
The Irish Independent's View: TDs take a break but big challenges await when they return to Dáil
But if government TDs had been hoping to get out through the gap and into the wide blue yonder without too much fuss, they had another thing coming. No amount of factor 50 would have saved them from the scorching that the opposition had prepared.
They were accused of being 'epic wasters' by Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. The Coalition splashed the cash to buy votes last year, but now is saying once-off payments are a bad idea. She claimed public spending is up 50pc in a few short years.
Ireland has, she said, 'a housing crisis, record homelessness, threadbare disability services, a cost-of-living crisis and energy and water infrastructure that is crumbling'.
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín also said people around the country will look to mark the Government's 'report card' on the Dáil's last day. The 10,000 homes promised by the Government 'never materialised', he said, adding that the only thing that is more affordable at the moment is cocaine.
'Criminals are doing a better job in creating a functional market for an illegal drug than you are in terms of housing,' Mr Tóibín said.
We will get through this one too
Tánaiste Simon Harris hit back, saying the county has reached record levels of employment and an economy that's running budget surpluses. But speaking on RTÉ, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said it was important to be honest. The impact on job creation and levels of employment within the economy would be worse if Donald Trump imposes 30pc tariffs.
'This is a big challenge, we need to have a moment of recognition of that, but we have faced challenges before and we will get through this one too,' he said.
Mr Donohoe has had to maintain a fine line between being upbeat or unduly pessimistic, but he is right to remind us that we have come through adversity before and emerged the stronger.
All indicators suggest that by the time the Dáil recess ends, we may once again be facing a tough road ahead. But as pointed out by Pythagoras – the man who developed the theory of proportions – 'in this theatre of man's life, it is reserved only for God and angels to be lookers-on'.
However, coping with Mr Trump's capriciousness would tax the energies of Hercules. He even managed to take the fizz out of the world's most famous brand, Coca-Cola, with his announcement that it was going to sweeten its signature drink with cane sugar in the US. Caught on the hop, a statement said it 'appreciated Mr Trump's enthusiasm' and that 'more details will follow'.
But – just like governments around the world – the soft-drinks firm was clearly clueless, trying to put a brave face on it, pondering if it is 'the real thing'.
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Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
TV licence fee revenue down €58m after RTÉ payment scandal, new figures show
TV licence fee revenue has decreased by over €58m in the last two years. New figures confirm that revenue from the licence plummeted following a range of financial scandals engulfing RTÉ in the summer of 2023, which sparked a wave of non-payments. Before the scandals, between July 2021 and June 2023, some 1.9m people paid the €160 annual fee, resulting in revenue of €306m. This included 1.7m people who renewed the licence, as well as 243,179 first-time purchases. However, figures for the two-year period after the RTÉ controversies, between July 2023 and June 2025, reveal revenue decreased by €58.4m compared to the previous two years. Some 1.55m people paid the licence fee, a decrease of more than 365,0000 people. This resulted in revenue of €247.6m, a decrease of 19% compared to the preceding two years. There has, however, been a slight increase in the number of people paying the fee since the Government announced a new funding arrangement for RTÉ on July 24, 2024. Between July 2022 and June 2023, some 947,999 paid the €160 fee. This fell to 761,762 payments between July 2023 and June 2024. In the last 12 months, the number of licences bought increased to 785,595. However, this is still 17% below the pre-scandal levels. This year to date, some 376,140 people have paid the licence fee. Figures for the two-year period after the RTÉ controversies, between July 2023 and June 2025, reveal revenue decreased by €58.4m compared to the previous two years. Picture: Colin Keegan The figures were provided to Fine Gael TD Micheál Carrigy following a parliamentary question to media minister Patrick O'Donovan. The RTÉ scandals included revelations that former Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy was paid €345,000 over six years that had not been declared by RTÉ in its annual declaration of top-paid stars' salaries. It later transpired that money had been paid to Mr Tubridy as part of a three-year 'side deal' that would see Renault pay him €75,000 per year. They pulled out of the agreement after the first year, with RTÉ paying the remaining €150,000. Subsequent Oireachtas committee hearings heard of extravagant spending at RTÉ, including €5,000 on flip-flops, memberships to swanky London clubs, and a failed musical based on The Late Late Toy Show. Mr O'Donovan has reconvened the interdepartmental technical working group (TWG) on the TV licence to 'examine potential enhancements to the television licence'. 'I will consider the report of the TWG when I receive it and decide the next steps,' he added. It was reported last month that the number of people being taken to court or prosecuted for non-payment had dropped. In 2022, An Post made 13,709 summons applications for non-payment and pursued 7,263 court cases. There were 13,198 summons applications and 6,555 court cases in 2023. However, last year this fell to 12,229 summons applications and 5,392 court cases. The Government announced plans last year to provide RTÉ with €725m in funding over three years. Media minister Catherine Martin confirmed that the TV licence would remain in place, with the State providing top-up funding to ensure that RTÉ had a certain amount of ring-fenced funding each year.


Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Paul Hosford: Public patience has limits — especially when their tax cut is on the line
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Usually, budget measures are seen as something of a fait d'accompli and in recent, more prosperous, times everything was on the table because everything was possible within reason. Of course, there were competing interests, but with huge economic surpluses the last government was well able to cater to everyone even a little. However, while Tuesday's announcement of the summer economic statement brought with it news of another surplus, there is a serious question about how it is going to be deployed. Contained in the document was the news that the overall tax package in the October 7 budget is due to be around €1.5bn. Over a billion and a half euro to spend solely on cutting taxes is the stuff of dreams for many governments and one to which this coalition has become quite accustomed. Where does the money go? Last year's €1.6bn income tax package was aimed squarely at low- and middle-income earners with the main tax credits; the personal employee and earned income tax credits increased by €125. On top of that, the standard rate cut-off point was increased to €44,000 and the USC was cut to 3%. Across the board, there were increases in carer tax credits, in credits for renters, in benefit in kind, in capital acquisitions and and with it an extension of mortgage interest tax relief. This year, however, the landscape is somewhat different. With €1.5bn to play with, the Government has already tacitly pledged a large chunk of that away. While a commitment to cut the Vat rate for the hospitality sector is not in the programme for government, despite what some have said this week, it was agreed as part of government formation talks and was taken as a win by Fine Gael, which had pushed hard for the reduced rate. The problem with the reduced rate for restaurants and hotels comes with its costs. In the Tax Strategy Group papers published on Thursday, the authors outlined that cutting the Vat rate for the hospitality sector, including pubs, restaurants, hotels, and hairdressers, would cost €867m per year. While that is lower than the estimated figure put out by finance minister Paschal Donohoe of between €950m and a billion euro, it is a sizable chunk of the tax package available to the government in just two-and-a-half months. Political and social choices On Tuesday, as the government announced a €30bn capital plan alongside the summer economic statement, which warned of moderated spending, it was put to Mr Donohoe that the commitment to one industry could come at a cost to workers. This he accepted, but said that every budgetary decision comes with trade-offs. While the idea of sacrificing tax cuts for workers in order to aid one specific industry is an argument which has been carried out all week, it was refreshing to hear Mr Donohoe say explicitly that the budget is a mechanism of political and social choice. Too often it has been framed as a winners and losers argument, but what it is in actuality is an argument of priority, a statement of intent and the positioning of where we are at any given moment. It is a series of political choices, not a mere shopping list. In a radio debate on Wednesday, economist Barra Roantree argued against a blanket Vat cut, saying that the biggest beneficiaries would be the biggest chains. Why, he questioned, should McDonald's get a Vat cut at a time when its profits have jumped almost 17%? The counterargument, of course, is that the real beneficiary of a cut is the customer. It will come as no surprise that the cost of eating out has risen alongside the cost of food in supermarkets. In my house we use the crudely designed and implemented Spice Bag Index. Through the miracle of food delivery apps keeping receipts, we are able to track the cost of a spice bag in our local Chinese in the years since we bought our home. In that seven-year stretch, the price has jumped from €6.40 to €10.20, though it must be said that the quality remains excellent. There is no question that hospitality, like every other industry, is facing a crunch. The sector has come through covid lockdowns only to face rising costs, constrained supply lines, and a public less willing or able to spend money on entertainment. Divisions But hearing Fianna Fáil junior minister Niall Collins on radio this week saying that he did not believe a blanket cut in the Vat rate was justified, while Fine Gael's enterprise minister Peter Burke "unequivocally" backed it, shows that there will be friction in the run-up to the budget on the issue. Government sources questioned on Thursday whether Mr Collins had gone on something of a solo run given that he had somewhat contradicted his party leader Taoiseach Micheál Martin on the issue. But those in government who want to see the cut in the books that Jack Chambers and Paschal Donohoe hold up on the steps of Government Buildings in 10 weeks, might be minded to listen to the message of Mr Collins. Speaking to Limerick's Live 95, Mr Collins said that there was no evidence that a previous reduction in the Vat rate to 9% was "actually passed on to the consumer" and that there was price gouging in the sector. While the budget will lay out a statement of priorities, the passage and success of this particular measure will depend on public buy-in. Convincing stretched middle-income earners to forego tax cuts, which would put somewhere in the region of €75 a month back in their pockets in favour of an industry which many believe has been too expensive for too long will require some finesse in its messaging. While the row has focused on the differing opinions of coalition partners, the consumer has been left out of the discussion. If the Government is faced with a list of choices that are broken down into binary winners and losers, the average person will always choose to win. But if a Vat cut can be sold as a net good for employment, for tax take and for those who just wish to eat out once a month, then it has a chance of resonating with the public. Simply telling members of the public that businesses are a Vat cut away from viability is not a communications strategy, because it doesn't hold up to any scrutiny. If the public sees nearly €700 million spent, they will want to know what's in it for them, be it affordability or the greater good. Otherwise, it will be back to splitting a €10.20 spice bag. Read More Government to invest €102bn in infrastructure by 2030 under revised National Development Plan


Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Letters to the Editor, July 26th: On a national day of protest, GAA referees, and pearl clutchers
Sir, – I wish to personally support the call for a national day of protest (Letters, July 24th) over the humanitarian catastrophe which has unfolded in Gaza. The vast majority of Irish people are totally frustrated and appalled that; despite the courageous stance taken by the Irish Government, the situation for the starving and subjugated civilian population is getting worse by the day. A man-made famine is now a reality on top of the mass killing of civilians in the prosecution of this disproportionate war by Israel. Some march and write letters to express our frustration. Many others do not, for fear of being falsely labelled anti-Semitic or supportive of Hamas. READ MORE A national day of protest, at a time designated by the Government, which was purely a condemnation of the atrocities in Gaza and for aid to be allowed in, would allow us, in all of our diversity as citizens to vent our anger and express national solidarity with the people of Gaza. If other countries did the same it would be powerful and perhaps might make a difference. As chair of the Irish Emergency Alliance, which brings together eight Irish agencies who respond to international humanitarian emergencies, it is uniquely frustrating to see thousands of trucks containing life-saving food, water and medicine languishing at the border unused, while suffering civilians and indeed humanitarian workers and doctors are deprived of assistance. Mary Robinson said that what Israel is doing is 'dehumanising' the people of Gaza by the manner of the prosecution of the war against Hamas. Words have lost all meaning in the face of such inhumanity. A national day of protest over Gaza would be a meaningful statement of solidarity by the Irish people. – Yours, etc. LIZ O'DONNELL, (Former TD) Blackrock, Co Dublin. Sir, – Given the horrific suffering of the Palestinian people, surely it is time for all of the leaders of the world to go to Gaza. If they witness what is happening surely they will act? – Yours, etc, (in fading hope), ALICE O'DONNELL, Delgany, Co Wicklow. Sir, – John O'Neill (Letters, July 24th) rightly points out the error in conflating Jewish identity with the actions of the Israeli state. I offer the following comparison: In 2022 almost 74 per cent of the Israeli population identified as Jewish. In Portugal, the 2021 census identified 80 per cent of the population as Catholic. If the government of Portugal embarked on some terrible military action against a part of Spain which action was condemned worldwide, would any sane, rational person say that any criticism of the Portuguese government was anti-Catholic? I think not. – Yours, etc, GERARD CLARKE, Dundrum Dublin Sir, – If you didn't see the interview on RTÉ Prime Time with Bob Geldof on Thursday regarding Gaza, you should find it on the RTÉ player. He spoke the truth, clearly and honestly, a man who has a track record in recognising human suffering. I emailed Prime Time after the programme. Ireland and Israel are both members of the European Broadcasting Union. Could RTÉ Prime Time please share the interview with Bob Geldof with all the members of the union? It might help. – Yours, etc, PAUL MULLIGAN, Vergemount Park, Dublin 6. Sir, – Bob Geldof made a passionate plea to stop Israel's massacre of Palestinians in Gaza and the state-sponsored terrorism in the West Bank (RTE 1, Prime Time, July 24th). Bob's humanitarian track record through many decades, which commands respect internationally, together with his communication skills, position him to be an outstanding president of Ireland. – Yours, etc, TOM CARROLL, Ennis Road, Limerick. Don't forget about Sudan Sir, – Dominic Crowley, the CEO of Concern, welcomes the UN secretary general's focus on Gaza ('What did we do to stop this?', Irish Times Letters, July 25th). However, bad as the situation in Gaza is, it is dwarfed by the suffering in the ongoing Sudanese war that broke out in 2023. According to the European Commission some 25 million Sudanese are affected by food shortages with some four million children suffering from acute hunger. Famine has now been confirmed in 10 areas. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that 6.7 million women and girls in Sudan are facing alarming levels of sexual violence. UN health chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has complained that there is less global interest in the conflict in Sudan compared to crises elsewhere in the world. Why are some wars deemed more worthy of our attention than others? – Yours, etc, KARL MARTIN, Bayside, Dublin 13. Bad language Sir, – With reference to Brianna Parkins' article ' People who get up early in the morning for no reason are a menace to society ,' (July 19th), I consider it not so much about vulgarity, but rather normal conversational Jackeen English, spoken by the ordinary denizens of Ireland's capital city. Somehow, 'Upon reflection the exertion proved to be unwarranted,' does not seem quite up to par with 'But I shouldn't have bothered my hole'. – Yours, etc, SEÁN O'BRIEN, Donaghmede, Dublin. Sir, – I usually enjoy Brianna Parkins's articles in Saturday's Magazine but the coarse language used on Saturday July 19th shocked, nay disappointed, me. – Yours, etc, PAT DALY, Kilkenny. Criticism of MetroLink Sir, – A lot of the criticism of the MetroLink project are well founded. That said, there has been very little discussion of problems arising from the practicalities of the whole thing. If, as proposed, the line starts and finishes in Swords the first thing this will do is displace current users of public transport commuting from Swords to the city centre from the bus network to the rail network as happened when Luas was introduced. One can only imagine the scenes at the Dublin Airport stop when a full train arrives from Swords during peak hours and airport passengers attempt to board with accompanying luggage. The same would happen with trains to the airport in the evenings with disgruntled passengers unable to board at stops other than the terminus. This whole thing needs to be reconsidered. – Yours, et, BRENDAN McMAHON, Naaas, Co Kildare. Light rail for Galway Sir, – Anthony Moran (Letters, July 24th) calls light rail in Galway a 'deluded fantasy,' but facts suggest otherwise. The 2024 Gluas feasibility study identified a viable east-west corridor with demand already exceeding 60 per cent of the passenger volumes seen on the initial Luas Red Line. Construction timelines for light rail in cities of similar size – such as Bergen, Norway (population: 280,000) – have been achieved within four years with minimal disruption. Far from being a 'fantasy,' light rail represents a practical, scalable solution to Galway's worsening congestion and climate obligations. Dismissing it out of hand serves no one – least of all the people of Galway. – Yours, etc. RICHARD LOGUE, Moville, Co Donegal. Bye, bye, summer? Sir, – When summer comes can autumn be far behind? The leaves on one of the trees in the green area opposite my house are beginning to turn. – Yours, etc, JANE MEREDITH, Dublin 18. Blair apology to Guildford Four Sir, – I refer to the article ' Tony Blair's letter saying sorry to Guildford Four was not intended as an apology ' (July 22nd). The article ignores the letter of public apology made by Mr Blair to myself and the other members of The Guildford Four as well as the Maguire Seven on February 9th, 2005. This letter stated that: 'There was a miscarriage of justice in the case of Gerard Conlon and all of the Guildford Four…' The then prime minister goes on to acknowledge 'the trauma that the conviction caused the Conlon and Maguire families and the stigma which wrongly attaches to them to this day' and unreservedly apologises when he says 'I am very sorry that they were subject to such an ordeal and injustice. That is why I'm making this apology: they deserve to be publicly and completely exonerated.' While it came 16 years after our release, Mr Blair's apology meant a great deal to me and my family and many others. I hope this is what will be remembered and not some internal correspondence which suggests a government nervous about making such a public apology. – Yours ,etc. PADDY ARMSTRONG, (Guildford Four) Clontarf, Dublin 3. Women's GAA and referees Sir, – Having watched many of the games in the women's championship this year it's impossible not to pull your hair out at the constant referees' decisions on what is a foul. If a player breathes on an opposition player the referee blows the whistle. While we all acknowledge the contribution referees make to our Gaelic games it seems they are instructed not to allow any tackling at all in the women's game. If the same was applied to the men's game, the games would be a farce. I watched the women's semi-finals and it was infuriating to see the constant stoppages for what were perceived to be fouls. I hope the final between Meath and Dublin will not be marred by these constant stoppages for innocuous 'fouls'; where even the advantage rule is not applied. It's ruining the women's game and you can see the frustration among the players. It's a great competition. Let's not ruin it by making it a non-contact sport altogether. – Yours, etc, KEVIN BYRNE, Bantry, West Cork. Sir, – Apropos Frank McNally's catechism of GAA clichés (An Irishman's Diary, July 24th), I propose the following addition: How do commentators and analysts react when the referee doesn't see or ignores a number of fouls? The ref is having a good game, he's letting it flow. –Yours , etc, JOHN SHORTEN, Balbriggan, Co Dublin. Sir, – Frank McNally has found every GAA commentator's script. Who was a pundit in a past life? Either way, everyone should take notes. – Yours, etc, JAMES CLEAR, Dún Laoghaire Co Dublin. Winding down the clock Sir, – It is interesting that when TV stations broadcast matches like the All-Ireland football final live the match clock counts up showing the amount of time that has passed. Surely the clock should count down, showing the time remaining as this is what really matters? – Yours, etc, PAT KENNEDY, Navan, Co Meath. The housing crisis Sir, – The article by John McManus (' We need to face reality that housing cannot be solved, ' July 23rd) sets out the issue central to the so-called housing crisis faced by the Government. The population of this country is racing ahead of any possibility of either the private or public sectors building enough units to house all over the coming decade. He goes on to suggest that official estimates of the population are 'wildly underestimated' at 5.45 million in 2023. With the brokers Davy expecting the population to hit some 5.9 million by 2030, the task of meeting the demand for accommodation ( estimated by Davy at 120,000 units per annum) is entirely beyond us. It's time the Government came clean with the reality of the challenge being faced and accepted that housing production cannot keep pace with population growth. The only alternative is to control migration, thus cooling the housing market. In that regard it may well be that the Trump tariffs will actually do us a favour through us being forced to press the pause button on foreign direct investment (FDI) and the obsession with jobs growth. – Yours, etc, MICHAEL GILMARTIN, Blackrock, Co Dublin. Pearl clutchers Sir, – To say, as Stephen Wall does (Letters, July 24th), that the new 22-storey College Square tower on Tara Street has a 'catastrophic impact on the historic urban landscape' seems pearl-clutching in the extreme. The tower is more of a harbinger of a future Dublin when its current detractors (and supporters) will have left the stage. The edifice is tall, imposing, majestic even. Please can we have more of this type of thing? – Yours, etc, BRIAN AHERN, Clonsilla, Dublin.