Rent reform: is immediate pain worth uncertain gains?
Pat Leahy and Ellen Coyne join Hugh Linehan to look back at the week in politics:
Rent reform: the announcement of Minister for Housing James Browne's plans to change the rules around rent pressure zones dominated the week. Will the Government's gamble on investment pay off? And why was the rollout so haphazard?
Adjustments to residential property tax received less attention but the changes also carry political risk.
Israel's attacks on Iran add further uncertainty to a fraught geopolitical moment.
Anti-immigrant riots in Northern Ireland: was the violence exacerbated by political interventions?
Plus the panel pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week, including
a reflection on 1980s Ireland's strange treatment of women
,
a critique of Irish media's coverage of a controversial issue
and
how social media firms used the 'like' button to turbocharge their business models
.
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Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Ireland will have to commit substantial funds to arms procurement whether it approves or not
All they talk about in Brussels these days is defence. And with a sense of urgency and common political will that is a product of real fear that the EU itself is existentially threatened . A fear that the threats from Russia to Ukraine – regarded, as one senior European Commission official put it, as a 'de facto member state' – and Vladimir Putin 's wider ambitions against former Soviet states now part of the union are serious. And that the US can no longer be relied on for military support or even nuclear deterrence. The talk is all of meeting new Nato targets of raising defence spending to between three and five per cent of GDP. Russia, member states are warned, has been massively expanding its military-industrial production capacity with an estimated spending in 2024 of 40 per cent of the federal budget and up to 9 per cent of its GDP (up from 6 per cent in 2023) on defence, a commitment only possible in an autocratic state impervious to public sentiment. Ireland, despite its new commitment to bolster its army, remains the poorest performer in the EU class at 0.5 per cent this year. Member states' defence spending has grown by more than 31 per cent since 2021, reaching 1.9 per cent of the EU's combined GDP or €326bn in 2024, almost double the amount spent in 2021. Not enough, however; now a target of €800 billion in the next few years is being discussed. A measure of how seriously the debate is being taken has been the union's willingness with unprecedented speed to raise its sacrosanct fiscal rules, allowing member states to break debt limits to expand their military spending . READ MORE The thrust is now being driven by the EU White Paper on Defence Preparedness 2025, published recently. It was the subject of a well-attended debate this week in the Institute for International and European Affairs, which turned inevitably to the issue of Ireland's own national preparedness and its role next year in steering the EU presidency discussions. Centre stage will be the roll-out of the white paper proposals to revitalise states' military capacity and transform national defence industries to break reliance on foreign, notably US, imported weapons. A new defence financing initiative, Safe, will see the European Investment Bank raise €150 billion to lend to the private sector on condition 65 per cent of loans are for European-produced weapons. Ireland is not planning to dip into the fund, but Minister of State for Defence Thomas Byrne told the meeting that, in the spirit of 'principles-based pragmatism', we might yet do so. Ireland will also have charge of brokering a deal on the next seven-year budget (the Multiannual Financial Framework, or MFF). The process always severely stretches member-state solidarity and will particularly test them this time, with a huge increase in collective defence spending being proposed. That, at a time when all are cash-strapped, will require a massive breach of the one per cent of EU GDP budget spending ceiling, or as Prof Brigid Laffan warned, 'tough trade-offs' on long-standing policy areas. Like agriculture. Ireland cannot stand on the sidelines. It will necessarily have to commit substantial funds to arms procurement as a net contributor to the MFF, like all others, whether or not it approves. [ Parlous state of Defence Forces once again laid bare Opens in new window ] The EU white paper bears a remarkable resemblance in its scope and thrust to the paper produced in Ireland in 2022 by the Commission on the Defence Forces and which prompted our own commitment to major upgrading of the Defence Forces. The white paper, the EU Commission's senior defence official, Guilaume de la Brosse, insists, is not about redefining EU defence policy 'but about the specificities of member states, serving national agendas', and both starting a discussion about preparedness and capabilities and pointing to a way in which the needs may be addressed more efficiently, collectively and individually. The white paper projects are all 'voluntary'. Like the Irish commission's silence on neutrality's merits, it is not saying European collective defence must take a particular form, but that if you want a capability to deter aggression then this is how to do it – and it is best done collectively, ensuring interoperability and as little duplication as possible. [ Poll shows Ireland's attachment to neutrality is strong but nuanced Opens in new window ] Critical to getting both imperatives through will be important changes in the nature of defence discussions throughout the EU – not least in Ireland, where the debate has largely been confined to political and policy circles. Both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste have engaged strongly, echoing common EU-wide concerns, but public opinion remains largely indifferent, albeit clinging to vague, often contradictory notions of 'neutrality'. There is often an unwillingness to acknowledge the need to upgrade our defensive capacity or even a need for it. A fundamental challenge remains a public unwillingness to perceive real new vulnerabilities or threats to ourselves – like to our vital undersea cable networks or to cyber attacks, or threats to the territorial integrity of our European partners – as urgent and requiring radical action. Although sympathetic to their plight, and generously receptive of refugees, Irish voters have yet to recognise that their problem is our problem, a real threat to our union, and to develop a real sense of obligation to fellow members of the union arising from our membership of this huge 'peace project'. From a narrow national perspective, as Minister Byrne acknowledged, 'working together is the only way forward'. This debate urgently needs to expand beyond Dáil Éireann's narrow confines.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
More smaller apartments and studios could be built under plans being considered by Government
Moves which could mean greater numbers of smaller apartments, including studio apartments, built are being considered by Government and are likely to be finalised in the coming weeks. The proposals, being discussed at the highest level of the Coalition, are among efforts to make building apartments more attractive for investors and developers in a bid to increase the supply in urban areas, according to several people familiar with the discussions. Rules governing size, insulation, requirements for dual aspect in many apartments, corridor lengths, high-spec finishes and the need to have balconies are all cited as reasons for runaway cost inflation in the price of apartments, and all are likely to be examined. [ Dublin studio flats 27% smaller than current limit get go-ahead Opens in new window ] There is agreement among senior Government figures that design standards for apartments have risen so high that they have driven costs of construction to a level that has made them unaffordable. READ MORE In addition, the mix of apartments required in developments is being discussed, with Government figures understood to favour allowing more and smaller apartments, including more studio apartments, and fewer large apartments. Government sources were adamant that things like energy ratings, disability access and fire safety would not be affected under any package of changes that could be agreed, but outlined a range of other apartment design stipulations which the industry has protested add cost to development. [ 'I grew up in an apartment in another country. I bought an apartment in Dublin and had to get out after a year' Opens in new window ] Sources stress that they are not talking about building standards – these are produced by technical experts in construction and cover things like fire safety. Instead, they are discussing possible changes in apartment standards, which are set by planners. 'We need to change the viability equation for them,' said a Coalition source. Will rent reform make building apartments viable? Listen | 40:12 Some Government officials say that while balconies in a one-bedroom apartment are a useful amenity, they can also drive up the cost of construction and contribute to affordability issues for first-time buyers, leaving them unable to access the housing market. Tánaiste Simon Harris previously signalled an openness to the idea of revisiting apartment design standards, and it is understood that he again indicated they would be considered during a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party last week, alongside plans to overhaul the remit of the Land Development Agency. [ Has Fingal County Council found a solution to our housing crisis? Opens in new window ] However, any move to revisit standards is likely to face some criticism. Orla Hegarty, assistant professor at the UCD School of Architecture, said that previous efforts to address affordability through changing design standards had proven unsuccessful. She said there was a risk of 'poorer quality housing for the very long term, for a very short-term balancing of the books'. It comes off the back of moves last week to overhaul the rental sector, including expanding rent pressure zones nationally, allowing more frequent resetting of rents, and improving some tenant protections.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
‘This isn't just about a visa. It's about lost futures': Job offers for Iranian scientists in Ireland hit roadblock
Some of Iran 's top medical and scientific professionals say they are 'desperate' to take up work offers in Ireland but are being thwarted by inordinate and 'discriminatory' delays in visas being processed by the Department of Justice's immigration services. Following overnight strikes by Israel against Iran, many say their desperation to take up posts in Ireland has only intensified. Universities and hospitals which want to employ them say delays of up to 20 months are 'very disappointing', 'just wrong' and 'incongruous' given the need for the cohort's skills. Delays have jeopardised important research projects, they add. READ MORE 'Iranian visas [are] just not getting through, at all,' one PhD supervisor said. Job offers to Iranians, including in pharmaceuticals, hospitals, artificial intelligence and financial software development, have had to be withdrawn due to extreme delays. One Dublin hospital said delays were impacting on its 'ability to fill critical posts' and putting 'added pressure on existing teams'. In recent weeks The Irish Times has been contacted by dozens of highly educated Iran-based academics and critical-skills workers who, having submitted documents to support applications for permits to take up fully funded or critical-skills positions months ago, have yet to receive decisions or even updates. Prof Mohammad Reza Shiri-Shahsava at the Qazvin University of Medical Sciences says visa processing times for Iranian PhD candidates have increased from about two months to over a year since early 2024. 'We remain committed to contributing to Ireland's research and workforce development,' he said. 'We believe expedited decisions serve mutual interests, because we are not refugees but rather highly skilled professionals.' Prof Shiri-Shahsava and Assistant Professor Saber Azami-Aghdash at the Iran University of Medical Science, Tehran, were offered research positions last year in the UCD Clinical Research Centre under the supervision of Professor Peter Doran. They have not received decisions on their visas, however. 'We advertised the posts spring last year and these two candidates were really impressive. We were really excited to get them,' said Prof Doran. 'These are really top professionals. There is big effort to increase our clinical research and these are exactly the type of people we need. 'They would be working with the team on developing novel designs for clinical research. Their posts are fully funded by the Health Research Board,' said Prof Doran. 'It's really unbelievable that a year on they still have no decision on their visa applications. Not even an update. It's lousy and it's wrong.' Others waiting without news include Bahareh Karimi Douna, offered a fully funded PhD post at UCD's School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, under the supervision of Prof Wim G Meijer. She applied for a visa a year ago. 'Losing this opportunity would shatter years of preparation, sacrifice and shared dreams,' she said. Bahareh Karimi Douna was offered a funded PhD at UCD's School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science a year ago Prof Meijer said Ms Douna came 'top out of over 115 applications from all over the world'. He called for 'clarity' on what is happening with Iranian candidates' visa applications. Maedeh Vahedpour, was offered a fully funded PhD position at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) in December 2023, but lost it in the absence of a decision on her visa. 'We were really impressed with her skills and abilities,' said Dr Lena Madden, senior fellow at TUS. 'However, the position had to be withdrawn as there was no progress in Maedeh's visa after 18 months and contacting the visa office numerous times to stress our urgency and offer reassurances of the university's commitment to host Maedeh. We were very disappointed.' For Ms Vahedpour, the impact has been 'devastating ... This isn't just about a visa. It's about basic human dignity and lost futures,' she said. Dr Leila Ziaee Barsalan, was offered a registrar post in the emergency department of St Vincent's University Hospital , Dublin in late 2023. She applied for a work permit in December 2023. 'Still there is no response. I cannot tell you the level of pressure and stress I have been through since past 17 months and no one is responding properly about where the issue is. 'Last October 2024 they cancelled my job offer, after waiting for me so long. I have been passing some very hard days, but especially after last night's bombs, I am very desperate,' she told The Irish Times on Friday. A hospital spokeswoman could not comment on Dr Barsalan's case but said 'timely recruitment and onboarding of international staff is essential in ensuring continuity of care and supporting clinical service delivery, particularly in areas such as emergency medicine where demand remains high. 'Delays in visa processing can, at times, impact our ability to fill critical posts promptly and place added pressure on existing teams.' The issue has led to protests outside the newly opened Irish consulate in Tehran earlier this year. Protesters outside the Irish consulate in Tehran earlier this year Asked if there were particular issues with Iranian visa applications, how long they were taking to process and why applicants were not being provided with updates during delays, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said there had been a 21 per cent increase in visa applications last year compared with 2023, to more than 35,000. There were 1,111 applications from Iran last year, with decisions made on 756, and to June 11th this year decisions made on 359 of the 518 received.
