What's in the revised €200bn National Development Plan due this week as Government struggles to remove housing roadbocks?
Today at 00:30
Tomorrow the Government is due to publish its review of the National Development Plan (NDP), its strategy for spending €200bn over the next decade on long-term projects that will have an impact over many years, as opposed to shorter-term budget plans.
From roads to electricity, public transport to defence, Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers now has €30bn extra to play with over the next five years as the Government tries to use the NDP to help secure Ireland's economic growth through choppy waters flanked by US president Donald Trump's tariff's to the west and Russian leader Vladimir Putin's war to the east.
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Irish Times
30 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Legal bid to compel Government to suspend military-related trade with Israel filed in High Court
A legal bid to compel the Irish Government to suspend military-related trade with Israel and stop flights transporting weapons to the Israeli army through Irish airspace has been filed with the High Court . Supporters of the action waved Palestinian flags and shouted 'No jets for genocide' outside the Four Courts in Dublin as the judicial review proceedings were filed on Tuesday. The action is by: Cork-based community campaign group Uplift; three journalists with news outlet The Ditch –Roman Shortall, Eoghan McNeill and Paul Doyle;and Dr Ahmed El Mokhallalati, an Irish-born surgeon who worked in Gaza hospitals. As an Irish-Palestinian surgeon, Dr El Mokhallalati said he is 'outraged that Ireland allows arms trade with Israel and allows military jets pass through Irish airspace, jets that bombed my own family in Gaza, where my Irish children were pulled from under the rubble'. READ MORE 'I was arrested and interrogated while treating patients in Gaza,' he said. 'I believe it is both a moral and legal imperative for the Irish Government to uphold international law and end complicity with genocide.' Represented by Phoenix Law, the applicants claim the Government is in breach of national and EU laws by allegedly facilitating military and dual-use trade with Israel. They claim the Government is allowing flights carrying explosives, guns and ammunition to Israel to pass through Irish airspace. They also claim Government is unlawfully continuing to grant permits for military-related goods, including components for F-35 jets, to be exported to Israel. The proceedings are against the Ministers for Transport and for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Government of Ireland, Ireland and the Attorney General. Before judicial review proceedings can be taken, the High Court has to grant leave which involves deciding whether or not the applicants have an arguable case. Speaking outside the Four Courts, Mr Shortall and Brian Cuthbert of Uplift said they hope the court will treat the case as urgent and hear the leave application sometime later this week, before the law term ends on Thursday. Irish-Palestinian surgeon Dr Ahmed El Mokhallalati The Government has called what is happening in Gaza a genocide 'but at the same time continue to allow weapons to be sent to Israel', Mr Cuthbert said. 'People across Ireland refuse to stand by any longer and allow this travesty to continue and we have been left with no choice but to use the courts to force the Irish Government to stop sending weapons to the Israel Defense Forces.' In a statement grounding the action, the applicants referred to research and reports published by The Ditch. It is claimed the material showed flights were and are transporting munitions and other weapons of war to Israel through Irish airspace. Other claims include that goods from Ireland are being exported to Israel for use by two Israeli arms companies for manufacture of weapons and military equipment. The applicants say the Government's position in relation to the use of Irish airspace is 'unclear and contradictory'. They say the Government maintains Irish airspace has not been used to transport weapons of war while also saying they do not know how Irish airspace is being utilised. It is argued the applicants have 'clear evidence' thatIrish airspace has been used to carry munitions and weapons of war being used against the people of Palestine. In an affidavit, Dr El Mokhallalati, who worked in hospitals in Gaza in 2023 and 2024, including as head of the burns unit in Al Shifa hospital, said he has lost dozens of family members who were killed in Israeli military strikes. [ TD Gary Gannon files legal proceedings against Central Bank over Israeli bonds Opens in new window ] 'I am haunted by the number of people injured and killed, the children that I treated and the huge numbers of children who died or had their limbs amputated, he said. 'I continue to lose those I love every day, including medical staff and relatives, and I live in fear at what may happen to those who have not perished, with the ever-high risk that my uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents may be lost in this genocide.' From media coverage and articles, he believes Ireland has been facilitating the transfer of weapons and munitions of war to be used against the people in Gaza, he said. While appreciative of the solidarity which the people of Ireland, and the Government, have shown to Gaza, he was 'disappointed to see that the Irish Government continues to ignore the abuse of its airspace in this manner' and, in this way, is 'facilitating the most egregious crimes against humanity'.
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
UK will recognise Palestine in September unless Israel ‘takes steps' over Gaza
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RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
What challenges face the new Garda Commissioner?
Justin Kelly has been announced as the next Garda Commissioner and will take over from Drew Harris on 1 September. He has been appointed by the Government after a Cabinet meeting. Who is Justin Kelly? Justin Kelly has been a member of An Garda Síochána for more than 30 years. The Dubliner currently serves as Deputy Commissioner for Security, Strategy and Governance, having been appointed to the role last October. Before that, as assistant commissioner for serious and organised crime, the 52-year-old was responsible for leading the force's response to drugs and organised crime, cybercrime, economic crime, immigration, crimes against vulnerable people as well as the needs of victims. During his career, he was also detective chief superintendent in the Counter-Terrorism Unit, detective superintendent with the National Protective Services Bureau and detective inspector in the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. In these roles, Mr Kelly had responsibility for the response to domestic and international terrorism, violent political extremism and online child exploitation investigations. He also served as a frontline sergeant, inspector and garda in Blanchardstown, Clondalkin and Tallaght in Dublin. In 2001, Mr Kelly was seconded to work for the United Nations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where he monitored and built the capacity of local law enforcement. He has a number of qualifications achieved through institutions in Ireland, the United States and the UK. These include a first class master's degree in serious crime investigation from the University of Limerick and a masters in criminal justice from John Jay College in New York. What challenges does Justin Kelly face as commissioner? Since 2018, An Garda Síochána has been working to implement a number of initiatives to reform the force including a new operating model, improved technology and fostering diversity and inclusivity. There has also been a focus on greater support and training for members as well as an enhanced service for the public. Among Mr Kelly's main tasks will be the issue of recruitment and retention, which garda representative associations say has been allowed to reach "crisis levels". They have concerns over the "high level" of resignations from the force as well as the struggle to recruit members. The associations also have issues over salaries, particularly for new recruits and those serving in lower ranks. Mr Kelly will also have to defend the new operating model in the face of strong criticism from the associations. The Garda Representative Association (GRA) recognises that Mr Kelly has had a distinguished career in An Garda Síochána. It says there are serious challenges ahead however in relation to morale, community policing and the retention of gardaí and the association is seeking a meeting with him. The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has also welcomed the appointment, saying it has dealt with Mr Kelly in the past and that he has listened. It says that when it had issues with the information management system (an administration system), Mr Kelly met with the AGSI, listened to it and made the changes. The AGSI also said Mr Kelly needs to continue to listen and to continue to refocus An Garda Síochána.
