversight mechanisms to clear existing backlogs, meet statutory timelines, and provide certainty to applicants.
“These measures are not about shutting out public participation; they are about restoring balance. We need transparency, but we need transparency delivered within a system that delivers timely outcomes.”
Leading the way home
“We need transparency, but we need transparency delivered within a system that delivers timely outcomes.”
Aligning targets, plans, and delivery
Another key feature of the 2024 reforms is the introduction of statutory action on local development plans. Under the new National Planning Framework, Hogan states that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage will compel county councils to revise their housing targets with variations under the aegis of Section 13 of the Planning and Development Act. These amendments will lift annual targets from 50,000 to 80,000 and extend planning horizons to 13 years.
Hogan explains: “By increasing housing requirement figures now, and backing it with policy-led targets, we lay the foundations for more purposeful investment and planning decisions across all local authorities.” He confirms that that this process is to begin immediately, even before the new Act is fully enacted as it is a priority for the Government.
Urban development zones (UDZs), streamlining of local area plans, and a default 10-year-long cycle for development plans are further mechanisms intended to ensure that zoning, land-use policy, and infrastructure delivery are coordinated in time and scale.
Beyond legislative overhaul, Hogan stresses the necessity of a mindset shift within the planning space. “A new performance culture embracing agility, innovation, and data-driven oversight is essential,” he says.
He points to a newly-launched ministerial action plan and the establishment of the Housing Activation Office aimed at addressing blockages, enhancing capacity, and raising local authority performance.
Hogan underlines that a review of processes ranging from consent timelines to decision support systems will be the key to increasing productivity in the sector. “We need to figure out what planning functions are essential, and what could be delivered better and faster,” he states.
An ‘outcomes-focused’ planning system
Concluding, Hogan argues that solving the State’s housing crisis depends on clear planning framework that “fuses national direction with local execution”.
He says this necessitates “streamlined, reliable planning regime that enables timely decisions while protecting public engagement”. “This requires system-wide capability and coordination which is enabled by infrastructure, funding, and performance mechanisms.
“This is not just numbers on a page but communities, schools, workplaces, and life opportunities. We must switch from a reaction driven planning system to one that is delivery oriented, outcome focused, and nationally joined up. That is the only route to sustainable, affordable housing at scale.”
Housing in 2025
Ireland’s housing market is undergoing significant change, with new homes being built at pace, vacancy rates improving, and property prices continuing to rise.
Nationwide, 23,869 residential buildings were under construction in June 2025, a 9.2 per cent increase from the previous year. Dublin and Cork led the way, while counties such as Longford and Leitrim saw more modest activity. EY’s Annette Hughes emphasises the importance of sustained collaboration between public and private sectors to maintain this momentum.
The national vacancy rate fell to 3.7 per cent, with Dublin recording the lowest at just 1.1 per cent. Leitrim and Mayo continue to face higher vacancy levels. Meanwhile, derelict properties declined by 2.9 per cent, with Connacht accounting for over a third of the total. These figures suggest a growing effort to bring unused homes back into circulation.
The GeoDirectory Residential Buildings Report for Q2 2025, compiled by EY Economic Advisory, offers a timely snapshot of where progress is being made and where challenges remain.
In the 12 months to June 2025, Ireland saw the addition of 33,002 new residential address points, marking a 5.2 per cent increase year-on-year.
The Greater Dublin Area accounted for over half of these, with Dublin alone contributing nearly 13,000 new addresses. Cork, Meath and Kildare also saw strong growth, reflecting active development in commuter belts and regional hubs.
The average property price in Ireland reached €420,469 in May 2025, up 9.8 per cent year-on-year. Dublin remains the most expensive, while Leitrim offers the most affordable options. Despite rising prices, property transactions fell slightly to 47,927, with only three counties seeing increases.
For many first-time buyers, purchasing a new home is now cheaper than renting. The average monthly mortgage repayment stands at €1,809, compared to €2,023 in rent. However, in 11 local authorities, renting remains more affordable than buying new builds. Buying existing homes is still the more economical choice across all areas.
For businesses and policymakers, housing access and affordability are central to workforce mobility and regional development. The drop in vacancy and dereliction is promising, but keeping supply strong will require ongoing cooperation across sectors.
Read the full Q2 2025 Residential Property Report at www.geodirectory.ie/knowledgecentre/reports-blogs
Repurposing with purpose: North and East Housing Association
North and East Housing Association (NEHA) is emerging as one of Ireland’s leading voices in housing regeneration.
With a strong focus on repurposing brownfield and heritage buildings, the association is demonstrating how sustainable housing delivery can align with climate goals, community wellbeing, and town-centre revitalisation.
Its work is increasingly recognised as a model for other housing bodies and local authorities seeking innovative, people-centred solutions to housing need.
This approach addresses housing need, supports climate goals, and preserves Ireland’s architectural character. It aligns with national priorities and policymaking like Town Centre First, Compact Growth, and Universal Design. For NEHA, regeneration is about people, place, and purpose, not just buildings.
From brownfield to better living
Brownfield sites are previously used lands or buildings, often vacant or
derelict. Regenerating these spaces means redeveloping them for modern use. While they can pose challenges, such as less conventional layouts or heritage restrictions, they offer enormous potential. Typically located near shops, schools, and transport, their reuse helps prevent further sprawl onto greenfield land.
By focusing on adaptive reuse, NEHA reduces carbon emissions, preserves heritage, and supports walkable communities. Each project shows how housing delivery and climate responsibility can go hand in hand.
Cootehill: Heritage reborn
At 67 Market Street, Cootehill, County Cavan, an early-1800s landmark that once anchored the town’s commercial life had fallen into disuse. NEHA, in partnership with Galetech Sustainable Living, transformed the site into five apartments and four maisonettes. The restoration retains original stonework
while offering modern, comfortable homes.
This is more than a housing scheme. It is a model for honouring the past while meeting today’s needs.
Arva: Banking on the future
In Arva, County Cavan, a former Bank of Ireland building has been converted into four modern apartments. The Georgian façade remains a familiar part of Market Square. Inside, wide doorways, bright interiors, and efficient heating systems provide accessible, sustainable homes.
Market Square View shows that regeneration does not mean compromise. Residents enjoy modern comfort, while the town retains its heritage character.
Proposed Development at Old Fire Station, Castleblaney, County Monaghan
Ballybay: Homes and community together
In Ballybay, County Monaghan, NEHA has delivered two complementary regeneration projects that reflect its commitment to sustainable, community-focused housing.
Birch Court features four upgraded apartments now rated A2 or A3 on the Building Energy Rating (BER) scale, meaning they are highly energy efficient. Each apartment includes demand-controlled ventilation for healthy indoor air quality. A library and charity shop activates the building throughout the day, creating a shared civic and residential space.
Hall Street is a terrace of large family homes on a previously underused town-centre site. Each house is 163 square metres, BER A3 rated, and includes air-to-water heat pumps, high insulation, and accessible layouts to visitability standards. With four bedrooms each, they respond directly to the need for larger family accommodation.
Both schemes were designed with sustainability in mind. Their central locations reduce reliance on cars and improve tenant wellbeing. NEHA’s 2025 Green Waste Management Strategy is also being implemented, giving tenants practical guidance on waste separation and recycling.
Delivered in partnership with Monaghan County Council, these projects show how NEHA combines good design, value for money, and social impact to deliver regeneration in the heart of a community.
A pipeline of regeneration
NEHA’s regeneration pipeline continues to grow. Two exciting projects are in planning stages. Both locations are planned to universal design (UD) standards, with many of the homes being UD+.
In Castleblayney, County Monaghan, the Old Fire Station proposes 22 new homes for older people. The design is one of four locations being progressed under the Town Centre First Architectural Design Competition.
In Balbriggan, County Dublin, Marian House, a former convent, is being thoughtfully repurposed, proposing 24 high-quality, age-friendly homes. The development is designed to support
older residents and combines strong local support with a heritage-sensitive vision.
Together, these projects point to a future where regeneration is not the exception but a mainstream solution to housing need.
Strategic impact
Marking its 30th anniversary in 2023, NEHA now manages around 900 homes across the north, midlands and east of Ireland. Its regeneration and repurposing approach have earned recognition from awarding bodies in Louth and Meath and is increasingly seen as a model for other housing bodies and local authorities.
Looking ahead to the 2025-2028 strategy period, NEHA will integrate regeneration and turnkey delivery with forward-funded turnkey models, aiming to enhance programme certainty, ensure quality, and achieve greater cost efficiency. The association is also expanding supply under the Capital Assistance Scheme, with around 50 homes currently in various development stages development in Garristown, Balbriggan, and Castleblayney.
What ties these initiatives together is a simple but powerful principle: reuse first. By focusing on brownfield and heritage regeneration, NEHA is aligning housing delivery with climate responsibility, heritage conservation, and community vitality.
More than bricks and mortar
NEHA’s regeneration projects are not just physical structures. They are statements of intent. They show that Irish towns can remain vibrant, that heritage can be preserved while meeting modern needs, and that sustainable housing can be central rather than peripheral.
As Ireland seeks solutions for both housing supply and sustainable growth, NEHA’s work offers a clear path forward. Adaptive reuse is more than a design choice. It is a strategic pathway to inclusion, sustainability, and longterm impact. Regeneration is not just a solution for today. It is an investment in the future of Ireland’s towns, communities, and people.
For more information, contact NEHA’s development team: E: info@neha.ie W: www.northandeast.ie
Front and Rear of former Bank of Ireland building, Arva, County Cavan.
Leading the way home
Private rental sector reforms
In October 2025, Minister for Housing James Browne TD sought approval for legislation on private rental sector reforms which are planned to come into effect in March 2026.
It seeks to extend the designation of the entire state as a rent pressure zone (RPZ). The RPZ system caps annual rent increases at 2 per cent or the consumer price index rate of inflation. Under the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2025, the RPZ system was extended to the entire State on 20 June 2025 and will apply until 28 February 2026.
Previously, approximately 83 per cent of tenancies were located in RPZs and the new measures saw an additional 40,000 tenancies under rent control measures. This change was made earlier than planned following concerns that a delay could allow rent increases before the new framework came into force.
The RPZ system was introduced in 2016 as an emergency measure to address “consistent rental inflation”. It was initially designed to last from December 2016 to December 2019 but was subsequently extended in 2019, 2021, and 2024. In 2021, the existing 2 per cent cap was set, a reduction from the initial 4 per cent.
In its June 2025 review of RPZs, The Housing Agency indicates that the 2021 “tightening of controls” negatively impacted supply, leading to an increase in the supply of homes for sale and a 17 per cent decline in rental registrations.
The review states: “There is some evidence that the current RPZ system is acting as a disincentive to new investment and that the reduction of the rent cap from 4 per cent to 2 per cent saw some smaller landlords leave the market.”
Stakeholders involved in the administration and designation of RPZs from the Department of Housing, The Housing Agency, all 31 local authorities, and the RTB, outlined their support for extending the RPZ system “either as is or with modifications”.
Upon publication of the bank’s quarterly bulletin in mid-June 2025, Robert Kelly, director of economics and statistics at the Central Bank of Ireland, says the reform will increase supply but negatively impact renters.
Drafting of the upcoming bill is expected to be given priority to ensure it is enacted in time to apply from 1 March 2026. It will provide a legal framework for the establishment of a publicly-accessible rent register and defines small landlords as those with up to three tenancies. The legislation will also permit new rent rates where tenants end the tenancy, or when the landlord ends the tenancy due to a tenant’s breach of obligations.
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Standardised average rent for new and existing tenancies from Q2 2022 to Q1 2025 (in €)
Rising rent
The RTB’s update for Q3 2025 finds that the standardised average rent for new tenancies rose by 5.5 per cent to €1,696 in the year to Q1 2025. For existing tenancies, this figure rose by 4.4 per cent to €1,452.
In Q1 2025, Dublin experienced its lowest new tenancy growth rate since 2022 at 3.3 per cent while Donegal, Kerry, Kildare, Laois, Limerick, Monaghan, Roscommon, and Tipperary saw increase of over 10 per cent. This demonstrates significant variances in rental inflation trends across regions.
“Donegal, Kerry, Laois, Monaghan, and Tipperary have now experienced eight quarters of high new tenancy rent increases. Following the national extension of RPZs, the RTB will target education and outreach activities in these counties,” the update states.
Landlords with over 100 tenancies provided 13.9 per cent of registered private tenancies in Q2 2025, an annual increase of 11.8 per cent. This also marks the eight consecutive quarterly increase in the proportion of tenancies provided by landlords. Tenancies registered with approved housing bodies (AHBs) grew by 11.7 per cent to 52,989 in the year to Q2 2025.
In Q2 2025, 4,728 notices of termination were recorded, representing a 17.2 per cent year-on-year increase and a 0.7 per cent rise from Q1 2025. Of notices of termination received in Q2 2025, 2,698 (57.3 per cent) were issued due to the landlords intention to sell the property.
In the update, RTB director Rosemary Steen says the organisation will continue to engage with the Department of Housing on upcoming changes to rental law. She adds: “Through the legislative process, we hope to gain new tools to allow us to enforce RPZ rules at a greater scale and pace.”
Source: RTB
Ireland’s housing targets will not be met without AHBs and here is why
The Government’s new housing roadmap sets the most ambitious targets in the history of the State. Delivering 60,000 new homes per year from now to 2030, it will take a concerted multi-stakeholder effort to achieve this, writes John Hannigan, CEO, Circle.
However, these ambitious targets can only be met if approved housing bodies (AHBs) are empowered and supported to continue their central role in the delivery of new homes. AHBs continue to be among the most effective partners in delivering social and cost rental homes at scale and to the highest regulatory standards. AHBs are not just part of the solution, they are already a driving force in delivering it.
In 2024, AHBs delivered 4,385 social homes, accounting for more than 41 per cent of all social housing completed by local authorities and AHBs combined. Between 2023 and 2024, Housing Alliance members delivered over 10,000 social homes and more than 1,500 cost-rental homes, with a further 26,000 homes in the development pipeline to 2028. While many partners must continue to scale up delivery, these figures demonstrate that AHBs remain among the largest contributors to Ireland’s social and cost rental housing supply. AHBs’ ongoing participation will be essential to sustaining the momentum
required to meet national housing targets and to ensure that households most in need can access secure, affordable homes.
AHBs are not-for-profit charities, regulated by the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority, the Charities Regulator, and the Companies Office. We exist solely to serve public need. We reinvest every cent of our surpluses back into more housing, better services, and stronger communities. We do not sell homes. We do not distribute surpluses. And we operate under more scrutiny than any other private or public housing provider.
Circle provides homes to thousands of families and individuals across Ireland. We do this in partnership with local authorities through their nominations process. Our team works with the Department of Housing, local authorities, The Housing Agency, Housing Finance Agency, pillar banks, such as Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland, alongside others including the Credit Union to deliver national housing policy. Our partnership
Circle’s newest award-winning development
Housing with Supports, Richmond Place, Dublin 8.
“I am very happy here living in Richmond Place, it is absolutely heaven, the peace and the quiet is unbelievable, the staff at Circle are so very helpful and everyone you meet is happy. I have never met a sad person since I have moved in.”
Mary, a tenant in Circle’s newly delivered Richmond Place development in Dublin.
approach is delivering real homes, right now. We are acutely aware of the importance of providing safe, secure housing options for communities and the importance of having your own front door, your own home.
A home is more than a roof over your head. It is so much more than bricks and mortar. It is the place where children do homework, where neighbours connect, where older people feel safe, and where those rebuilding their lives after a crisis find stability. AHBs like Circle are experts not just in delivering homes but in creating thriving communities. We design with people in mind, and our developments promote inclusion, environmental sustainability and social cohesion. We deliver long-term value for the State, and our oversight ensures transparency and accountability at every stage of the housing journey.
Ireland’s updated housing targets demand more than policy, they demand action. And needs tested, trusted,
capable delivery partners like AHBs. We have confirmed property development pipelines, the professional people needed to deliver them, and the established partnerships in place to drive efficiency. With consistent, clearer funding commitments and policy backing, we can continue to build upon our delivery record with a surplus of homes over the next five years. The AHB sector has already proven our capacity, what we need now is the empowerment and support to scale up housing delivery.
Circle is a proud member of the Housing Alliance. Together with our partner members, we have delivered tens of thousands of high-quality new homes across Ireland. We bring national scale, local insight and housing expertise to everything we do. We do not just develop property, we are longterm secure housing providers that offer housing across multiple tenures, including cost rental, age-friendly and social rented.
AHBs have long term vision and believe in managing and maintaining properties with care and purpose. We do all of this with the oversight, financial discipline
and compliance expected of not-forprofits operating in the public’s interest. We know that there is already awareness and support for AHBs across the housing sector but to do more, to build more homes for more people, to support the Government’s ambitious housing delivery targets, we need clarity, consistency and firm recognition that AHBs are not a backup plan. We need to be recognised as the backbone of the housing sector. AHBs are willing, ready and able to build homes right now and we have the track record to prove it. So, let us back what works, let us enable AHBs and let us get more people into more homes today.
W: www.circlevha.ie
E: developmentteam@circlevha.ie
Circle tenant pictured sitting outside her home in Dublin.
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Record homelessness
Over
an 11-year period, homelessness
in Ireland has more
than quadrupled, with child homelessness
growing at nearly
twice the rate of the overall total.
Since the new government was formed in January 2025, there has been a 5 per cent increase in homelessness, with a new record having been set for homelessness in every month since the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-Regional Independents coalition took office.
The latest figures show that there are 16,353 people living in emergency accommodation in the State, the Government’s official metric for measuring homelessness.
A notable delineation from previous trends has been the increase in child homelessness, with the number of children in emergency accommodation having increased by 12 per cent in the same time period. This means that hundreds of families have been pushed into emergency accommodation in 2025.
The number of single adults in homelessness saw a negligible
decrease of 0.28 per cent. This indicates that the systemic pressures in 2025 are disproportionately affecting families with children, likely due to evictions from the private rental sector where families struggle to find affordable alternative homes that are large enough.
Long-term data shows that while temporary measures like the eviction bans over the Covid-19 pandemic and the temporary winter eviction ban of November 2022 to March 2023 proved effective in providing short-term relief. The long-term trend indicates systemic challenges in the Irish housing market that have not been resolved.
Long-term trends
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has released monthly homelessness data since July 2014.
The first homeless report showed that, in July 2014, there were 2,509 homeless adults in the State, as well as 749 children.
In August 2025, the number of homeless adults stood at 11,208, while the number of homeless children stood at 5,145. This means that in the space of 11 years, in spite of the fact that Ireland has experienced unprecedented economic growth and record employment, homelessness among adults has increased by 347 per cent and the number of homeless children has increased by 587 per cent.
The data shows that there has been a relentless upwards trend in homelessness, with a significant dip in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the eviction plan which took place in that time period.
Between March 2020 and early 2021, driven by a national ban on evictions
Source: DHLGH
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Home le ssne ss, July 2014-Dec e mbe r
le ssne ss, Ja nua r y 2020-August 2025
Source: DHLGH
and increased government supports. The total number fell from 6,552 in March 2020 to a low of 5,843 in May 2021. However, once the eviction ban was lifted, the numbers resumed their sharp upward trajectory, accelerating rapidly through 2022 and 2023.
In addition, the proportion of children within the homeless population has grown significantly. In July 2014, children made up 30 per cent of the total.
However, by August 2025, they made up 46 per cent of the total, thereby suggesting that the increase in homelessness is linked to the everrising prices in the private rental market.
This dataset paints a stark picture of a deepening social crisis in Ireland. Over an 11-year period, homelessness has more than quadrupled, with child homelessness growing at nearly twice the rate of the overall total.
While temporary measures like the eviction ban proved effective in providing short-term relief, the longterm trend indicates systemic challenges in the State’s housing market that have not been resolved, meaning that fundamental reform is required if the trend of ever-increasing homelessness records is to be reversed.
Kenny begins second term as Taoiseach. Leo Varadkar becomes Taoiseach.
Awaiting direction
Recently launched, Brú Na Gruadán reflects Limerick City and County Councils new ‘mixed tenure’ policy, blending social housing with affordable purchase and rightsizing opportunities. Of the 63 homes in the overall development, Focus Housing Association has acquired 37 units comprising five one-bedroom and 32 two-bedroom homes. The remaining 26 homes are being made available for affordable purchase through the council’s affordable housing fund.
In the coming weeks, we are primed to see the publication of the awaited national housing plan as well as the AHB Strategic Plan. These are significant as they will help shape housing providers plans and investment decisions in both the short and longer term, writes Donal McManus.
There are plans currently in place such as the previous Housing for All and the housing commitments in the most recent Programme for Government. However keen interest will be on how much is translated from these plans into a new National Housing Plan and the AHB strategic plan.
Following a path that delivers or something new?
Over the last 10 years, there have been several national housing plans
produced, starting in 2014 with the focus of increased social housing delivery to address almost a lost decade of reduced social housing. By 2021, there was a formal return on affordable housing for sale, and the new affordable rental housing tenure, cost rental housing, which was led out initially by the AHB sector and later by the LDA and local authorities.
Therefore, parts of the housing sector such as social and affordable housing re-emerged from the housing crash quicker and incrementally. In the case
of AHBs, this accelerated from 2016 with the increased state investment and successful rollout of the CALF programme. This expansion by AHBs and expansion of their capacity was aligned to the increased development partnerships with private developers and builders who had residential sites at their disposal.
If successful government-supported schemes such as CALF and later CREL had not been utilised as effectively and quickly by a number of active developing AHB’s, then the depth of the housing crisis would have been much worse. The one part of the housing sector that did not benefit as much in increased in housing delivery was the private housing sector and housing for sale.
Many of the reasons for this slippage have been well documented in recent years such as viability and finance, planning issues and infrastructure gaps to name but a few. The Government has introduced in recent months a sweet of measures in an attempt to further activate the private sector to
provide more housing for sale, including for new households. In coming months and years, the impact of these measures will become clearer in how they enhanced delivery to achieve the goal of delivering 300,000 new homes by 2030. Other measures such as the investment in the revised National Development Plan and the launch of the new housing activation office are also to expedite and support new delivery.
There has been a pattern in the last decade, after housing crises throughout many EU member states and internationally that governments and their related housing agencies have had to step in to play a much stronger role in the housing market particularly social and affordable housing. Housing has now become a defining issue for the current generation and the shortage of decent housing that is affordable is having a huge spillover effect in a range of areas such as competitiveness and employment opportunities, health outcomes, educational attainment, homelessness and social inclusion and cohesion.
The future of AHBs
AHBs’ role in Ireland over the last 20 years has evolved significantly from delivering 20 per cent of all new social housing annually, to delivery in recent years of up to 50 per cent of new social housing as well as over 50 per cent of new cost rental housing. AHBs in Ireland focused initially on delivery of housing for special needs groups such as older people, the homeless and people with disabilities but housing for general needs housing has become the dominant form of delivery in recent years.
Ireland is different to most EU member states in that AHBs or non-profit housing associations in Europe are the main providers of social and affordable housing. Whereas local authorities and municipalities in EU member states play the central strategic role in planning and infrastructure, land assembly and identification of housing need. They play much less of a role in actual housing delivery and management.
AHBs in Ireland are characterised in having a single purpose in the delivery and management of social and affordable housing and associated supports unlike local authorities who have a huge range of other statutory responsibilities besides housing. The
AHB sector has also a number of targeted housing regulators such as AHBRA and the RTB.
AHBs in Ireland pivoted in a few years from up until 2010 having up to 100 per cent state capital funding to 100 per cent loan financing for general needs family housing. AHBs undertook this transition in debt financing over a few short years compared decades of experience of debt financing in other countries.
To ensure that there is co-ordination with the AHB sector on key issues such as any new reforms, it is important that there is structured engagement with the AHB sector and other key stakeholders which previously happened in the past with an AHB Unit in the Department, and later the Housing Agency which were impactful on key periods of changes within the sector.
Mixed tenure
One other area AHBs have made a significant contribution to is the provision of mixed tenure housing such as with social and rental housing. The earliest success was in Enniskerry Road with Respond and Tuath with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council with partners. These mixed tenure
developments by AHBs and others have been developed at scale and had strong partnerships with private sector partners who had access to land. It has been posited by less than informed commentators that that developments like these, including turnkeys, have in some way have displaced potential homeowners with these developments which is not the case. These social and affordable housing projects have often a long lead in time, including for seeking funding approval. In addition, it is not helpful that potential homeowners are pitted against social and affordable tenants whose housing need is as important as that of homeowners.
All parts of the housing sector need to function properly including the private sector so that overall capacity is increased and homes are delivered and efficiently in the whole sector.
Donal McManus is CEO of the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) and Chair of the Housing Europe Working Group on Economics, and Internal Market.
W: www.icsh.ie
Circle Voluntary Housing Association recently launched, Fontenoy Place, Bray Head, County Wicklow. This development consists of 28 beautiful, A-rated cost rental apartments.
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Housing and care must align for Ireland’s ageing population
Commentary on Ireland’s housing crisis abounds. The ability of our housing system to meet the needs of people across Ireland is under continued scrutiny, writes Kath Cottier, CEO of Fold Housing.
At times, the disproportionate effect this is having and will have on older renters is missing from the conversation. The Residential Tenancies Board’s (RTB) Q3 2025 update shows average rent for new tenancies has risen to €1,696 per month, up 5.5 per cent year-on-year.
For older renters, these figures highlight the stark reality of Ireland’s rental market. Many older people are living on fixed incomes or modest pensions. With 26 per cent of all Irish adults living without a pension plan, up 21 per cent on last year, the ability to afford long-term private rental options is slipping away. Even those with pensions are worrying that their income cannot not guarantee a sustainable future.
Renting has become more precarious. In Q2 2025, the RTB recorded 4,728 notices of termination, up 17.2 per cent year-on-year, with more than half issued because landlords intend to sell. For older tenants, these notices do not just mean moving house, they mean upheaval, stress, and in many cases, the risk of homelessness.
While approved housing bodies (AHBs) are making a big difference in this area, with homes in management increasing to 52,989, up 11.7 per cent on 2024, demand still far outstrips supply.
Meanwhile, a shortage of nursing-home beds and lack of alternative housing options for people with care needs is having a negative impact on the quality of life of too many older people. Lack of access to nursing home places is now the leading reason for delayed hospital discharges.
Families are facing securing a home for their loved ones far outside their communities. As a result, older people are staying in acute hospitals longer and not because they need medical care, but because there is nowhere else for them to go.
Modelling shows that a 10 per cent increase in nursing home bed supply could free up 53 acute hospital beds daily, easing system-wide pressures. Furthermore, making more housing options available, including those that provide access to personalised care, could significantly improve quality of life whilst at the same time providing greater choice for older people
Housing and care are two sides of the same coin. Without secure, affordable housing, older people risk instability. Without sufficient care options, some of the most vulnerable people in society risk being stranded in hospitals or unsafe homes.
Ireland needs a joined-up strategy that intrinsically links housing and care. This means scaling up age-friendly social and affordable housing delivery, investing in enhanced housing-withcare models, expanding grants so older people can safely remain in their communities, and strengthening rent protections in line with pension incomes. Most critically, housing and health policy must be aligned, ensuring older people can transition smoothly between independent living, supported housing, and care settings.
Without action, thousands of older renters face instability, loneliness, and unnecessary displacement. With foresight, we can build a housing and care system that allows every older person, not just homeowners, to live with dignity, stability, and security in later life.
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Climate considerations for housing policy
Dan Hill, Director of the Melbourne School of Design at the University of Melbourne, discusses examining climate policy integration with housing policy.
The Irish housing market continues to face significant supply constraints, with annual delivery targets set at approximately 50,000 units to meet projected demand. “The focus on quantitative delivery targets is typical, given the way the largely supply-side approaches to housing policy that tend to dominate,” Hill says. “However, this relatively narrow focus frequently fails to account for broader systemic considerations, particularly regarding immediate challenges of environmental sustainability, housing quality, existing housing stock, or long-term affordability and social justice.”
Data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) indicates that while housing completions have increased by 18 per cent year-on-year, challenges persist regarding the composition of this supply. “The predominance of three- and fourbedroom detached dwellings, within a focus on new construction, does not align with demographic trends showing increasing numbers of single-person households, nor the importance of retrofitting what we have already built,” Hill observes. “This mismatch between supply and demand characteristics, or housing needs versus industry desires, tends to represent one of many structural inefficiencies in housing delivery systems.”
Construction methodology
On the environmental implications of current construction practices, Hill says: “Business-as-usual construction methods, tending towards brick, concrete and steel, typically generate between significant emissions per square meter of housing space constructed,” he states. “When multiplied across tens of thousands of housing units annually, the cumulative emissions impact pushes way beyond the ‘planetary boundaries’ implied by the Paris Agreement, which almost all countries, including Ireland, have signed up to.”
Comparative data from the Building in a Climate Emergency research initiative suggests that alternative construction approaches could radically reduce these emissions.
“Predominantly working with biomaterials, such as numerous forms of timber, hempcrete, straw panel insulation, stone, for instance, offer comparable structural performance with significantly lower embodied carbon, as would carefully repurposing existing building materials,” Hill explains. “Several European jurisdictions have successfully implemented such methods at scale, including Sweden, Austria, Denmark, and France.”
Dan Hill
Leading the way home
Retrofit potential
Hill emphasises the underutilised potential of Ireland’s existing housing stock. “Approximately 65 per cent of Ireland’s residential buildings were constructed before 1990, with many exhibiting poor energy efficiency characteristics,” he notes. “Comprehensive retrofit programmes could simultaneously address housing adequacy and climate objectives, as well as improving health outcomes.”
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) estimates that deep retrofits could reduce energy consumption in these properties by between 60 and 70 per cent. “The economic case for retrofitting becomes particularly compelling when considering whole-life cost analysis,” Hill adds.
“While initial capital costs are higher than conventional refurbishment, the long-term operational savings and emissions reductions justify the investment.”
Land use policy and spatial planning considerations
“Current market conditions continue to favour conventional development models due to established valuation practices and financing structures. Policy interventions could help recalibrate these incentives.”
He cites several potential instruments:
1. differentiated development levies based on sustainability performance, particularly now including embodied emissions;
2. accelerated capital allowances for very lowemissions construction methods;
3. mandatory whole-life emissions assessments for major developments; and
4. reform of property tax systems to reflect environmental performance and reduce financialisation of the housing sector.
Discussing the relationship between land use policy and housing outcomes, Hill asserts: “Many of the world’s cities are now actively moving beyond car-dependency, reversing the trends of the second half of the 20th century. Cities such as London, Barcelona, New York, Paris, Singapore, Tokyo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam are all squeezing the car out of public spaces, like streets, and actively reducing overall car use. Yet current zoning regulations in many Irish local authorities, as with many Australian cities, continue to prioritise low-density, car-dependent development patterns. This approach not only increases per-unit infrastructure costs but also locks in high-emission transportation patterns, along with poor health outcomes, for decades.”
Comparative analysis of European planning systems suggests alternative models. “The ‘compact city’ policy framework common to many other European cities demonstrates how strategic densification around transport nodes could support housing delivery in Ireland too, reducing environmental impacts whilst increasing public health, particularly in the Greater Dublin Area,” Hill states.
Financial mechanisms
Hill states that existing financial and regulatory mechanisms could support more sustainable housing delivery.
“Such measures have been successfully implemented in various jurisdictions, yet Ireland must find its own way forward here,” Hill says. “That will depend on clear regulatory and policy signals and consistent enforcement, as well as invention and innovation by industry and community.”
Skills development
“Transitioning to more sustainable construction methods requires parallel investment in workforce development,” Hill says. “Current programmes, from higher education to apprenticeships, often lack comprehensive coverage of emerging technologies and methodologies, and crucially about whole lifecycle emissions.”
Governance and policy coordination
Hill emphasises the importance of crossdepartmental coordination. “Housing policy cannot be developed in isolation from climate, transport, and energy policies,” he states. “The current siloed approach to policy development frequently results in contradictory outcomes and missed synergies.”
Concluding, he says the mission-oriented approach taken by the Swedish Government’s innovation agency Vinnova “provides a useful case study for building nationwide movements, aligning sectoral policies with overarching sustainability goals, and bringing together public, private and community sectors with shared ambition”.
Supply in private rental sector collapsing
While a number of government initiatives in the housing sector are having a positive effect in helping people to access social and affordable housing, the private rental sector has not been rescued from its deteriorating status, writes Ken MacDonald.
Institutional funding of new apartment developments for the private rental market has collapsed due to the unfavourable conditions prevailing in the State for this sector.
This funding has fallen from 15 per cent of new homes purchased in 2022 to 5.5 per cent in 2024, a fall of 63 per cent.
The 5.5 per cent mainly related to transactions that took place in 2021 and 2022 that are just now being completed, so the figure of 5.5 per cent actually overstates the level of funding due to the lag in sale closures.
The new government measures on rent pressure zones (RPZs), while helpful in some respects, mainly for tenants, fail to recognise the seriousness of the position or to remove the blockages to pension funds and institutional capital supporting housing supply. The VAT reduction on apartments will help to improve viability but other measures are needed.
There were no new residential units purchased by institutional investors in 2024, marking a complete withdrawal of this cohort from the market. Sales
“The dramatic movement by private funders away from the Irish housing market is very damaging for supply in the market.”
activity has virtually ceased apart from some stabilised (existing and tenanted) stock. This stands in contrast to claims made by some commentators, and it is regrettable that certain analyses of the CSO housing data have been inaccurate and misleading.
While Ardstone Capital finalised acquisition of the Spencer Place scheme in Dublin’s north docklands for €177 million, the development is already fully let, offering the investor immediate income and a stabilised yield. As such, it does not represent new supply or a new residential purchase in the conventional sense, nor does it reflect a reversal of the broader trend of institutional disengagement from the Irish housing market.
According to Hooke & MacDonald Research’s analysis of the latest CSO/Eurostat figures, the biggest movers in the 2024 figures showing the composition of purchasers of new homes are first-time buyers and the public sector category which includes the Land Development Agency (LDA), approved housing bodies (AHBs), local authorities, and The Housing Agency.
This latter cohort has now become the second biggest purchaser of new homes, at 27.5 per cent of the total, increasing from 22 per cent in 2022 and a 96 per cent increase from 14 per cent in 2018.
Hooke & MacDonald Research has tracked the composition of purchasers of new homes in the Republic from 2015 to 2024. First-time buyers have consistently been the leading purchasing group.
In the latest statistics released by the CSO, first-time buyers continue to lead the way and increased their percentage of new home purchases from 33 per cent in 2023 to 36.5 per cent in 2024. Other owner-occupiers constituted 22 per cent, down from 23 per cent in the previous year.
The dramatic movement by private funders away from the Irish housing market as shown by these figures is very damaging for supply in the market, particularly for the private rented sector, which is already negatively impacting on the supply and cost of accommodation and which is on course to deteriorate further this year and in the coming years.
Institutional entities and pension funds have been responsible for funding the construction of more than 20,000 apartments, mostly in Dublin, in the past eight years providing accommodation for approximately 50,000 people based on an estimated occupancy of 2.5 persons per property. If these had not been built, the rental market would now be in a far worse position than it currently is in terms of supply; these properties would not have been built if it was not for these sources of capital. Added to these figures would be the substantial number of public sector housing units funded by the institutions.
The State can only fund less than half of the €20 billionplus required annually for the funding of a minimum of 50,000 new homes, so it is imperative that radical conditions are created as a matter of urgency for international capital funders to re-enter the market and make up the difference in the funding shortfall.
The damage done by the 2 per cent rent cap is now plain for all to see. The unintended negative consequences, in terms of reduced supply and increased rents, far outweigh any perceived positives.
Funding by the Government for the different typologies of housing needed in the public sector is an absolute necessity and must continue. It is such a pity that funding for the private sector is being impeded by measures preventing institutions from supporting the private rental sector housing market in Ireland. There is an emergency at present in the private rental sector. The best way to deal with an emergency is to declare it as such and bring in emergency measures, just as was done with Covid.
Hooke & MacDonald
118 Lower Baggot Street
Dublin 2
T: 01 661 0100
E: info@hmd.ie
W: www.hmd.ie
PSRA No. 001651
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Short-term lets increasingly impacting the housing market
In 38 of the State’s 166 local electoral areas (LEAs), short-term lets (STL) listed on Airbnb account for at least 10 per cent of the size of the private rental sector (PRS), according to Profiling Short-Term Let Usage Across Ireland, a new research report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
The report, authored by Katie Devane, Allan Kelly, and Rachel Slaymaker, presents data on Airbnb listings in Ireland using September 2023 data from InsideAirbnb and Census 2022 data, with comparisons to 2019 and 2022 where relevant. It examines the geographic distribution of listings, the scale of STL activity relative to the PRS, price comparisons between sectors, and regulatory responses in Ireland and abroad.
Nationally, 66.2 per cent of Airbnb listings in September 2023 were for entire properties, amounting to 18,638 listings. These entire property listings were concentrated in coastal tourist areas and in central parts of the cities of Dublin and Galway. In contrast, cities such as Cork, Limerick, and Waterford showed lower levels of STL activity.
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In several coastal areas with small rental sectors, the Airbnbto-PRS ratio exceeded one in three, with ratios of 1:3 in Westport (Mayo) and 1:6 in Killarney (Kerry). In Dublin and Galway’s inner-city areas, the ratio stood at approximately 1:10 or higher. The report notes that there is a strong correlation (0.89) between Airbnb listings and previously recorded holiday homes in non-urban areas, with a lower correlation (0.47) in urban areas.
Between 2019 and 2023, the number of entire property listings increased by 17.6 per cent, while private room listings fell by 22.3 per cent. Entire property listings grew in most parts of the country except in Dublin City (-13.3 per cent), Cork City (-17.5 per cent), and Galway City (-22.7 per cent).
At a national level, 85 per cent of hosts had just one listing, accounting for 59.6 per cent of all entire property listings. However, a notable share of listings was associated with multi-property hosts and letting agencies. Three hosts each had over 100 listings in 2023, primarily in rural and coastal areas. These large hosts accounted for a relatively significant proportion of total national listings, with shares of 2.0 per cent, 0.9 per cent, and 0.8 per cent respectively.
The report finds that STL properties in coastal areas and in Dublin city would need to be let for between six and 10 days per month to match average monthly revenue in the PRS. Despite this, the report notes that there is no observed correlation between changes in Airbnb activity and new PRS tenancy registrations between 2019 and 2023 at the LEA level.
In terms of regulation, the report finds that existing measures, such as the requirement for change-of-use planning permission in rent pressure zones, have seen limited engagement. In 2023, only 91 such applications were received compared to 9,142 Airbnb listings in rent pressure zones.
The report outlines three international approaches to regulation: day caps, partial or outright bans, and mandatory data-sharing with tax authorities. It asserts that enforced regulation can reduce STL listings and lead to some movement back to the PRS, but that evidence of significant downward pressure on PRS rents is limited. It also notes that regulation has typically been focused on urban areas, whereas STL activity in Ireland spans both urban and rural areas.
The authors recommend the establishment of a comprehensive STL register, covering all STL activity in Ireland, as a critical step to support data-driven policy decisions.
Report co-author Rachel Slaymaker says: “Understanding the dynamics of the STL sector and its interaction with the rental sector is crucial for informed policymaking.
“Our findings highlight the importance of establishing a register covering all STL activity across Ireland to provide timely data to be used in conjunction with rental sector data to monitor activity, changes in usage patterns, and particular pressures in local areas. This is crucial for ensuring a balanced approach to regulation that considers both the need for tourist accommodation and rental housing for locals.”
Tackling energy poverty
Credit: Conor Healy
Across Ireland, thousands of households face the same difficult choice each winter: to heat their home or pay for food and other essentials.
ESRI research shows that more than 550,000 homes, representing around 1.5 million people, are living in energy poverty. The struggle to stay warm has become part of everyday life for many families who are spending more than 10 per cent of their net income on energy bills.
Co-operative Housing Ireland, which manages over 6,000 homes nationwide, is determined to change that. As both a co-operative and an approved housing body (AHB), it is committed to making homes warmer, more comfortable, and affordable for its member tenants.
Retrofit programme
With assistance from SEAI, Cooperative Housing Ireland has embarked on an ambitious Warmth and Wellbeing Retrofit Programme. Since 2018, 300 homes have been retrofitted, including 45 at Cardy Rock Court in Balbriggan last year, with a further 17 currently being upgraded at Townsend Street, Dublin 2.
Member tenants have benefitted from significant savings and 50 per cent fewer heating-related maintenance calls have been logged. One South Earl
Street resident, whose home was retrofitted in 2022, says: “We can control the temperature; we have it set to 18 degrees at all times. We always have hot water and it is always at the same temperature. It just feels healthier now.”
Turning waste into warmth
Co-operative Housing Ireland’s focus on sustainability has also led to a partnership with EnergyCloud, a registered charity with a simple but powerful goal: to end energy poverty.
In 2024, Co-operative Housing Ireland and EnergyCloud launched a pilot programme installing Climote smart immersion controller devices in homes in Bray, County Wicklow and in Birr, Co. Offaly. The technology allows households to receive free tanks of hot water on nights when there is surplus wind energy on the grid.
According to EnergyCloud, over €2.1 billion worth of renewable energy has been wasted over the past seven years. In 2024, roughly 10 per cent of all wind energy generated and 5 per cent of all solar energy generated went unused.
Households with Climote devices may benefit from several tanks of free hot water each week, helping to reduce their electricity bills. Both the devices and their installation are provided at no cost to member tenants.
The controller connects to the existing immersion system and activates only when free energy is available. No action is required by the member tenant. In 2024, EnergyCloud delivered free hot water on 99 nights across participating homes.
Siobhán Kelly, a Co-operative Housing Ireland member tenant in Balbriggan, says: “I used to worry about the electricity bill every time I turned on the immersion. Now, with the new system, we often have hot water waiting in the
morning. It takes a lot of pressure off, especially with kids getting ready for school. It has made a real difference.”
Scaling up success
The success of the pilot has paved the way for expansion. In July 2025, Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy Darragh O’Brien TD launched the next phase of the partnership which will see Climote devices installed in 300 additional Co-operative Housing Ireland homes across Fingal.
At the launch, Minister O’Brien said: “This is an ambitious and creative project between EnergyCloud Ireland, Co-operative Housing Ireland, and Amazon, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to officially launch this programme in Fingal.
“The Government has clear ambitions under the Climate Action Plan to reduce our carbon emissions by 51 per cent by 2030. This innovative project, supported by Eirgrid and ESB, aligns with government goals by using surplus renewable energy and smart technology to assist those experiencing energy poverty.”
Pearse O’Shiel, Vice Chairperson of the Co-operative Housing Ireland Board, added: “We are delighted to collaborate with EnergyCloud and AWS on this innovative initiative. At Co-operative Housing Ireland, we are committed to delivering sustainable, people-centred solutions for our member tenants.
“This collaboration reflects our shared values of community, equity, and sustainability, and it marks a meaningful step in tackling energy poverty by ensuring that the benefits of renewable energy reach those who need it most.”
A shared vision
The challenge now is to make solutions like this available to many more households. It requires greater government support to expand these technologies nationwide.
The AHB sector has a vital role to play. Together, members of the Housing Alliance, a collaboration of Ireland’s seven largest AHBs, now own or manage more than 50,000 homes nationwide. Each organisation is working to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and ensure that sustainable housing remains affordable for everyone.
Currently, retrofit funding through SEAI covers up to 50 per cent of costs, leaving AHBs to find the remainder from limited reserves. Increasing that support to at least 90 per cent would allow energy upgrades at scale, helping every household live in a home that is warm, efficient, and affordable.
No one should ever have to choose between heating their home and putting food on the table. That is the simple goal behind initiatives like EnergyCloud and Co-operative Housing Ireland; turning renewable energy into real social impact, and ensuring that every family in Ireland can live with comfort, dignity, and hope.
For further information contact: Jennifer Nolan, Communications Manager
T: +353 (0) 86 440 2352
E: jennifer.nolan@cooperativehousing.ie
W: www.cooperativehousing.ie
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/c ooperativehousingireland/
Credit: Conor Healy
Credit: Conor Healy
National Retrofitting Conference 2025
Tuesday 25 November · Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, Dublin
Sponsored by
The National Retrofitting Conference, now in its fifth year, will convene key players involved in the Government’s ambitious area-based, one-stop-shop approach to retrofitting. The objective of the conference is to discuss progress to date and to share any learning from the implementation of the programme. It is also relevant to those organisations that may be interested in getting involved.
Speakers include:
Ciaran Byrne Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
Brian Carroll Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment
Susan Vickers Clúid Housing
Stuart Hobbs SSE Airtricity
Marion Jammet Irish Green Building Council
Janez Kren Economic & Social Research Institute (ESRI)
Penny Keogh Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
Carlos Ochoa Tyndall National Institute
Jeanette Mair Construction Industry Federation
Stephen Hall University of York
Eamonn Brownlee SSE Airtricity
Seamus Harrington TU Dublin
Bebhinn Kennedy
TUS Sustainable Development Research Institute
Exhibition opportunities available!
There are a limited number of opportunities for interested organisations to partner with the conference as an exhibitor. This is an excellent way for organisations to raise their profile with a key audience of senior decision-makers from across Ireland’s energy sector. For more information on packages available at the event contact us on 01 661 3755 or email info@energyireland.ie
Register now:
Scaling housing and mental health support
In 2025, Housing Association for Integrated Living (HAIL) proudly celebrates its 40th anniversary, marking four decades of providing quality social housing and specialist mental health tenancy support across Ireland.
Since 1985, HAIL has worked to ensure that people with mental health difficulties can live independently in their communities. Over the years, we have seen how secure housing can be the foundation for mental health recovery and long-term stability.
Demand for our services continues to grow. In 2024, we supported our highest ever number of clients for the third consecutive year. Under our Strategic
Plan 2024-2028, we are entering a new phase of growth, aiming to deliver 300 additional homes and expand our tenancy sustainment services to more local authority areas.
To support this, we are actively seeking partnerships and development opportunities with:
• property developers;
• estate agents;
• approved housing bodies;
• local authorities;
• community groups; and
• property owners.
We are interested in single-unit purchases, multi-unit schemes, turnkey developments, Part V opportunities, and refurbishment or repurposing of vacant buildings.
To lead this expansion, we are delighted to welcome Louise Heavin as HAIL’s new Head of Development. Louise brings extensive experience in delivering housing projects and will play a central role in helping us scale our impact.
Our mental health tenancy sustainment services, currently operating in 16 local authority areas, support people to maintain tenancies and live independently, whether in social housing or the private rented sector. Expanding this service nationally is a key goal for the years ahead.
As we reflect on 40 years of impact, we are also focused firmly on the future. We know that strong partnerships are vital to meeting the growing need for supported housing for people with mental health difficulties.
We invite developers, local authorities, housing bodies, and property owners to partner with us; to deliver homes, share opportunities, and support mental health recovery through secure, sustainable housing.
T: 01 671 8444
E: development@hail.ie
W: www.hail.ie
Josephine Ryan, Michael Morris and Martina Smyth at the launch of HAIL’s 2024 Annual Report.
Leading the way home
Brian O’Gorman’s legacy at Clúid
2025
marks both the 30th anniversary of Clúid and the retirement of its Chief Executive, Brian O’Gorman. His departure represents a significant transition for the organisation and for the wider housing association sector in Ireland, which has grown substantially during his tenure.
Brian O’Gorman’s path into housing was not a straight line, but the sector became the consistent focus of his career. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, his work with Threshold placed him at the frontline of Ireland’s private rented sector.
He dealt with the fallout of rent de-control and rising mortgage arrears, issues that shaped his early understanding of how housing systems affect people’s lives.
A move to Focus Ireland followed, where he engaged more directly with policy and homelessness, broadening his sense of the challenges facing those excluded from secure housing.
After postgraduate study at Ulster University, O’Gorman joined St Pancras Housing Association Ireland in 1994 as its first employee. The association was later renamed Clúid, and its early years were lean: small schemes, limited resources, and a need to prove that non-profit housing associations could operate in an Irish context. Over the next three decades, Clúid grew into one of the country’s largest approved
housing bodies (AHBs), today providing homes for close to 33,000 residents.
That growth was neither automatic nor guaranteed. Clúid’s first housing scheme in Kilcronan, Clondalkin, delivered in 1995, was a modest beginning but an important proof of concept. A more visible turning point came in 2002 with the acquisition of apartments at Clarion Quay through ‘planning gain.’
The deal was innovative at the time, and it demonstrated that social housing could be delivered through creative use of planning mechanisms.
The project is widely seen as having influenced the eventual establishment of Part V of the original Planning and Development Act, which required developers to provide a portion of new housing for social and affordable use.
In 2003, Clúid took on its first large-scale regeneration project: St Joseph’s Mansions in Dublin, later renamed Killarney Court. The scheme, undertaken with Dublin City Council, transformed one of the city’s most deprived flat
Leading the way home
complexes into modern social housing. The project also signalled growing trust in Clúid’s ability to manage complex developments and regeneration programmes. This period saw Clúid expand into specialist housing too, including its first age-friendly scheme in Killarney, which eventually led to the establishment of Clann, its dedicated age-friendly housing provider.
Through these milestones, O’Gorman’s leadership style emerged as pragmatic and focused on collaboration. He consistently emphasised the importance of partnerships, whether with local authorities, central government, lenders, or communities themselves, as the only way to deliver housing at scale. He was rarely a public showman, but those who worked with him often remark on his persistence and ability to bring together people from very different sectors to work toward a shared outcome.
At the same time, the challenges facing Clúid and the wider housing association movement have been considerable. Funding has remained a perennial issue, as AHBs balance their social mission with the realities of long-term financial sustainability. Housing associations are expected to provide homes not just for today but for decades to come, and managing that responsibility within tight margins has often been difficult. O’Gorman frequently pointed to the importance of treating housing associations as social enterprises, organisations that must cover their costs and reinvest surpluses in order to remain viable.
Reflecting on his career, O’Gorman says: “After 30 years with Clúid, I will be retiring this year. It has been a genuine privilege to have worked alongside so many extraordinary people and met so many remarkable residents and partners. I will miss being part of the next chapter but will be ‘cheering from afar’ as Clúid continues to flourish.”
His retirement comes at a pivotal moment. Ireland’s housing crisis remains one of the most pressing social issues of the decade. The Government has placed AHBs at the centre of its strategy to expand social and affordable housing, and Clúid, as the largest player, will inevitably be scrutinised on how it delivers. The scale of housing need, combined with ongoing affordability pressures, means the next phase for Clúid will be no less challenging than its first three decades.
O’Gorman leaves behind an organisation that has achieved significant scale, influence, and credibility. His legacy is not just the homes delivered but the role housing associations now play in Ireland’s housing system, a role that was far from assured when he started.
Environment Ireland 2025
Environment Ireland 2025 took place in Croke Park, Dublin on Thursday 9 October. The conference brought together over 200 attendees across Ireland and further afield to highlight the pressing challenges facing the environment. Attendees at the conference heard from speakers throughout the day focusing on environmental policy, sustainability and ESG, climate, circular economy and resource management, biodiversity, water, and planning and the environment.
The top line up of expert speakers, both local and visiting included Minister of State with responsibility for the Marine, Timmy Dooley TD; Veronica Manfredi, European Commission; Robbie McDonald, The Office for Environmental Protection, UK; Barry Quinlan, Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment; Ioannis Bakas, European Environment Agency; and Martin Hutchings, Local Government Association.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Environment Ireland 2025 sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, and delegates who joined us in Croke Park, Dublin and made the conference a huge success.
Speakers: Kevin O’Sullivan, The Irish Times; Timmy Dooley TD, Minister of State with responsibility for the Marine; Julie Thompson, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs; and Robbie McDonald, The Office for Environmental Protection, UK.
Speakers: Mark Thuillier, Arthur Cox; Ali Sheridan, Just Transition Commission; Gill Plunkett, Queen’s University Belfast; Barry Quinlan, Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment; Lucie Martin, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI); and Oisín Coghlan, Public Policy Advisor.
Niamh Kennedy, National Transport Authority with Sara Smyth, Panda; and Martina Gleeson, ORS.
Martin McEnroe, An Fóram Uisce asks the panel a question.
Emilios Loizou, Ernst & Young with Eleanor Ryan, Local Government Management Agency.
Charles Stanley-Smith, An Fóram Uisce with Steve Brown, University of Limerick.
Eimear Cotter, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Tomás Cullen, Philos IT with Matthew Rochard, Derick Dass, Levent Ergin and Kevin Burnley-Brennan, Informatica.
Noel Carr, NVM Ltd speaks with attendees at the NVM Ltd exhibition stand.
Martin Hutchings, Local Government Association.
Tanaaz Noonan, Sarah Cahill, Eleanor Ryan and Angela Carlin, Local Government Management Agency with Maeve Thornberry, Maeve Thornberry & Associates.
Frances O’Kelly, Roughan & O’Donovan, with Maria Fitzgerald, Inis Onshore Wind Ltd and Niamh Kennedy, National Transport Authority.
Speakers: Tom Gaynor, REPAK; Claire Downey, The Rediscovery Centre; Sophie Reynolds, CIRCULÉIRE and Heidi Redmond, Strategic Investment Board.
Lynn Boylan MEP: Mercosur is a bad deal
Mercosur remains a bad trade deal that will have hugely negative consequences for our planet, farmers, and food safety in Europe, writes Lynn Boylan MEP, the European Parliament Environment Committee’s Mercosur Rapporteur.
Mercosur
Firstly, it is completely at odds with the EU’s climate goals. Increased agricultural exports from Mercosur will drive deforestation in critical ecosystems like the Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal. These regions are already facing alarming rates of deforestation and record-breaking wildfires.
In May 2025, I met with members of indigenous tribes in Brazil who travelled to Europe to implore the EU to reject this deal. Deforestation is an existential threat to them and their way of life.
Human Rights Watch’s report, Tainted: JBS and the EU’s Exposure to Human Rights Violations and illegal deforestation in Pára, Brazil, found that cattle ranchers
have illegally seized land and devastated the livelihoods of farmers and indigenous communities. With no system to track its indirect suppliers of cattle, it is highly likely that beef and hides from these illegal ranches have found their way into the EU, the report states.
This is happening at a time when the EU is once again delaying implementation of the landmark Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the initial delay was widely seen as a move to get the Mercosur trade deal over the line. In Brazilian negotiating texts, EUDR had been listed as a barrier to concluding the deal.
In an even greater insult to the delay, the European Commission then published its EUDR list of risk classification. Instead of using a sound scientific basis to list
countries based on their risk of engaging in deforestation, they opted for a metric of whether a country was subject to EU sanctions.
We now have the bizarre situation, whereby Russia and North Korea; countries from whom we do not purchase timber, are listed as high-risk for deforestation, whilst countries with significant documented deforestation like Brazil and Indonesia are classified as low-risk.
Farmers
The agreement puts farmers, particularly small-scale and medium-scale farmers, at a serious competitive disadvantage. The agreement increases import quotas
for Mercosur beef by 50 per cent (99,000 tonnes) and poultry by 180,000 tonnes. Additional provisions include a tariff-free quota of 190,000 tonnes of sugar and 650,000 tonnes of bioethanol.
Irish farmers are expected to farm to the very highest regulatory standards will now be competing with farmers in Mercosur countries who are not bound by those standards. Mercosur countries have lax regulations on pesticides, hormones, and animal welfare. Agricultural organisations can therefore operate at much lower costs and could flood the EU market with cheaper products. European agricultural organisations have been clear that this is a threat to food sovereignty and to the livelihoods of farmers.
Any short-term compensation package proposed by the European Commission will not address the long-term negative impacts on our farmers.
Food safety
From a food safety perspective, the agreement poses significant risks to the health and safety of citizens in the EU. Imported agricultural products from Mercosur are often produced using hazardous pesticides, including substances banned in the EU for decades. For example, 52 per cent of the active substances authorised for maize in Brazil and Argentina are banned in the EU. Brazilian beef imported into the EU should also be a cause for alarm. Some chemicals like estradiol 17B have been banned in the EU for 40 years but are still widely used in Brazilian cattle farming. The use of antibiotics as growth promoters is also strictly forbidden in the EU in its fight to tackle antimicrobial resistance.
The EU’s own audit in 2024 found that Brazil cannot reliably trace or guarantee hormone free beef. Yet, the Mercosur trade deal proposes reducing import controls. It will allow exporters to self-certify compliance with EU standards.
The public have the right to know if the food being imported and sold on supermarket shelves is being produced to the highest public health standards.
Split agreement
In a final act of contempt for democracy, the EU Commission is splitting the agreement. This means that the trade aspect of the deal will not require national parliaments ratification and only a qualified majority at the EU Council. It is clear that President von der Leyen is determined to force this trade deal on the European public who have made clear their opposition to Mercosur.
As a member of the International Trade (INTA) and Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) Committees, I will be fighting this agreement every step of the way. I was honoured to be recently appointed the Rapporteur for the ENVI opinion on Mercosur and will be using the opportunity to highlight the significant climate and food safety risks.
The European Parliament also voted in an October 2025 plenary session against text supportive of the Mercosur trade deal and myself and colleagues are working on a resolution to refer the agreement to the Court of Justice to check its compatibility with EU law. Momentum is clearly growing against this agreement.
The Trump effect
Cecilia Trasi, Senior Policy Advisor at ECCO, an energy and climate change thinktank based in Milan, explores the ramifications of the Trump administration’s ‘America first’ agenda, and its subsequent attack on renewable energy initiatives.
As the return of Donald Trump to the White House continues to wreak havoc with the Global Order. Trasi explains that the “America first” agenda rests on three pillars: the “mantra of ‘drill baby, drill’, the rejection of climate multilateralism, and the weaponisation of trade tariffs; with tariffs acting as leverage to force partners to bend to his agenda”.
As Europe recovers from the energy crisis, triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the subsequent hard pivot away from Russian gas and toward American liquified natural gas (LNG), progress has been made on the European Green Deal, which legally binds the commitment of the EU to achieve net zero by 2050. However, as Trasi
outlines: “The big question is, will the EU stay on course to meet its targets as the White House pursues an ‘America first’ approach?”
A ‘fossil-fuel first’ agenda
Describing US policy as “fossil-fuel first”, Trasi argues that the US is aiming to achieve energy dominance, “despite being the world’s largest exporter of natural gas”.
“Trump signed an executive order declaring a ‘national energy emergency’ in the US. The US is willing to position itself as a swing supplier for both the European and Asian markets, aiming to account for 70 per cent of global LNG export capacity by 2027.”
Lamenting Trumps decision to expunge the US from the Paris Agreement, Trasi says these actions “tilt the odds heavily in favour of overshooting the Paris Agreement target of 1.5 degrees temperature increase”.
“Current estimates predict an increase by 2.7 per cent by the end of the century, with Trump’s actions accounting for 0.4 degrees increase by 2100.”
The decisions taken by Trump are not simply ideological, but also strategic. Highlighting Chinese dominance of the clean technology value supply chain, Trasi explains that this means the “obvious competitive advantage is in fossil fuels, and this is where Trump has placed his bet”.
Credit: Harrison Koeppel
Cecilia Trasi, Senior Policy Advisor, ECCO
“The biggest asset of the EU is its credibility and reliability, especially in a time when the world cannot count on the White House.”
“It is why Congressional Republicans gutted $370 billion of clean energy tax credits [contained in the Inflation Reduction Act,] as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. GOP hardliners saw these credits as a gift to Chinese workers.”
Unintended advantages
This may create a competitive advantage for the EU. Trasi suggests the EU “could react to his by offering a safe harbour for green energy investment, especially if it decides to pursue a bold industrial policy, and doubledown on commitments of the clean industrial deal. This deal is a blueprint for industrial policy to achieve both, a faster transition of the energy intensive industries and supporting clean technologies, while also improving our industrial competitiveness.”
Lambasting Trump for his use of trade tariffs, Trasi accuses him of using the EU’s over-reliance on American LNG as “geopolitical leverage”, rationalising Trumps actions by saying, “he suggested that tariffs imposed on European goods such as cars, steel, and aluminium, could be reduced in exchange for the EU agreeing a long-term LNG deal worth more than $350 billion”.
“Trump has justified this as levelling up the trade imbalance that exists between the EU and US. However, this imbalance is only around 3 per cent and this is not just about energy. It is about control, and undermining the green transition of strong potential markets, rather than being dogmatic.”
The EU subsequently agreed to procure $700 billion worth of US LNG, oil, and nuclear energy in a trade ‘deal’ agreed in July 2025. This appears contradictory to the aims of REPowerEU, a European Commission plan to diversify the bloc away from Russian Gas, but also a call to phase natural gas out by 2035. Trasi says this is because of “structural demand and faster electrification of transport and heating, and industrial decarbonisation”.
Chinese energy
With the global order facing increasing trade uncertainty, Trasi states that “there is a clear distinction in the energy prices industrial players face in the EU compared to the US and China”.
“Gas and electricity prices tend to be between three to five times the ones in the UA and China. Therefore, being exposed to price volatility is bad news for industrial competitiveness and does not do anything to advance it.”
When asked if China could be the next leader in clean technology, Trasi gives a balanced response. On the one hand, “[China] is the most obvious alternative in cleantech manufacturing and tech deployment in renewable energy sources”.
“The country is estimated to have met its own renewable energy targets six years in advance and deploying clean tech at the rate unparalleled worldwide.”
However, the level of emissions emanating out of China, with its booming industrial strength and colossal population, is huge, and as Trasi points out “to say it [China] is going to be next climate leader would be to ignore the reality of its strong dependence on coal”. “Even if China kept decreasing its emissions, it would still consume most of the carbon budget available by 2030.”
EU ‘must stand its ground’
In a rallying cry to European leaders, Trasi states that the Green Deal is “not only about securing the EU’s climate future, but it will also enhance industrial competitiveness and economic security”.
She continues: “We must not retreat on our transition objectives, rather, it is a time for refinement and standing our ground. We must not bend to pressure from the Trump administration, we must avoid entering long term LNG deals, and increase investment in clean tech supply chains, that also means deepening the relationship with third countries such as China. This is going to be highly controversial, of course, in the face of Trump.
“The biggest asset of the EU is its credibility and reliability, especially in a time when the world cannot count on the White House, it is up to the EU to stand its ground and not retreat.”
Mol an óige
Albert Dolan TD
Named after former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, Fianna Fáil TD Albert Dolan topped the poll in Galway East when elected to the 34th Dáil on his 26th birthday. He tells Ciaran Brennan about his family’s Fianna Fáil connection, his priorities, and the impact he hopes to have in Irish politics.
In 2011, a 12-year-old Albert Dolan was on the campaign trail with his father Michael, a Fianna Fáil candidate in that year’s general election; the first since the financial crash overseen by Fianna Fáil.
Accompanied by his siblings and cousins, he leafletted throughout the Galway East constituency.
A backlash from the electorate saw Fianna Fáil lose 57 seats in the election, failing to top the poll for the first time since 1932, and Michael was unsuccessful in his campaign. Dolan recalls how they were received on the
doorsteps. “I remember the hostility towards Fianna Fáil in that campaign, and even as young people, we were subjected to some of the sentiment at that time.”
Since then, Dolan has realised the ambition his father once held. Having joined Ógra Fianna Fáil in 2019, he decided to run in that year’s local elections with some encouragement from then-Minister of State Anne Rabbitte.
Deputy Dolan signing the Dáil Éireann roll book with clerk of the Dáil Peter Finnegad.
‘‘
Albert Dolan TD It was special to propose Micheál Martin for Taoiseach. It was a crazy experience to think that the first time I stood up to give the speech, the Dáil was in complete chaos.
The entire opposition was on their feet roaring at me.
He outlines the changes in Galway’s political landscape that paved the way for his election aged 19: “I knew there was a convention coming for the party and a few things had gone my way. My home village of Monivea and two of the surrounding townlands had come into the Athenry-Oranmore municipal district. This meant I would have more local support as I had gone to secondary school in Athenry.
“Martina Kinane, a Fianna Fáil councillor, had moved into the Gort-Kinvara district and Malachy Noone, the other Fianna Fáil councillor, was retiring. So, Fianna Fáil now had two vacancies in the Athenry-Oranmore municipal district, so there was an opening, and the boundary suited me.
“Those were two things that really went in my favour and made me say, ‘well, Fianna Fáil needs a candidate, and I want to be it’. I demonstrated that hunger and determination to the party members I was given the chance to be on the ticket,” he explains.
Dolan was re-elected during the June 2024 local election and subsequently became Galway County Council’s youngest ever Cathaoirleach. “That gave me the confidence to go for the general election, to try and represent my community in Galway East at a national level,
and try to impact the future of the country,” explains Dolan.
In November 2024, Dolan claimed one of the four seats in Galway East as Anne Rabbitte, who encouraged him to enter electoral politics, lost her seat. Following the formation of the Seanad in February 2025, he emerged as the youngest member of Fianna Fáil’s parliamentary party.
Dáil beginnings
Dolan’s first contribution in the Dáil was to nominate Micheál Martin TD as Taoiseach. This was initially planned for 22 January 2025, but Dolan was forced to postpone his nomination as he was drowned out by shouting between the opposition and the Government over the speaking rights dispute with Michael Lowry TD’s Regional Independent Group (RIG). He eventually made his speech on 23 January 2025.
In his speech, he said: “These are often cynical times. There are many who relentlessly portray politics and political leaders as self-interested or incapable. There is barely any space available in our public airwaves or elsewhere to acknowledge progress achieved by our political leaders.”
mol an óige
Mol an óige
Reflecting on the speech, Dolan says: “It was an incredible experience. I have not made many speeches in my life. I had spoken to large crowds before, but I had never made a speech that was going to be going out to the nation.
“It was special to propose Micheál Martin for Taoiseach. It was a crazy experience to think that the first time I stood up to give the speech, the Dáil was in complete chaos. The entire opposition was on their feet roaring at me.”
Political influences
Dolan identifies Martin as “one of the biggest influences” on his career to date. The Monivea man says it is Martin’s ability “to stay incredibly calm” that he admires most. He adds that we would like to replicate that calmness, particularly when “things are not simple or going your way”.
“I try to embody his philosophy; people need to work together. There is a growing amount of divisiveness online and in Irish discourse,” continues Dolan.
“There are more people seeking to divide us than those seeking to bring us together. We need politicians to step up, be leaders, and bring people together so we can achieve better outcomes for everyone.”
The Galway East TD states he is also “a big fan of Barack Obama”. Upon Dolan’s election, he was labelled an “Obama-type figure” by broadcaster and former Minister for Agriculture Ivan Yates.
Reflecting on this comparison, Dolan says: “It is very complimentary, but I think it is too early to judge whether I am going to have a huge impact or not. I am still learning as much as I possibly can. I want to have as big an impact as possible. Whether you are labelled like Obama or any other politician, at the end of the day, you will be judged on what you achieve and what you do for your people.”
‘‘
“If I ever had the privilege of being leader of Fianna Fáil, that is something that I would give my full commitment to.”
Albert Dolan TD
Priorities
Dolan is currently Fianna Fáil spokesperson for Enterprise and the Circular Economy and he states that ensuring business in the State are operating in a “competitive landscape” is his top priority. He acknowledges that “margins have never been tighter” for small businesses and discusses how the State can retain multinationals which are at the crux of the economy’s health.
“A lot of the multinationals are competing with sister sites in Asia, in the US, and South America. As a result, we are starting to see some of those businesses losing volume and productivity to their sister sites.
“We need to ensure that those businesses remain as competitive in Ireland as they would be in the US, South America, and Asia, and government has the power to step in and support those businesses.”
The 26-year-old states that a blend of training and administration of the National Training Fund is needed to create “an environment for success” for SMEs. He also states that links between SMEs and universities need to be strengthened to retain talent in Ireland.
While Dolan demonstrates a strong grasp on enterprise as part of his spokesperson duties, he falters when pressed on his priorities for the circular economy.
“The circular economy has come to the fore in the last decade, the idea of how can we be effective in reducing, reusing, and recycling different parts of our economy. The circular economy for me is about being an advocate for that and allowing people to innovate in how they see best fit to implement that.”
When asked about ways he has advocated for the circular economy, Dolan says: “I have met with different representative groups of the circular economy. There was one group I was speaking to about a product that is encouraging mothers within the baby sector to really try to reduce, reuse, and recycle within the circular economy.”
Dolan has publicly identified the housing crisis as the biggest challenge facing people of his generation. The Monivea man asserts that Minister for Housing James Browne TD “is treating it as an emergency”. He adds: “I think we have seen that in the way he has brought forward legislation, and the speed at which he has brought through changes.”
Dolan previously told The Journal that the Minister should be given “emergency powers” to intervene in zoning by local authorities. “The Minister sometimes needs to intervene in these situations to get things moving,” he says.
“I do not want to see this process caught up for months and months in local authorities. Ultimately there is a risk that that could happen.
“Our housing story is going to be about the sum of our local authorities’ performance. If all local authorities meet their targets, the Government will meet its targets.
“We are all in this together. Everyone is feeling the pain of the housing crisis, we are seeing it with constituents not being able to rent homes, constituents having to present as homeless to councils, and this is creating another burden on councils as well.”
Future aspirations
Dolan’s election to Galway County Council at 19 and the Dáil at 26 demonstrates a significant level of personal ambition. However, he is coy when discussing any ambitions he holds for his future in politics.
On whether he aims to one day become Minister for Enterprise, he says: “I do not think it is something I can predict. If I was ever to be any minister, I would be grateful for the opportunity to serve in government.”
When asked if he has ambitions of leading Fianna Fáil and becoming Taoiseach, as his namesake Albert Reynolds did, Dolan says: “The most important thing for me is to focus on the job I am doing day in, day out.
“If I ever had the privilege of being leader of Fianna Fáil, that is something that I would give my full commitment to. But for myself at the moment, the main thing is to keep focusing on being the best TD can for the people of Galway East.”
Deputy Dolan takes his seat in the Dáil for the first time.
The numbers behind the presidential election
Final result
*Withdrew from campaign **Of valid votes
2025 election compared with 2018
Facts and trends
• Catherine Connolly’s 914,143 first-preference votes is the most votes won by any candidate or party in the history of the State
• Connolly’s 63.4% of valid first-preference votes is the highest percentage any president has ever obtained since the office was created in 1938
• There were 213,738 spoiled or invalid ballots, or 12.9% of total votes cast; by far the highest proportion in Irish presidential election history
• Turnout was 45.8%, up from 43.87% in 2018
• Only three candidates appeared: Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin; which is the same number as in 1990, i.e. the last time there were just three
• Unusually, all three candidates were nominated through Oireachtas (TD/Senator) support, rather than via local authority nominations. The last time no candidate was nominated by councils was also 1990
• An Coimisiún Toghcháin (The Electoral Commission) was used in its first presidential election, following its establishment in 2023
• Connolly will become the 10th President of Ireland, and the third woman to hold the post
• Ahead of the election, Met Éireann intentionally excluded names of potential presidential candidates from its 2025 storm naming list to avoid confusion
Martin Mansergh: 1946-2025
Martin Mansergh, the former Fianna Fáil TD who played a key role as a diplomat in the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, died aged 78 in September 2025.
Martin Mansergh was born on New Year’s Eve, 1946, immediately after the end of The Emergency, a point from which the divisions on this island were at their most pronounced amid the North’s participation in the Second World War while the State remained neutral.
Mansergh was the son of Anglo-Irish Protestants from County Tipperary, an unlikely path into the Fianna Fáil of old. However, after serving as a diplomat in the Department of Foreign affairs in the mid1970s, Mansergh was recruited to Fianna Fáil by then-Taoiseach Charles Haughey, who he described as a “father figure” in the 2011 RTÉ docuseries, The Rise and Fall of Fianna Fáil
At that time, Haughey was largely associated with the party’s ‘green wing’, amid the fallout of the Arms Crisis.
Mansergh became Fianna Fáil’s Director of Research and a Special Advisor on the North from 1981 until 2002. In that role he was deeply involved in backchannel, secret and formal discussions between the Irish Government and norther nationalist and republican leaders. He was also involved in drafting speeches, policy documents, and strategy for Fianna Fáil in matters related to the North.
Mansergh’s approach to the North was marked by patience, empathy, and a belief in dialogue over exclusion. He was among
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those within Fianna Fáil who argued that progress could only come through direct engagement with the armed republican movement, even when such views were politically unpopular.
Working quietly behind the scenes, he became a trusted intermediary between government figures and Sinn Féin representatives, including in the years leading up to the first IRA ceasefire in 1994. He was a key contributor to the framework that later underpinned the Good Friday Agreement, advocating for recognition of both traditions on the island and for constitutional change that respected the principle of consent. Colleagues described him as “methodical and moral”, someone who understood both the emotional charge and the historical weight of partition.
While many in Fianna Fáil at the time viewed unity through a purely nationalist lens, Mansergh’s perspective was more layered. He spoke often about the need to accommodate British and unionist identities within any future Irish constitutional arrangement, and cautioned against triumphalism.
In later years, he expressed frustration that Fianna Fáil had grown hesitant in articulating a clear vision for eventual reunification, urging a “practical preparation for a shared Ireland” rather than symbolic gestures.
After this role, and with the conflict in the North brought to a negotiated end of violence, Mansergh stepped out of the shadows and into the frontline of politics, first attempting to be elected to the Dáil in 2002, before becoming a Senator later that year, and finally becoming a first-time TD aged 60 in 2007.
Mansergh was propelled straight into ministerial office, holding three junior ministerial roles in his five years in the Dáil, including as a junior finance minister under the leadership of Brian Lenihan.
Mansergh was one of the seemingly endless Fianna Fáil casualties in the 2011 election, with the party emphatically defenestrated as it bore the brunt of people’s anger amid the financial crisis and subsequent austerity measures.
Although he never returned to frontline politics, Mansergh maintained an active role in political commentary, appearing as a panellist at various events associated with religious rights and Irish reunification.
He was vice-chair of the Government’s Expert Advisory Group on the Decade of Centenaries and was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in May 2018.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD describes Mansergh as “unquestionably one of the most important public servants in our recent history”.
“As a diplomat and then as an advisor to leaders of Fianna Fáil, both in government and in opposition, he was exceptional in his knowledge and devotion to the cause of peace on our island and throughout Europe.
“Martin was a one-off. A true Irish republican. A man of great accomplishments who leaves a proud history.”
Former Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Brian Cowen says of Mansergh: “His long service to the party, culminating in his time as a member of Dail Éireann for the constituency of South Tipperary, was deemed the ultimate honour and one of which he was most proud.
“His in-depth knowledge of the detail of policy issues was something I witnessed at first hand when part of a negotiation team in the formation of governments in both Mr Reynold’s and Mr Ahern’s time.”
Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams says he was “a key figure in the efforts to build the peace process and the success of the negotiation leading to the Good Friday Agreement”.
Adams adds: “He was one of those who met with Sinn Féin in the late 1980s on behalf of Fianna Fáil and we retained a close relationship since then.”
Mansergh is survived by his wife Elizabeth, his children, and extended family.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
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Northern party conference season
Three of the North’s five largest parties recently held their annual conferences, with the DUP and UUP making their cases for ‘making Northern Ireland work’ and ‘hope through prosperity’ respectively, and the SDLP becoming more hardened in its pro-unity stance. Joshua Murray was in attendance.
DUP: ‘Making NI work’
Nearly two years into its term jointly leading the Northern Ireland Executive, and more than three years since being defenestrated to second place in the North, the DUP gathered around 150 delegates at La Mon on 22 September 2025, where the theme of the day was ‘making NI work’.
There remains an awkward elephant in the room for the DUP, with the shadow of its former leader Jeffrey Donaldson looming large. The party, with Donaldson’s trial over historical sex offences (which he denies) having yet to commence after multiple delays, is unable to say much publicly on the matter. The reason this presents an awkwardness for the party is that Donaldson is arguably the single biggest reason that devolution ended up returning in the North in February 2024.
The good will towards Donaldson’s successor as DUP leader, Gavin Robinson MP, remains strong and sincere among the DUP faithful. Nicknamed by party chair and grandee Maurice Morrow as ‘our new big fella’ in October 2024, Robinson is an undoubtedly impressive speaker who has performed admirably in keeping his east Belfast seat in the House of Commons on three occasions since he unseated Alliance leader Naomi Long MLA in the 2015 UK election.
In leadership, Robinson is also clearly taking limited steps to reform the party’s image, with the influence of septuagenarians Sammy Wilson and Gregory Campbell greatly diminished, while speeches by socially conservative millennials Carla Lockhart and Jonathan Buckley received the most enthusiastic reception from DUP delegates.
In his leader’s speech, Robinson made an explicit case for devolution, arguing that it is the best means of keeping Northern Ireland within the UK. Robinson’s enthusiasm for devolution was not matched by his party members, with a muted reception for deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA.
The DUP leader attempted to weave a web of being pro-devolution while being hardline on issues such as the Irish language, with a moderate culture war against nationalism clearly part of the DUP’s strategy to appeal to voters. However, having witnessed Robinson smile in a teddy-bear like manner before he took to the stage, what was clear is that this is not a man who is good at being a Paisley-like hardman.
Therefore, the main takeaways from this party conference is that the DUP is attempting to half-modernise, promoting new faces while continuing its social conservatism. Robinson faces no threat to his leadership, but it remains to be seen if this 39-year old, smiley-faced, east Belfast man can recover the DUP’s fortunes, whether through a move to the right or a move to the centre.
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SDLP: ‘Build something new’
The party which effectively designed the Good Friday Agreement has a new task; presenting itself as the bridge to a united Ireland for swing voters who Sinn Féin cannot reach. This is a tall ask for the SDLP, but one which party leadership is clearly staking its electoral prospects on.
Gathering the party’s members at Belfast’s Crowne Plaza Hotel for the third year in a row on 4 October 2025, this was an unusually high-energy SDLP conference, with Claire Hanna MP’s leader’s speech and a panel discussion on Irish reunification featuring leading Irish politicians capturing the imagination of most in attendance.
In her leader’s speech Hanna notable shifted the SDLP’s gear on Irish unity, calling on the Irish Government to establish a unification department and accusing it of “denying responsibility for planning for constitutional change”.
“We are not just a peace project to be managed and soothed. Many across this island are looking to Dublin for leadership that they have yet to provide,” Hanna said.
In a lively discussion chaired by former SDLP special advisor Michael McKernan, Fianna Fáil TD Shane Moynihan, Fine Gael TD Emer Currie, Labour leader Ivana Bacik TD, and Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney, all offered their perspectives on Irish unity, with a general consensus that it should happen, but that now is not the right time.
Challenging the Fianna Fáil position that reconciliation in the North should be a precondition for a border poll, McKernan accused Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD of “want[ing] to give unionists a veto” while praising the Shared Island Initiative as “brilliant stuff”.
The panel discussion was a clear demonstration as to why the SDLP (if it can survive as an electoral force) has a key role to play in the unification debate, with the discussion showcasing a considerable knowledge gap among the Dáil’s parties on the North, which they were forced to confront.
UUP: ‘Hope through prosperity’
Once the dominant party of unionism, UUP conferences are noticeably quieter than those from years past of this island’s oldest party.
Returning to the Crowne Plaza in south Belfast on 11 October 2025, there was a distinct lack of energy amongst those gathered, almost as if the party faithful were simply going through the motions amid wider questions surrounding the party’s leadership and direction.
Lethargy appears to extend to party leader Mike Nesbitt MLA, who took the reins of the party for a second time in September 2024. He was the only declared candidate.
His leadership is an open question after he told the BBC he “had a decision to make” on whether to retire in 2026. On numerous occasions throughout the conference, he cut a lone figure at the back of room, occasionally peering at the stage or engaging in muted applause, as if impatient for the exit.
Reception to his speech was noticeably tepid, with applause largely reserved for annual attacks on republicanism and a lukewarm argument against Irish unity.
Describing the latter as “voting for relegation”, Nesbitt highlighted the potential ramifications of unity regarding Dáil representation: “Unionists could hold the balance of power. Why would a proud Irish person want me, Gavin Robinson, or Jim Allister picking their next Taoiseach?”
As unionism continues to fracture, the UUP finds itself squeezed between Alliance; with its liberalism attracting middle-class voters; and the DUP leader Gavin Robinson MP urging all shades of unionism to coalesce around his party.
Green Data Summit 2026
Friday 23 January 2026
• The Gibson Hotel, Dublin
Meeting Ireland’s data centre growth sustainably
Data centres now account for 21 per cent of all electricity consumption in Ireland, rising from 5 per cent in 2015 amid exponential growth in cloud computing. Given the mainstreaming of AI and advent of quantum computing, energy consumption in data centres is set to increase significantly again, with the European Commission forecasting a sixfold increase over the next decade. In addition to energy use, data centres use increasing amounts of water for cooling purposes.
Although much of the debate has focused on the challenge of keeping pace with the increasing energy demand, data centre hosting presents an opportunity to underpin the long-term development of a significantly larger renewable energy sector in Ireland.
With the twin transitions of digitalisation and decarbonisation accelerating, this event will determine how data centres and the transition to a net zero energy system can co-exist. Additionally, the summit will take a wider focus through the lens of circular economy and investigate how Ireland can continue to benefit from the growth in data centres sustainably.
Key themes of the 2026 summit will be as follows:
a Overview of data centres in Ireland;
a Outlook for energy demand from data centres to 2030 and beyond;
a Growth of AI driving data centre expansion;
a Legislative context for data centre development and operation;
a Role of indigenous renewable energy sources, including renewable gases;
a Future electricity grid development;
a Case study: the net zero carbon data centre;
a Sustainable water use and circularity;
a Waste heat utilisation in district heating schemes;
a Visiting speakers on European policy, data centre evolution, and emerging technologies.
Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities available
Expert speakers include:
Michael McCarthy Director, Cloud Infrastructure Ireland Ibec
Padraig Fleming Biomethane Programme Manager Gas Networks Ireland
Lisa Foley Principal Consultant Cornwall Insight
John O’Shea Senior Energy Systems Analyst Codema
Senior representative EirGrid
Una Nic Giolla Choille
There are a limited number of opportunities for interested organisations to partner with the Irish Green Data Summit 2026. This is an excellent way for organisations to showcase their expertise and raise their profile with a key audience of senior policy and decision makers from across Ireland's energy sector. For further information on how your organisation can benefit, contact Jillian Wallace on +353 (0)1 661 3755 or email jillian.wallace@energyireland.com
Digital Marketing Dublin
Digital Marketing Dublin 2025, sponsored by LOCOMOTIVE, took place on Friday 26 September at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin. Over 200 delegates attended the event, which featured expert speakers from across the spectrum of digital marketing including a focus on targeting specific audiences through tools such as SEO, paid search, and email marketing.
Delegates in attendance heard from speakers, both visiting and local, from organisations including THINKHOUSE; HSE; Women’s Aid Ireland; Musgrave MarketPlace; Drury; and Procore Technologies.
Maryrose Lyons, The AI Institute; Darragh Doyle, Dublin City Council Culture Company; Gemma Adams, Irish Distillers; Maedhbh McDonald, Bord Bia; and JR Oakes, LOCOMOTIVE.
Alyson Stewart, Craig Duffy, Siomha Barron and Nicole Duque, DCU.
Digital Marketing Dublin 2025 crowd.
Sponsors speak with an attendee at the LOCOMOTIVE stand.
Sharon Moylan and Barbara Carroll, HEAnet.
Paul Nolan, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Services, presenting to delegates.
Claire Hyland, THINKHOUSE, presenting to delegates.
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Manchán Magan: 1970-2025
D’éag an scríbhneoir agus an craoltóir Manchán Magan i mí
Mheán Fómhair 2025 ag 55 bliana d’aois i mBaile Átha Cliath.
D’úsáid Magan a leabhair agus a chláir theilifíse le hiniúchadh a dhéanamh ar an nGaeilge, ar cultúr, agus ar thírdhreach na hÉireann. Dúirt an Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD go raibh Magan go mór ar son na Gaeilge agus chultúr na hÉireann, agus gur ionsoilsigh a chuid oibre saibhreas thírdhreach, stair, agus, oidhreacht na tíre.
Maireann a bhean chéile Aisling, a mháthair Cróine, agus a thriúr deartháireacha agus deirfiúracha. Imithe roimhe tá a athair, Michael, agus a dheirfiúr, Dairíosa.
Rugadh Magan i 1970 agus tógadh i nDomhnach Broc é. Thosaigh sé a ghairm mar chraoltóir ag déanamh clár faisnéise ar an taisteal. Rinne sé go leor clár teilifíse ar nós No Béarla, clár teilifíse faoi thaisteal timpeall na hÉireann ag labhairt na Gaeilge amháin.
D’oibrigh sé mar scríbhneoir colún nuachtán agus craoltór raidío do RTÉ Raidió 1. D’óstaigh Magan podchraoladh darb ainm The Almanac of Ireland a phléigh ceiliúradh traidisiúnta de chuid na gCeilteach ar nós Imbolc agus Shamhna, agus na rudaí atá le foghlaim againn ó logainimeacha áitiúla.
Anuas air sin, scríobh sé iomaí leabhar ar nós Thirty Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish Landscape, agus a leabhar is luaithe, Ninety-Nine Words for Rain (and One for Sun), a foilsíodh i mí Mheán Fómhair 2025.
Dúirt Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgins, atá ag eirí as i mí na Samhna 2025:: “Ba dhuine fíor-éachtach é Manchán. Is deacair é a shamhlú conas go mbeadh aon duine eile ábalta ionchur chomh leathan agus chomh tarraingteach a thabhairt chun áilleacht, doimhneacht agus
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“Ba dhuine fíor-éachtach é Manchán. Is deacair é a shamhlú conas go mbeadh aon duine eile ábalta ionchur chomh leathan agus chomh tarraingteach a thabhairt chun áilleacht, doimhneacht agus beocht na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn roimh an méid sin daoine, in Éirinn agus thar lear.”
beocht na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn roimh an méid sin daoine, in Éirinn agus thar lear.”
Bhí Magan ceangailte le Kneecap, agus bhí sé le feiceáil i bhfíseán ceoil an ghrúpa don amhrán ‘Drug Dealin Pagans’ óna albam nua Fine Art. Dúirt an grúpa go raibh Magan fíorthábhactach d’aiséirí na Gaeilge agus do chultúr na hÉireann.
I mí Nollag 2024, sheas Magan suas ar an stáitse leis an ngrúpa i rith a cheolchoirme san SSE Arena i mBéal Feirste. Dúirt an grúpa go raibh Magan ar an ambasadóir cultúrtha ba thábhachtaí dá ghlúin.
Is fada go raibh Machán ag obair le TG4 ó cuireadh an stáisiún ar bun i 1996 go dtí le tamall gairid anuas. Dúirt an stáisiún gur “chaith Manchán a shaol go diongbháilte ar son na Gaeilge agus chuir a shaothar go mór le cultúr agus craoltóireacht na hÉireann mar gheall ar an mbua iontach scéalaíochta a bhí aige”.
“Is iontach an saothar atá fágtha le hoidhreacht ag Manchán Magan agus is
Michael D Higgins
mór a rachaidh an cíoradh domhain dá chuid féin a rinne sé ar theanga, ar chultúr agus ar thír na hÉireann i gcion ar na glúnta atá le theacht.”
D’fhreastal Magan ar Choláiste na hOllscoile Bhaile Átha Cliath agust dúirt an ollscoil go raibh Magan ar cheann de na guthanna ba tábhachtaí don teanga, don chultúr, agus d’oidhreacht na tíre.
Dúirt an craoltóir RTÉ Fiachna Ó Braonáin gur chreid Magan i dteanga, nadúr, daoine, agus seanchultúr mar bhealaí chun tuiscint agus léargas a bhailiú. Ag labhart ar chlár Oliver Callan, dúirt sé gur rugadh Magan chun iniúchadh a dhéanamh.
Dúirt an t-ealaíontóir agus an t-óstach podchraolta Blindboy Boatclub go raibh a chroí briste ón nuacht. Ar na meáin shóisialta, scríobh sé gur caillteadh eolas agus mearadh le bás Magan.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
Crunch time for climate commitments
The next few months are a crucial test for the Government’s commitments in the Programme for Government to uphold the climate law and the limits on polluting emissions adopted under it, writes Oisín Coghlan.
The new Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien TD, has made much of the fact that the next Climate Action Plan will be the first one he is overseeing from start to finish. And it will come as the Government heads into the second Carbon Budget period from 2026 to 2030, for which the Oireachtas set a legally binding limit on total pollution of 200 MtCO2e back in 2022. Over the last few months analysis from the EPA and the Climate Change Advisory Council has underlined the yawning emissions gaps the Minister’s new plan has to close.
Firstly, there is the “adequacy gap” between the overall Carbon Budget and the total of the allocations to the sectors that comprise it, such as transport, electricity, agriculture and buildings. The combined total of the sectoral ceilings is 26 million tonnes higher than the overall budget, that is more than a 10 per cent overshoot, euphemistically called “unallocated savings”. It is as if the combined spending plans for all government departments were 10 per cent higher than the overall Budget announced by the finance ministers. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe TD and DPER Minister Jack Chambers TD would not stand for that, and Minister O’Brien cannot afford to let the line ministers walk all over him either.
Secondly, there is a policy gap. The latest EPA analysis found that if all the policies and measures outlined in the current Climate Action Plan were fully implemented, emissions would fall by 23
per cent by 2030, compared to the 51 per cent benchmark in the climate law that determined the Carbon Budget. But thirdly then there is an implementation gap: the EPA finds that existing policies will only deliver 9 per cent reductions. Thankfully, it is clear what the Government needs to do. The SEAI and UCC have laid out the ‘big five’ that would achieve 90 per cent of the carbon reductions needed. They can be summarised as: Wind, solar, grid; cutting car dependency; electrifying transport; retrofitting through heat pumps and district heating; and decarbonising industry.
The question is, will Minister O’Brien and the Government have the clarity and the conviction to deliver these policies? That means driving transformative change in the face of system inertia and the vocal opposition of some vested interests.
The signs are not encouraging. There is too much chatter about alternative policies that seem more amenable to incumbents and the fossil fuel industry, such as HVO, hydrogen, and biogas. There is what looks like capitulation to big tech with the Taoiseach discarding his climate reputation to court data centres. They already consume 22 per cent of our total electricity and just one of the proposed new data centres would use 10 per cent of electricity’s share of the carbon budget. It is a literal power grab.
We await the CRU’s final policy decision on electricity grid connections and their
forthcoming proposals on gas grid connections. If the Government is serious about its commitment to “decisive action to radically reduce our reliance on imported expensive fossil fuels”, then GNI should be mandated to plan for the phase down of the gas network not to power up data centres with fossil gas stations.
Meantime, Minister O’Brien needs to give himself a good talking to. Apart from deciding to procure a state gas reserve he told An Coimisiún Pleanála that the probation on commercial LNG terminals had been lifted despite telling a meeting of environmental NGOs that he thought importing LNG to increase gas use would be “against the climate law”. And he should have a word with the Minister for Transport too, who recently announced plans to end the passenger cap in Dublin Airport while stalling the Moving Together strategy to tackle traffic congestion on the ground. That minister is also Darragh O’Brien.
As we approach the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and Ireland’s first climate law in December 2025 Minister O’Brien must decide is he serious about our climate commitments or face judgement in the court of public opinion and, most likely, the court of law.
Oisín Coghlan is a policy advisor to the Environmental Pillar of social dialogue.
