Ministerial report cards: How did the new Cabinet perform in its first six months?
Micheál Martin (FF)
Taoiseach 6/10
Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Micheál Martin
, the great survivor of Irish politics, has been Fianna Fáil leader for 14 years, weathering the financial crash that ended other political careers in his party. He is now in his second stint as Taoiseach. He is hard-working and knowledgeable but can be testy and easily baited.
There is no question about his absolute authority within his own party. Still, there have been some big cock-ups since January. The saga over the
speaking rights
for the Michael Lowry group of Independent TDs was damaging, as was
the long time
it took to set up Oireachtas committees.
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On a macro level, Martin and his fellow party leader in Government, Fine Gael's Simon Harris, have presided over record spending in recent years. There is a strong correction this year, with much of the money from the Apple tax windfall, plus corporation tax, being put into the two new fiscal buffers. Critics say it may be too late. The next year should really test the Government and its political wherewithal.
Like many other leaders who have entered the White House this year, Martin looked at times like a deer in the headlights when he was in the Oval Office with Donald Trump on the St Patrick's trip in March.
However, he and Harris have been far braver than most other EU states (with the exception of Spain) on the issue of Gaza.
Simon Harris (FG)
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence 5/10
Tánaiste Simon Harris. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Simon Harris
had a tough general election last November and the party's poll numbers under the Wicklow TD have struggled around 16 and 17 per cent, below the party's 21 per cent election result and well below the high of 27 per cent last September, when Harris was still enjoying the boost from his March 2024 election to leader.
He is still highly visible when it comes to public and media exposure but his impact seems lower. Critics might say he should pursue less visibility and more substance. But keeping a low profile might not be in his nature given his hunger to dominate the airwaves and headlines.
As Minister for Trade, Harris has been active. He and Martin put huge emphasis on securing a 10 per cent tariff rate with the US, making the EU's concession to the US on a15 per cent tariff
harder to sell
when it happened.
Like Martin, he has been
unstinting in his criticism of Israel
over the war on Gaza. His next immediate task will be to nuance the framing of the
Occupied Territories Bill
and decide what to do with services, now that an
Oireachtas committee has recommended their inclusion
in the legislation prohibiting trade with Israeli companies operating in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories.
James Browne (FF)
Minister for Housing 3/10
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
James Browne
has had a dismal first six months. Yet, he could end up among the best performing at the end.
The Fianna Fáil politician had a reputation as a 'doer'. As a junior minister, he
steered through
gambling legislation while withstanding intensive lobbying.
Housing is a different proposition. It's where ministerial careers go to die. Browne has had setbacks: jumping the gun with
his idea to appoint Nama chief executive Brendan McDonagh
as the housing 'tsar'; the reform of rent pressure zones
not fully thought through
; and communication shortfalls.
He's not the first new Minister to have a poor start – Heather Humphreys and Norma Foley come to mind.
The reason: he doesn't shy from taking decisions. Recent ones include
ditching a large public-private partnership (PPP) project
, and league tables for local authorities' performance in
delivering social housing
.
He has yet to prove he has clear focus and an understanding of the broader picture.
Being bold brings risk. There's no in-between for Browne – it's either big success or abject failure.
Dara Calleary (FF)
Minister for Social Protection and Rural Affairs 5/10
Dara Calleary, Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. Photograph: Damien Eagers
The
Fianna Fáil man
is a competent politician who will have no difficulty running a super-efficient department with a huge budget such as Social Protection's. And for a rural politician, the other side of his ministerial brief – Community, Rural Affairs and the Gaeltacht – has few downsides.
So far, he has been steady but unspectacular. He's talked about tackling welfare fraud but then so did his predecessors and he will be the Minister who
will make pension auto-enrolment
a reality after months of delays.
There is full employment now. If there are rockier economic times ahead, he could bear some of the brunt of it. Already, the era of once-off payments is over, despite households in arrears with energy bills. There are many other areas of welfare that could be reformed. Does he have the appetite to fix those?
Martin Heydon (FG)
Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fishing and the Marine 6/10
Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fishing and the Marine. Photograph: John Ohle for Irish Times
The
Fine Gael politician
comes from a farming background, and having served his apprenticeship as a junior minister in the department, he is in the mould of a minister for agriculture. Smart and independent thinking, he has been assured in the role.
Agriculture is settled at the moment but there are clouds ahead. The nitrates directive exemption is on the line and Heydon will have to convince Brussels that
Ireland's record on water quality
is improving. The tariffs will also have a big impact on dairy exports to the US – mainly Kerrygold's – and to the drinks/whiskey industry. Heydon has been busy with trade missions to Korea and other countries to try to open up new markets. There is also a new round of Common Agricultural Policy negotiations about to commence.
Norma Foley (FF)
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality 5/10
Norma Foley, Minister for Children, Disability and Equality. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.
The
Kerry TD
has been largely low-key during her first six months in her new department.
Bringing down childcare costs and increasing provision was a huge issue in the election. There will be pressure on her to deliver.
Already she is tempering expectations on the time span to reduce the overall fee to €200 per month.
She handled the fallout over
the Grace report well
. But she faces ongoing issues with budget overruns at Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, its performance, the number of children in unregulated emergency accommodation and the agency's failure to
comply with court orders
.
Helen McEntee (FG)
Minister for Education and Youth 6/10
Helen McEntee, Minister for Education. Photograph: Cate McCurry/PA Wire
The
Fine Gael Minister
had a mixed legacy at the Department of Justice but she is policy-centred and a reformer by instinct.
Education should suit her as the brief is wide; there are many issues with much scope to push through change. She has already engaged with the reformed curriculum for the Leaving Certificate, including the impact of artificial intelligence (AI); issued warnings to schools that don't provide special education places; and has undertaken to
address high absenteeism in schools
in disadvantaged areas, amid a wider review of the DEIS programme.
She is promising to
make a new national convention
– the first in more than 30 years – the 'largest national conversation on education in the history of the State' in the coming academic year.
She has promised to
use 'all levers'
to ensure religious orders pay full redress once the new Commission of Inquiry into historical sex Abuse in certain schools has reported. It's a promise that will be impossible to honour.
James Lawless (FF)
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science 4/10
James Lawless, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Lawless
landed himself in hot water in June for stating Government policy that college fees would revert from €2,000 to €3,000 as there will be no cost-of-living package in the budget. He got clobbered, including from Fine Gael Ministers. It was a display of slight naivety.
The low mark reflects that uneasy start. Fees and budgets for third-level institutions will loom large during his term.
The big theme for him is improving research performance. That resonates with the wider imperatives for Ireland in addressing the threats posed by Donald Trump administration's protectionist policies. If he succeeds, he will leave a strong legacy.
Patrick O'Donovan (FG)
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport. 6/10
Patrick O'Donovan, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Patrick O'Donovan
can be abrasive in his manner and that doesn't always endear him to some but he is effective. His predecessor, Catherine Martin, was strong on arts and culture but not on communications and sport. With O'Donovan it's the other way around. People think he has no affinity with culture, but he has four years to prove them wrong.
Already, there have been controversies. He refused to sanction a new contract for
Arts Council
director Maureen Kennelly because of the council's botched €7 million IT system. That seemed to blame the council when the reporting failures within the department were equally shocking. He has adopted a tough stance on RTÉ governance too. He become caught up last month in
a very public row
with An Post chief executive David McRedmond over media leaks out of Cabinet about the company's finances. (O'Donovan denied he was the leaker.)
Peter Burke (FG)
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment 8/10
Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
Although only appointed a senior Minister in 2024,
Burke
was one of the continuity ministers in the new Cabinet. He is viewed as assured and strategic. Low-key in manner, he was canny enough to deal with someunpopular matters early in the life of this Government, such as
axing the policy
to extend sick leave.
Fine Gael to his core, Burke has put a big focus on competitiveness. The lowering of VAT for food and drink hospitality was scored as a win for Burke. He came up quickly with a
diversification plan
to encourage exporters to seek new markets for Irish goods following Trump's global tariff-fest on 'Liberation Day' on April 1st.
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (FG)
Minister for Health 7/10
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister for Health. Photograph: Sam Boal/Collins Photos
Carroll MacNeill
is seen as confident, composed, articulate and ambitious, but this difficult portfolio will be a test of her clear leadership aspirations.
She had some early wins on waiting lists and her drive to get seven-day rosters implemented in hospitals.
But challenges are mounting up. There's been a 25 per cent increase in staff levels in the health service in recent years. The health budgets seem to need an extra €2 billion every single year, but the increases are not matched by productivity improvements. She will need to get bang for bucks from the HSE and that will include making Saturday a normal working day.
She will also have to decide whether numerous failures in surgeries on children will allow Children's Health Ireland to continue as an independent entity. Or can CHI be trusted to run the national children's hospital when it finally opens after budget overruns and delays? And what about the practice of 'insourcing' (engaging external companies using HSE resources after working hours) to tackle waiting lists? This is yet another hugely expensive solution that has been shown to raise governance issues.
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Inside the insourcing industry: The multimillion euro business within our public hospitals
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Paschal Donohoe (FG)
Minister for Finance 6/10
Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Finance. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Only Taoiseach Micheál Martin has more experience in government than
Paschal Donohoe
. The Fine Gael man is well-connected too; he has just been re-elected to his third term as president of the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers.
Donohoe's record has to be viewed in tandem with that of Jack Chambers, his fellow economic minister at the Cabinet table. They have the same close congruence that Donohoe had with Michael McGrath when he was there.
Since January, they have stated there will be no cost-of-living package this year because of Trump-induced uncertainty. The huge once-off payments of recent years were funded by bonanza returns of corporation tax. With that no longer available, the next two years will be a huge test for Donohoe.
Jack Chambers (FF)
Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform 6/10
Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Fianna Fáil's deputy leader
, Chambers took the dramatic elevation to the key Finance portfolio last year in his stride. He delivered an assured first budget, which was made easier by a €2.2 billion cost-of-living package that won't be repeated this year.
Now in Public Expenditure, his big ticket item is the €200 billion
National Development Plan
which has focused on housing (€28 billion); water services (€7.7 billion); energy (€3.5 billion); transport including the Metro (€22.3 billion); and health (€9 billion).
Chambers may appear mild-mannered , but colleagues say he has been unyielding on reining in the departmental budget. Armed with a report highlighting the shocking delays in delivering big capital projects, he will need to greatly reduce those delays if the NDP is to pass muster.
Jim O'Callaghan
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 8/10
Jim O'Callaghan, Minister for Justice. Photograph: Collins Courts
O'Callaghan
is a first-time Minister but his political instincts and legal career have given him a good understanding of his portfolio.
He has adopted a tough stance on two key areas: immigration and law and order
On international protection, he has repeated the message that those who are not entitled to asylum are not entitled to stay. Chartered deportation flights are back; there is strong support for the EU Migration and Asylum pact; and the Cabinet has approved the purchase of Citywest Hotel as a part of a plan to provide State-owned accommodation to asylum seekers. His cause has been helped by
a 43 per cent drop in the number of people seeking protection this year
.
Elsewhere, he has pressed his credentials as a law-and-order Minister. His decision to give a State apology to the family of Shane O'Farrell – the Longford cyclist killed by a car driven by a man on bail – showed he can manage difficult and sensitive issues and won him respect.
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How Shane O'Farrell's family spent 14 years searching for the truth after fatal hit-and-run
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Darragh O'Brien (FF)
Minister for Transport, Climate, Energy and Environment. 5/10
Darragh O'Brien, Minister for Transport. Photograph: Alan Betson
O'Brien
's worst moment as a member of this Government was a painful reminder from his former department. During the election campaign, he and other ministers insisted housing completions in 2024 would be close to 40,000. In reality, they were closer to 30,000.
The Fianna Fáil TD has a sprawling portfolio extending across two departments. It's no surprise that his priorities are different from those of his predecessor, former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. So, already there is more leaning into roads, aviation (specifically, lifting the passenger cap in Dublin Airport) and the expansion of data centres. There is still emphasis on public transport, not least the long-promised Metro, Dart, Luas and Bus Connects, the first route of which was approved this week.
His record will rest on delivery and that's going to take time. He is a fast talker – and sometimes accused of flannelling – but is an underrated Minister.
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Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
More imagination needed to solve the housing emergency
When the Government declared covid-19 an emergency, bureaucracy was set aside and targets were achieved in recognition of the common good. No matter how well-intentioned the Government is about solving the housing crisis, it will require a collaborative approach as effective as addressing the pandemic. While the recently revised National Development Plan (NDP) announcement of enhanced infrastructure investment, including over €30bn of investment in housing, is to be welcomed, a more imaginative approach is needed. At this stage, given rising homeless figures at over 14,000 - including 5,000 children - the need for housing is an emergency and should be declared as such. It's now time for all stakeholders to put their shoulder to the wheel including senior civil servants, local authorities, communities and citizens. There seems to be a sense in Government that only 35,000 new homes will be built per year, even though it has increased annual housing targets to 83,000. 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This has resulted in small and medium-sized indigenous builders being forced to reduce output and increasingly going out of business due to an inability to acquire adequate sites. This is a key contributing factor as to why national target outputs are not being reached. To increase output as envisaged, there needs to be a functioning land market as existed pre-2014 where agents had a supply of this type of land and builders could purchase. Construction work at Waterfall Heights, by Bridgewater, at Waterfall Road, Bishopstown, Cork. Ireland now has the second highest proportionate housing expenditure in the EU. Picture Larry Cummins There is also the innate loyalty and stickability of the Irish domestic builder: the same cannot be said of developments funded by foreign capital. Having excess amounts of land zoned doesn't translate to bad planning – allowing badly planned development on zoned land causes bad outcomes. In recent years, the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) has overseen the dezoning of land, much of which was serviced, based on a flawed NPF reliant on out-of-date ESRI model of future demand. The OPR's role must transition to one of 'implementor' - facilitating and overseeing domestic Irish construction companies throughout the country to build housing estates of 50-150 homes creating employment throughout various regions and rural Ireland. Indeed, in this capacity they can also oversee the necessary construction of large apartment complexes in cities and large towns, while also facilitating high-density compact housing estates on the periphery of cities and satellite towns. But while kickstarting smaller apartments is necessary to meet housing targets, encouraging a proportionate number of larger homes should also be considered to accommodate families. No further dezoning should be permitted without proven and solid grounds. What chance do large, medium or small developers have in securing funding for purchasing and building on serviced zoned land when the local authority, at the instruction of the Planning Regulator, can withdraw that zoning without notice. Funders or developers cannot operate in such a business environment. Lands dezoned in recent years should be rezoned by each relevant local authority. This, coupled with prioritised water and electricity supply schemes, would increase availability to build several thousand houses in the short term. Many housing developments are subject to Local Area Plans (LAPs) several of which have expired and therefore cannot be relied upon. Preparing masterplans is expensive and time consuming leading to planning application submission delays up to 12 to 18 months. This process needs to be streamlined and prioritised and LAPs need to be fast-tracked. Apprentice training schemes mentioned in the revised NDP are of course welcome, however, in the immediate term availability of trained personnel is not the problem. Recent lay-offs by indigenous companies points to this with others stating they are operating well below capacity. Reduced local authority levies and other costs within the State's control would be more effective, particularly in the short-term. The cost of building is also having a damaging impact on further vitally-needed supply. Dublin is the second most expensive city in Europe to build apartments with the cost of delivering a two-bed apartment around €600k in Dublin, and €460k to deliver a three-bed house. Ireland now has the second highest proportionate housing expenditure in the EU. Several Government initiatives have been introduced to address these costs including the Croi Conaithe Cities Scheme, First Home Equity Scheme, and the Help to Buy scheme among others. However, these demand-side subsidies have not had the desired impact and therefore need to be enhanced including a recalibration of the caps set for the First Home Equity and the Help to Buy Schemes, respectively, and allowing the payment support of the Croi Conaithe Cities scheme to be made upfront. Garry Keegan: 'The National Development Plan's revised aspiration of 300,000 new homes over the next five years will only be achieved if radical steps are taken.' The recently announced reduction in the minimum size requirement for apartments and other deregulations to increase the number of allowable units per core proves that the Custom House is listening to expert and experienced advice from the construction industry. More needs to be done to reduce the gap between construction costs and what can be achieved in the open market. By adopting the same collective approach as has been done in the recent past to address the most pertinent issue facing the State, only then will this current crisis be averted. Dr Garry Keegan is a former Dublin City councillor, former ESB board member and recently published Infrastructure Projects and Local Communities . He has worked on infrastructure and housing development projects over the past three decades.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Letters to the Editor, August 7th: On the wisdom of Metrolink, abortion data, and the red fox
Sir, – Dermot Desmond's claim that AI will render MetroLink obsolete ignores the reality that traffic congestion already costs the Dublin economy over €336 million annually, rising to €1.5 billion per year by 2040 (' AI will make Dublin's MetroLink obsolete ,' says Dermot Desmond, August 5th). Congestion isn't typically caused by parked cars, but by vehicles using roads at the same time. Self-driving cars won't solve that problem as they will still take up the same road space as existing vehicles. Meanwhile, Ryanair's Michael O'Leary's fanciful proposal that we should cancel MetroLink in favour of building a new motorway in the Irish Sea would also surely find itself to be expensive and highly congested on whatever day in 2045 or 2050 it would open. What does work is the high-capacity public transport solutions in use all across the world, including in Ireland, such as electrified suburban rail (Dart, Luas, MetroLink), combined with segregated cycling lanes and walking tracks and greenways. READ MORE These are systems that move thousands efficiently, reduce emissions, and make urban spaces more liveable. We have the plans now. Let's get on with implementing them without further delay. – Yours, etc, ROSS Ó CURRÁIN, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. Sir, – What is it about Irish billionaires/multi-millionaires and MetroLink, and with our eagerness to listen to their 'pearls of wisdom'? First Michael O'Leary's rant and now Dermot Desmond, with his outlandish claims that self-driving cars will make public transport redundant. Setting aside the serious safety concerns with autonomous vehicles, especially in urban areas, we would do well to learn from the experience of Uber and other rideshare platforms which made similar claims about congestion reduction. Study after study has shown that they in fact increased congestion in cities where they operated and had almost no impact on car ownership. Any privately operated AI-driven autonomous vehicle service will have the same commercial pressures to increase car dependency. I do, however, share Mr Desmond's optimism about the possibility of significant reductions in car ownership. This will be achieved, not through futuristic technology, but by investing in our public transport and active travel infrastructure which will make cars redundant in our cities. – Yours, etc, CIARÁN FERRIE, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Sir, – I must keep an eye out for Dermot Desmond the next time I'm waiting for the Luas. – Yours, etc, HELEN PEAKIN, Terenure, Dublin 6W. Sir, – Why does The Irish Times continue to publish the opinions of billionaires about public transport projects? When was the last time Denis Desmond took a train? He tells us that self-driving cars will mean there are fewer cars on the road, and thus no need for the Metro. Even a brief moment of introspection will show this to be the opposite of the case. Self-driving cars will likely spend more time on the road as they cruise around looking to pick up passengers, just as taxis do today. Would car manufacturers really be investing in AI if they thought it would result in fewer car sales? AI will likely make Dublin's traffic much worse, not better. It will be the same the world over. China, no laggard on AI, is massively expanding its public transport system in the coming years. Dublin absolutely does need a metro. – Yours, etc, Dr MARK SUGRUE, Donaghmede, Dublin 13. Sir, – I have just read the report about Dermot Desmond and the proposed metro system. The newspaper recently has seen an onslaught of articles against MetroLink and improvements to the public realm, led by contributors such as Frank McDonald and Michael McDowell. Is there any space to be had for progressives in the newspaper? The arguments currently being used against the metro we have seen before. The Dart would cost too much, nobody would use the Luas. Nobody now would seriously suggest we dismantle either rail system. The same will be true of the MetroLink when it too is built. It is never going to be cheaper to build the metro than now, it is never more needed than it is now. Let's stop the propagation of fantasy arguments and promote a positive vision of MetroLink. – Yours, etc, ADAM LADD, Drimnagh, Dublin 12. Sir, – It is reasonable to expect that southside residents wanting to use the metro to go to the airport will have luggage with them. But how are they to get to the St Stephen's Green station with that luggage? Luas and buses are not able to accommodate luggage, and it is unlikely that a sufficient park and ride could be offered in that area. The metro would therefore be useless for airport access for a huge number of potential travellers. This problem needs a solution before we spend any of the billions proposed. We don't need a white elephant. – Yours, etc, DAVID O'HIGGINS Stillorgan, Co Dublin. Slim chance Sir, – I read with interest how the availability of GLP-1 medications has rung the death knell for the body positivity movement (' Body positivity fell from favour as soon as Ozempic brought thinness back ,' August 4th). Any chance someone will invent an Ozempic to help slim down the size of and curtail the appetite for SUVs on our roads? – Yours, etc, ULTAN Ó BROIN, Blackrock, Co Dublin. Abortion data collection Sir, – It was recently reported that the HSE will be rolling out a pilot scheme in some hospitals to collect more data and information on abortion in Ireland (' More detailed data on abortions to be collected from Irish hospitals ,' August 5th). This is welcome, as Irish data collection for abortion has proven inaccurate and unsatisfactory, in contrast with other jurisdictions. For example, the total number of abortion notifications received by the Department of Health for 2021 was just 4,577. But according to a supplementary memo, the department acknowledged this figure fails to tally with the total number of abortions actually performed. Instead, it estimated, based on the total number of reimbursements for abortion paid to GPs in 2021, that the figure is likely closer to 6,700. In addition to inadequately completed notifications returns, the limited data sought in the forms leaves much to be desired as it only provides the total number of abortions performed by month and county. This excluded collecting data such as age, gravidity, and gestational age. Knowing this information is important to inform the public about the scale and nature of abortion in Ireland, but also to allow researchers and policymakers to identify trends. When the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 was being drafted in autumn 2018 after the referendum in the same year, an amendment to the legislation was tabled which would have ensured that such comprehensive data was included in the notifications form. The amendment sought the same data as that collected in the English HSA4 form. But the government of the day rejected this motion outright, instead opting for limited data collection. Had that amendment been taken on board at the time, we would have a far clearer picture of the trends and realities of abortion in Ireland. While it is welcome that the HSE has recognised the importance of comprehensive and accurate data collection, this should have been a key component of abortion policy since the law became operational seven years ago. – Yours, etc, EILÍS MULROY, Pro Life Campaign Dublin 2. Sunny disposition Sir, – Concerning falling birth rates, Breda O'Brien contrasts five European countries where the decline is not so steep (Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden and Britain) with four which are rock bottom (Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain) ('Let's stop glorifying motherhood and glorify parenthood instead,' August 2nd). Could sunshine have something to do with it? – Yours, etc, SADHBH Ní SEACHNASAIGH, Galway. Gaza and showing compassion Sir, – Fintan O'Toole's latest article on events in Gaza is a lesson in what real journalism can and should achieve. It sits as a reminder to others that there is no such thing as 'silly season' when it comes to informing and educating the public. The homeless remain homeless, the poor remain poor, and the victims of war continue to suffer no matter the season. O'Toole's compassion and erudition is a beacon in a sea of mediocrity and long may he continue in his quest. – Yours, etc, PAUL GRAY, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. Sir, – Una Mullally is right: the passing of the Occupied Territories Bill by the Irish Government could well be a catalyst for a global boycott, divestment, and sanctioning of Israel (' Ireland can be a beacon with the Occupied Territories Bill, ' August 4th). As Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu considers a full takeover of the Gaza Strip and the starvation and killing continues, this legislation should be expedited as a matter of urgency – and it should include services (as recommended by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade). In this context, the Dáil and Seanad should be recalled during the summer recess for an emergency session to pass this legislation – which could coincide with a national day of protest, as suggested by a previous letter writer. Importantly, a national day of protest combined with legislative action in Leinster House on the same day should be accompanied by politicians and the public alike calling on Hamas to release all the hostages, to disarm, and to disband. The time for decisive moral leadership and action is now. – Yours, etc, CHRIS FITZPATRICK, Terenure, Dublin 6. Sir, – I agree with Diarmuid Ó Cinnéide (Letters, August 5th) that the publication of pictures of starving and emaciated children is both gut-churning and traumatising. However, these distressing pictures have dramatically served to increase the public and political outcry as to the urgent need for an end to these horrific conflicts. – Yours, etc. JOSEPH TUMMON, Circular Road, Galway . Looking busy Sir, – Greg Maxwell's letter (August 2nd) on the matter of 'The look of looking busy' and the experience of the late Sam McAughtry reminds me of my own experience many years ago, coincidently again in the Department of Agriculture but here in Dublin. I was assigned early in my civil service career to the minister's office and during the day, made a point of dutifully clearing my desk and ensuring that all files and correspondence were dealt with . On one of these days, the deputy secretary general of the department stopped, looked at my pristine desk, and his advice was: 'Never sit at an empty desk, always have a significant number of files at hand, at least two open, and avoid looking up or interrupting your close scrutiny of all these documents.' I took his advice but I doubt if my career blossomed to the same extent as Sam's. – Yours, etc, MARTIN McDONALD, Terenure, Dublin 12. Speeding motorists Sir, – Travelling to Donegal from Dublin and back again over the weekend I was amazed at the complete disregard by a very large number of my fellow motorists for the speed limit on our roads. Each time I went over the speed limit by two or three kilometres my car emitted a reminder to inform me of my transgression. As I slowed down to the appropriate kilometres per hour I was on each occasion overtaken by several cars travelling at a much greater speed. – Yours, etc, MARY DALY, Rathfarnham, Dublin. Protecting the red fox Sir, – I commend to all, John Fitzgerald's excellent letter 'Protecting the fox', August 5th. Ireland, due to its geography, has a dearth of natural fauna and is fortunate to have foxes, a beautiful and intelligent animal, which has sadly been persecuted in the past. Urban dwellers are now favoured by the presence of these animals, giving children the opportunity to observe nature close up. Foxes also do much to keep rats under control and contrary to ill-informed prejudice do not spread of disease. We should admire and protect our fine red foxes. – Yours, etc, Dr D O'BRIEN, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14. Sir, – While I share John Fitzgerald's opposition to hunting foxes with dogs I do not agree with his assertion that: 'The hound is not a natural enemy of the fox. Both are dogs. Hence, the need to train novice hounds to hunt foxes from an early age.' I have owned dogs of various shapes and sizes for many years and found that they, unfortunately, required no training at all to chase after foxes; in fact it would have required some intensive training to stop them from doing so. While foxes and domestic dogs are from the same family of mammals, their evolutionary paths diverged millions of years ago. – Yours, etc, KATHERINE QUIRKE, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Supermarkets and food recalls Sir, – It appears that the supermarkets are keeping a low profile in relation to the listeria infection. While I do not have a loyalty card, I, nonetheless handed back my suspect chicken jalfrezi to the customer services desk of my local Tesco and was refunded the ¤4.25 in cash without question. – Yours, etc, TONY CORCORAN, Dublin 14. Front gardens Sir, – Louisa Moss draws attention to the environmental dangers involved in building small homes in back gardens (Letters, August 6th). In recent years many front gardens in suburban areas have been replaced by cobble lock and tarmac, neither of which is permeable, thus leading to direct run-off and local flooding. If houses are built in back gardens there will undoubtedly be an increased demand for car parking in front gardens with the consequent demise of the already threatened hedges, shrubs and small trees which contribute so much to urban biodiversity and help prevent flooded drains. – Yours, etc, LOUIS O'FLAHERTY, Dublin 9.
Irish Times
5 hours ago
- Irish Times
Miriam Lord: People discarded jackets in the heat, but Princess Anne was clad in scarf and gloves
After 14 years in Áras An Uachtaráin , Michael D Higgins is well into the not-long-now phase of his presidency. Not everyone says it when they meet him, but it's what they are thinking. On Wednesday morning, as journalists gathered in the State Reception Room in advance of a courtesy call from the United Kingdom's Princess Anne , the impending arrival of a new tenant in the President of Ireland's official residence concentrated minds. Some were already feeling a bit nostalgic for the Michael D days. ' Not long to go now ,' they sighed, before joining the speculation over his successor. READ MORE His term of office ends officially in early November. And a date for the presidential election has yet to be announced, but the pre-race rumour mill is now running at full silly season tilt. Not long now. British media outlets were describing the visit as possibly Michael D's last engagement with a 'senior royal'. Princess Anne was in town to visit the Dublin Horse Show , so she took the opportunity to nip up to the Phoenix Park to pay her respects, like her mother did before her during that historic state visit in 2011. It was a very low-key affair, but statements released afterwards by the Áras and the British embassy underscored what ambassador Paul Johnston called 'the deep and enduring friendship between the United Kingdom and Ireland'. Although we may be a proud Republic, the royal family across the water has long been a rich source of gossipy fascination and diverse entertainment. And of that extended Windsor clan, Princess Anne (she turns 75 in a week and a half) seems to be viewed as a generally sound, no-nonsense, hard-working member of the firm. There was a lot of media interest in her visit. She was greeted on arrival by Orla O'Hanrahan, secretary general to the President, who escorted the Princess Royal to the door of the State reception room via the Francini Corridor, where Michael D and his wife Sabina were waiting, along with a small media pack corralled down the back. Anne barrelled in, smiling, her black leather shoulder bag tucked under her oxter. Following the example of other female royals when they visit the Emerald Isle, she wore a longline linen blazer and skirt in contrasting shades of green. Michael D pointed to the gold broach on her lapel. 'That's very appropriate,' he said. It was hard to see it from the back of the room. What was it? Maybe a little bottle of stout, what with Guinness's brewery only across the river. Or perhaps a deer eating a bag of crisps, as we were in the Phoenix Park. It was a horse. No surprise there. The weather was very muggy and people were discarding jackets and fanning themselves with their press handouts. But Princess Anne wore a light scarf around her neck and a pair of navy gloves. Swear to God. Gloves! That's roy-lity for you. There was some small talk about the weather with the princess remarking that it was a little warmer than the last time they met. 'A better time of year.' The last time she was on an official visit was in April 2019 when she toured several lighthouses in Dublin Bay. According to reports, she wore 'a navy coat with matching beanie'. In March last year, she watched the Ireland vs Scotland Six Nations rugby match along with President Higgins in a chilly Aviva Stadium. Back at the Áras, Michael D invited his guest to sign the visitors' book. It's very large. The princess removed a glove and then fished a pen out of her bag. Less is more? Princess Anne's signature on the visitors' book. 'She brings her own biros!' whispered an onlooker, thrilled. It certainly was not a biro. 'I don't want to waste the whole page,' said Anne. 'You deserve a whole page,' replied the kindly Sabina, who, incidentally, wore an elegant pale blue and white lace appliqué skirt with a crisp white blouse. Michael D was in the presidential three-piece, but not the trademark tweed one because he would have melted on to the carpet in front of a senior royal and we couldn't have that in front of the neighbours. Anne signed with a flourish and took some time doing it. After she left, we had a gander. Frankly, we were somewhat disappointed. There was no message at all. Not even something like: 'You have the place gorgeous' or 'Loving your work' or 'Missing you already'. 'Anne. 6th August 2025' is all she wrote. That's roy-ilty for you. Princess Anne during her visit to the Áras. The princess put her pen back in her bag, which she tucked back under her arm and then put the other glove back on. The President, his wife and the princess posed for photographs in front of the desk. The small talk was wonderful. And while Anne didn't actually say: 'Not long now', to the soon-to-depart Higginses, she did note that Michael D has been in office 'quite a long time'. 'Fourteen years,' he said, stoically. 'But not for much longer,' added Sabina. The extensive gardens outside the French windows looked stunning. They will miss them. Beautiful floral arrangements of big, blowsy dahlias brought the summer inside. 'Do you spend all your time here?' asked Anne, who has several extremely large homes within the family to go to. 'All the time,' said Michael D. 'All the time,' said Sabina. 'It's a nice spot,' replied Anne. They retired to the President's study for an official 'tete-a-tete' before being escorted to the drawingroom, where the two entourages held a brief meeting. 'It was a pleasure to renew my conversations with Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, and to recognise the significant contribution which she has made over so many years to the relationship between our two countries,' said the President afterwards. 'I was also pleased to recognise the contribution which The Princess Royal has made to equestrian sports over the years, as well as to related learning and therapy services. I further took the opportunity to extend my best wishes to His Majesty King Charles and to recall his unwavering support for peace and reconciliation.' There was no sign of Misneach, the President's dog, but as the 50-minute meeting inside the Áras continued, a very friendly black and white cat pootled across the courtyard before sidling in the front door and sashaying off in the direction of the Council of State Room. President Michael D Higgins poses for a photograph with the Princess Royal before she left Áras an Uachtaráin for the Dublin Horse Show. Photograph Nick Bradshaw Minutes later, a shout emerged from beneath the portico: 'How did you let this intruder in?' The large number of plain-clothes officers waiting outside looked up to see a senior detective assigned to the President striding forward with the housebreaking moggie in her arms. There is a definite feeling of things winding down in this particular presidency, although Micheal D is still packing in the public appearances. He will be at the All-Ireland camogie final at the weekend, marking his final appearance in Croke Park as President. The VIP guest was waved off by Michael D and Sabina. There was no pomp and ceremony. Anne walked briskly to her Range Rover and was whisked off to Ballsbridge and the Horse Show, where, among other things, she presented rosettes to the winners in Class 20 of the Small Hunters competition. As for Michael D, 14 years and not long to go now. It's a lifetime job for Princess Anne. She must be jealous. But that's roy-lity for you.
