Taking subsidies away from retired farmers would be a disaster on so many levels
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Irish Examiner
23 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Government has spent €640k on food and alcohol for dignitaries over past 10 years
Almost €640,000 has been spent on catering and hospitality at diplomatic receptions in Iveagh House over the last decade, new figures show. The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it has spent a total of €638,333 on catering services at its main location in Dublin, Iveagh House. Within this, the department has spent €52,940 on alcohol for its reception events during the same period. This refers to the restocking of its house wine, kept in storage on site, and does not include other costs of alcohol if provided at receptions. The costs span between 2014 and 2024. Catering costs were at their highest in 2019, with the department spending €99,753 on events at Iveagh House. Of that, €11,714 was spent on restocking its house wines. The lowest spends were seen in 2021, where just €1,505 was spent on catering. This is likely due to covid-19 restrictions preventing significant gatherings. For three years — 2020, 2021 and 2022 — no funds were spent on restocking house wines by the department. Last year, the department spent €52,753 on catering for events, of which €2,845 was spent on restocking house wines. The figures were provided to Labour TD Conor Sheehan, through a parliamentary question. Events hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs, whether at Iveagh House or at embassies abroad, typically are accompanied by catering services, with plenty of food and drink for diplomats or guests. At events abroad, guests at Irish embassies can expect to be served with wines and beer, with Guinness typically on offer. Tánaiste and foreign affairs minister Simon Harris said such hospitality events were a 'standard feature of international diplomatic practice and take place in a range of formats that vary in size and scope'. Mr Harris said hospitality events formed 'part of the overall strategy by which the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade seeks to engage with Ireland's international partners'. He added they 'advance Ireland's economic, political, foreign policy and other key national interests, promote Irish culture and increase Ireland's international influence generally'. 'Events hosted by the department at Iveagh House include receptions but also extend to business breakfasts, working lunches and official dinners for visiting high-level foreign dignitaries and/or senior officials, as well as conferences, seminars and networking opportunities,' Mr Harris said, in his response to Mr Sheehan. They seek to showcase the quality and variety of Irish produce wherever possible but are always delivered with value for the Irish taxpayer strongly in mind. Mr Sheehan said he did not dispute the need to use hospitality as part of representing Ireland on the world stage, but questioned the high spend on alcohol. 'We have to ask ourselves: is it really appropriate for alcohol to feature so heavily in that image?' Mr Sheehan said. 'Spending over €50,000 of taxpayers' money on alcohol sends the wrong message. At a time when Ireland is rightly promoting public health, responsible consumption, and a more inclusive image abroad, shouldn't we be reflecting those values in our diplomatic practices. 'This isn't about eliminating hospitality or penny-pinching — it's about asking whether a well-stocked drinks cabinet should still be a fixture of modern diplomacy.'
Irish Independent
26 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Almost 9,000 people lost their jobs in Ireland last month as uncertainty over tariffs grows
There were 143,100 people registered unemployed last month, compared with 134,500 in June. The seasonally adjusted rate of 4.9pc in July was up from 4.6pc in June, and on an annual basis it was up from the revised rate of 4.5pc in July 2024. There was a particularly noticeable uptick in joblessness numbers within the 15 to 24-year-old age cohort, with the youth unemployment rate of 12.2pc in July up from the 11.3pc recorded in June. Andrew Webb, chief economist at Grant Thornton Ireland, said the rise in the headline rate to 4.9pc is a warning light on the economic dashboard. 'After three months of rate stability, this sharp increase, especially the spike in youth unemployment to 12.2pc, suggests that business confidence may be softening,' he said. 'Rising global uncertainty and the growing risk of tariffs are making firms more cautious. That hesitation is now showing up in the jobs data. Ireland's labour market remains strong by historical standards, but policymakers should take this signal seriously. If ignored, today's flicker could become a more persistent fault.' Tariffs of between 10pc and 50pc were imposed by the US today on dozens of countries, while the White House and European Commission continued negotiations on a joint statement intended to add detail to their headline trade deal. The document will not be legally binding. As US president Donald Trump threatened a 100pc tariff on computer chips, the commission insisted that a 15pc rate will still apply to EU exports. 'We have a commitment for a 15pc across-the-board tariff ceiling,' said commission spokesman Olof Gill. 'That captures all products.' Talks about exempting certain goods are continuing, according to Mr Gill, but European wine and spirits will not escape the 15pc tariff that hits most imports from the EU to America from tomorrow. ADVERTISEMENT With the US accounting for about one third of all Irish exports, the impact of a long-term 15pc tariff is likely to be substantial, particularly as it includes pharma. The drag on economic growth is likely to suppress inflation, as was seen in the decrease to 1.7pc last month, mainly caused by lower prices for clothes. The continuing growth in wages could put upward pressure on prices, however. The Central Bank of Ireland has forecast that Compensation Per Employee will rise by 3.8pc on average from 2025 to 2027. In its most recent Quarterly Bulletin, the bank also pointed out that firms could react to the uncertainty surrounding tariffs by adjusting working hours rather than laying off staff. Average hours worked already remain below pre-pandemic levels across many sectors. The hiring platform Indeed said job postings on its Irish website increased slightly to 11pc in July, but are still down from the 19pc seen at the start of the year. 'This confirms a gradual and ongoing, but by no means worrying, cooling of the labour market,' said Jack Kennedy, a senior economist with Indeed. 'Even though the level of Irish job postings has reduced, the unemployment rate has remained below 5pc with employers still struggling to recruit staff in certain categories. This month marks the 42nd month in a row that the unemployment rate has been below 5pc.'
Agriland
37 minutes ago
- Agriland
Agri committee chair: More funding needed for 'Forgotten Farmers'
The chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food Aindrias Moynihan has called for increased funding to support Long Established Young Farmers, commonly referred to as 'Forgotten Farmers'. The Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North-West said that the €5 million allocated in Budget 2025 to provide support to this group is 'only a first step in righting historic wrongs'. The so-called 'Forgotten Farmers' are individuals who were under 40 in 2015 and began farming before 2008. Due to the timing of their entry into agriculture, they were excluded from young farmer supports under the 2015 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), missing out on installation aid and other key supports available to their contemporaries. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) said that the scheme for Forgotten Farmers will open for online applications until 5:30p.m on August 13, 2025. The department said that applicants can avail of a payment of up to €5,000 (depending on application numbers). Commenting on the scheme, Deputy Moynihan said: 'This is about justice and fairness. These farmers were unfairly excluded from critical supports through no fault of their own". "They've been overlooked for far too long, and this scheme is a long-overdue recognition of their contribution to Irish agriculture. 'While I welcome the scheme's introduction, it is only the beginning. Justice must be meaningful. These farmers deserve not just recognition, but adequate compensation. "I'm glad to see the scheme come to fruition, but now we must build on it to ensure those who were left behind finally receive what they are due," he said. Deputy Moynihan said these farmers 'met every requirement, except the cut-off date". "That was the only thing that disqualified them. Despite this, they've kept working hard without the supports others received, placing them at an unfair advantage. "While the scheme offers payments of up to €5,000 per farmer, it won't fully make up for the years of lost support," he added. Deputy Moynihan said that he will continue to raise this issue with the Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine Martin Heydon throughout the upcoming budget negotiations. "If we're going to right a wrong, we must ensure we get it right," he said.
