Funeral of Garda Kevin Flatley takes place in Co Dublin
Garda Flatley died after being hit by a motorcycle as he was carrying out speed checks on the R132 at Lanestown, north Co Dublin. Video: Dan Dennison
Emmy performs "Laika Party" for Ireland's entry at the second semi-final for Eurovision 2025.
Cork-based singer/songwriter Martin Leahy marks three years of singing his song Everyone Should Have a Home outside Leinster House. Video: Dan Dennison
Syrians in Damascus celebrate after US president Donald Trump announced plans to ease sanctions on Syria and normalise relation. Video: Sally Hayden
Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 52,908 people since October 2023, while the total number of injuries has climbed to 119,721.
Hollywood icon Robert De Niro lambasted 'philistine' US President Donald Trump and his proposed movie tariff at the Cannes Film Festival's opening ceremony.
Released Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander was reunited with family members after 19 months of captivity by Hamas. Video: Reuters
Dubliner Oscar Despard captained a team from Christ's College, Cambridge to victory in the final of the BBC student quizshow University Challenge. Video: BBC
The Irish Times chess columnist Jim 'JJ' Walsh (93) has retired. He has written about chess in the newspaper for close to 70 years. Video: Dan Dennison
The front facade of an unoccupied cottage in Ranelagh has crumbled and fallen onto the street, obstructing a footpath. Video: Dara MacDonaill
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Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Arts Council wrote to officials almost 60 times over botched IT project without issue being escalated
The Arts Council wrote to officials almost 60 times about a botched €6.75 million IT project without the issue being escalated to a senior level within the Department of Culture , an Oireachtas committee has heard. The Oireachtas arts and media committee was hearing from Arts Council leadership and senior officials in the department on Wednesday. Maureen Kennelly , the director of the council who has announced she is leaving the organisation , said she found her dealings with the department over providing staffing resources for the project 'very disappointing and frustrating'. She told committee chair, Labour TD Alan Kelly, that she felt let down by the experience. READ MORE She said the principal officer she dealt with in the department at the time was 'encouraging and reassuring' when the council updated her about the 'twists and turns' in the saga, which lasted several years and culminated in the abandonment of the project. However, Ms Kennelly said she had 'no idea' the issue wasn't being escalated and it came as a great surprise to her when she found this out. Following Ms Kennelly's contribution, the department's secretary general Feargal Ó Coigligh appeared to dispute the number of contacts made with the department, only for Ms Kennelly to reassert that it was 'just short of 60'. Mr Ó Coigligh said it was a failure on behalf of the department that the matter wasn't escalated. 'We were probably being over-supportive rather than challenging,' he told the committee. Department of Culture secretary general Feargal Ó Coigligh appearing before the Oireachtas arts and media committee. Photograph: Oireachtas TV Mr Kelly later told the secretary general that the failure to escalate the issue suggested the department was 'totally and utterly dysfunctional'. Mr Ó Coigligh said he did not agree with this. The committee was also told the department has instructed the council to stop spending money on legal cases it has taken seeking to recoup some of the lost investment. The body has initiated legal proceedings against two of the 21 contractors involved in the project, Codec and Expleo, and is in pre-action engagement with another two. The committee was told €60,000 has been spent on these actions so far. However, Mr Ó Coigligh said the department had instructed the council that there should be no further expenditure on the legal cases until a recently-commenced engagement with the Attorney General's office on the matter had concluded. The committee heard that the instruction was given after an appearance at the Public Accounts Committee at the end of last month where the spending was discussed. Mr Ó Coigligh was repeatedly asked by Fine Gael Senator Garret Ahearn whether the department was supportive of the cases being taken and if any officials had raised concerns about the potential costs of the legal cases. 'What we have said is that the Arts Council should not incur any further costs on legal action' pending the view of the Attorney General, he said. Later, Ms Kennelly said the council had been 'very much' encouraged by senior officials to try to recover money spent on the project. Outgoing Arts Council director Maureen Kennelly at the Oireachtas Arts and Media committee. Photo: Oireachtas TV Sinn Féin TD for Louth Joanna Byrne said Ms Kennelly had been 'thrown under the bus' when she was not offered a new term as Arts Council director. Mr Kelly said she had been offered up as a 'sacrificial lamb' in the wake of the controversy over the IT project, adding that he felt a 'great degree of concern about what has transpired here'. She told the committee that she was disappointed not to be given a second five-year term and would have liked to have stayed on. Asked if she felt Minister for Culture Patrick O'Donovan had confidence in her, she said her employer was the Arts Council board and she felt she had its confidence and that of her colleagues. Arts Council chair Maura McGrath confirmed that the board had recommended a new five-year term for Ms Kennelly. The council had sought a second term for Ms Kennelly and when that wasn't forthcoming, they asked for the decision to be deferred until a review into the spending controversy was complete. However, the committee was told that, ultimately, Mr O'Donovan offered a nine-month extension which was 'heavily conditioned' in that it would only be in place until a replacement was found. 'I felt it was unacceptable,' Ms Kennelly said.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Phantom cigarette puffer of Merrion Street prompts chortles in Dáil
What was that thing Gerry Adams said about informers in those slithery years before his beatification? Ah yes. 'The consequence for informing is death.' Thankfully, times are much different now. There are other ways of putting manners on people. READ MORE But still, a worried Micheál Martin – no sainted stalwart of the republican struggle – will be watching his back in coming days and weeks. Because nobody likes a political snitch either. (That's not strictly true. Some of us love them.) And after what the Taoiseach said in the Dáil chamber on Wednesday afternoon, we hear one of his own Ministers is out to kill him. But who? And why? It all kicked off with a very worthy contribution from Fianna Fáil 's Malcolm Byrne during questions on policy. Deputy Byrne reminded Micheál that the previous government agreed to introduce further laws regulating nicotine-inhaling products such as vapes, including restrictions on advertising, colours, flavours and imagery. The commitment is also in the programme for government. Any sign of this Bill? 'This is a public-health emergency,' said Malcolm, pointing to a recent survey of young people in Northern Ireland that found that 76 per cent of respondents had never smoked a cigarette before they started using vapes. He finished with a suggestion for the Taoiseach. In line with the example set by public institutions such as universities and the like 'maybe yourself and the Ceann Comhairle might agree that Leinster House would become a tobacco-free campus'. Steady on, Malcolm. Many of your colleagues are living on their nerves as it is. Some of the most senior TDs and senators, from across the political spectrum, are sneaky smokers. But Malcolm was pushing an open door here. Micheál is rightly proud of his record in this area. When he was minister for health back in 2004 he introduced the world's first statewide smoking ban, a landmark piece of public-health legislation. Don't get him going on the subject of the ciggies. Too late. Well, Malcolm. Now that you say it... A delighted-looking Micheál turned around to spill the beans to his deputy for Wicklow-Wexford. 'I spotted an errant Minister yesterday as I looked out a window, who had assured me that he had given up cigarettes and cigarette smoking,' he grinned, almost hugging himself with glee. 'Eh, he was caught red-handed as I looked out the window, but anyway, heh-heh...' Red-handed, no less. Oh, but he was only thrilled, slapping his hands flat against his two jacket pockets as if proclaiming to the world that you'll never, ever, find a packet of fags in either one of them. 'Pressure of the job, Taoiseach,' interjected the kindly Ceann Comhairle, in mitigation of the unknown Minister. 'But it was a funny moment, ha-ha-ha,' chortled Micheál, still cracking up at the thought of it. 'Pressure of the job, heh-heh, yeah...' Somewhere on the campus, a certain Minister's ears must have been burning like yesterday's surreptitious ciggie. As for Malcolm's question, the Taoiseach said Minister of State Mary Butler was making progress on the legislation, which has 'some European dimension to it' but the Government is anxious to get it done as quickly as possible. But for now, he couldn't give a timeline for the Bill. As for making Leinster House a no-smoking campus, that is a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas commission to examine. He urged those TDs and senators who still smoke to give it up. Needless to say, speculation immediately turned to the phantom puffer of Merrion Street. Who could it be? Obviously, it couldn't be a female minister because the one the Taoiseach 'caught red-handed' was a 'he'. Although that doesn't help much because a mere three women are senior Ministers. That only leaves 11 suspects as Micheál was clearly referring to a Cabinet member. One Minister was immediately in the frame. He likes to step out of his office on occasion and take the air on the North Road, which runs along Government Buildings on the Leinster House side. This has always been the place where the Ministers who don't smoke smoke and where the famous glass 'Bridge of Sighs' runs overhead, connecting both buildings. We contacted Darragh O'Brien , who immediately denied the charge. His daughter would kill him if she knew he was out smoking on the sly. 'So would his wife,' said a well-placed informant. Luckily for him, the Taoiseach said he was looking out the window when he caught the ministerial puffer in the act. Micheál cannot see the North Road from his window. There is only one other senior Minister with an office near him and that is the non-smoking Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Harris , who occupies the suite below. Simon would have had to be hanging out his window at an extremely dangerous angle with a ciggie dangling from his fingers for the Taoiseach to catch a glimpse. But wait. Micheál can see the courtyard of Government Buildings from his eyrie. And, on the day in question (Tuesday), both Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers and Minister for Housing James Browne were in that same courtyard for media briefings. It is highly unlikely that Jack, a medical doctor among other things, would have been smoking unless he was trying to look edgy. As for James Browne. He too is a non-smoker. Or at least he was a non-smoker until Micheál gave him the housing hospital pass and now he's on 60 Major a day and eating nicotine pouches for breakfast. Patrick O'Donovan? He smokes all right, but it only comes out of his ears when he talks to arty folk and people from RTÉ. Jim O'Callaghan? He may be an SC, but his Silk Cut is that of the senior counsel. Martin Heydon? No. Dara Calleary? No. James Lawless? No. What about Paschal Donohoe? 'When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth' said Sherlock Holmes. Except when it comes to Paschal – I keep my youthful dimples by not smoking, thank you very much – Donohoe. Let us look again at a crucial line from Micheál's Dáil bombshell. 'I spotted an errant Minister as I looked out a window...' Notice he said was looking out 'a window' not 'his' window or 'my' window. Because – and we now know this for a fact – he was not in his office when the sighting of the Minister occurred. Because the Taoiseach was, in fact, on the Bridge of Sighs! Not only that, my friends, but he was crossing the Bridge of Sighs with a large entourage, including a delegation from the Cork Chamber of Commerce who were up in the big schmoke for dinner with the Taoiseach when they saw a Minister who likes to take the air on the North Road down below them having a big schmoke. Not only that, but several witnesses will confirm that Micheál banged on the window when he saw this politician out on the North Road dragging away. 'He startled him mid-puff,' said one. 'He wagged his finger at him as well,' said another. We are not sure if a finger was raised in reply. That wouldn't be the Malahide way. Darragh O'Brien is going to have to kill Micheál now. Or at least put manners on him, the way St Gerry did with the BBC. Otherwise his daughter is going to have his guts for garters and the missus will absolutely burst him. That's if it was Darragh O'Brien, who is still saying it definitely was not him. Because he has definitely given up the ciggies. And that's what he definitely told Micheál. Justice for the Mallyer One. Please let there be a court case.
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Q&A: What is the pension payment error all about and can the money be recouped?
Unions and representatives of retired civil servants say they are awaiting detail of the errors made in relation to the pensions of their current or former members . However, there is concern that some of the issues could require legislation and that senior politicians could be impacted by any changes to the law. What has happened? On Tuesday the Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said 'serious and systemic operational issues' had been identified at the National Shared Services Office (NSSO), which employs about 850 people and handles payroll administration for all government departments. The belief is these errors have resulted in some retired civil servants being underpaid in their pensions; incorrect pension contributions having been deducted from current and previous ministers; and the wrong amount of tax being deducted from the lump sums paid to about 30 senior civil servants upon retirement. With a review of 13,000 retirees' positions under way, however, and an external audit of the NSSO to be undertaken, it is uncertain how the situation will develop. READ MORE What will happen in respect of people who owe or are owed money? Mr Chambers said he was committed to ensuring 'all monies owed to the State are fully recouped and monies owed to individuals are refunded'. The former is likely to create issues, however, especially in relation to the larger amounts, with one retiree said to owe €280,000. With Mr Chambers suggesting some ministers may be asked to repay more than €30,000, the tax issue could be considerable. Details of the time frame have not been clarified, but Ciaran Rohan of the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants says recouping overpayments stretching back more than four years could leave retirees, or potentially some politicians, substantially out of pocket. This is because current legislation would only allow the reclaiming of the extra tax paid as a result of receiving the extra money for the past four years, even if the overpayments stretched further back. Could that be changed? Only by legislation, says employment lawyer Barry Kenny, who says the issue means 'the original error has financial implications beyond a simple repayment issue'. It also has the potential to make it a political one. How could the money be recouped? A government circular in 2018 sets out the various ways in which overpayments can be reclaimed but there is no provision for anything like a liability of €280,000. The intention should be to recoup all the money and ideally within a year, it suggests, usually by deductions from pay or pensions of up to 8 per cent of the gross amount the person is receiving. But these people can afford to repay, no? The largest figures relate to people who had pension funds on retirement worth more than €2 million. That would certainly suggest they are well off but coming up with the funds to repay a six-figure sum is likely to be regarded as an issue. Cloda Ryan of the Retired Civil and Public Servants Association (RCPSA), which has some 7,000 members, says the vast majority of amounts involved are likely to be far smaller but still have the potential to cause problems for the pensioners concerned. 'Contrary to public perception, the majority of Civil Service pensioners have moderate pensions, in many cases lower than they would receive under the social welfare State pension for which, in general, civil servants recruited before April 6th, 1995 do not qualify.' The organisation is seeking assurances 'that no recovery of pension overpayments would take place without consultation and agreement with each pensioner affected'. And if an agreement can't be reached? 'Any civil servant faced with a request to refund money, large or small, should take legal advice to clarify the legal basis for the demand to repay and whether the figures are accurate,' says Mr Kenny. He says where the validity is established, 'reasonable' deductions or instalments would need to be agreed.
