Gardening themed presentation to be held in TullamoreThe Offaly Climate & Biodiversity Action Group is preparing to host the first of its upcoming gardening themed presentations on next Thursday, April 9. Its first presentation is called 'Ungardening for Biodiversity' and will be presented by Ricky Whelan, Offaly County Council Biodiversity Officer. It will take place upstairs at Tullamore library at 6pm and entry to the presentation is free of charge. The talk will explores how simple changes in the way that people garden can make a big difference for wildlife. For further information people can contact the Action Group at the Facebook page or email offalyclimateandbio@outlook.com

Dublin's MetroLink, the largest capital investment in Irish history, has been dealt a fresh blow after its director stepped down for personal reasons. The beleaguered project, which would see an underground service running from Charlemont to Swords via Dublin Airport, has been beset by delays, complaints, and judicial reviews. However, supporters of the project have warned legal proceedings could delay the timeline for it to open to the mid-2030s. In December, a group of 19 residents from Dartmouth Square in Ranelagh were granted permission by the High Court to seek a judicial review of the planning approval for the long-awaited transport project. He said: "A programme like MetroLink will have many parents, and I always believed my role was to get the programme up and running.

A newly published bill would reinstate a ban on no-fault evictions, with the Labour Party saying it said would create "breathing room" in the housing sector. The party's housing spokesperson Conor Sheehan launched the bill on Thursday, saying he was "putting it up to the Government". Mr Sheehan's legislation would introduce a three-year eviction ban to tackle what he called "the enormous rise in notices to quit issued in 2025". “All the trends are going in the wrong direction under [housing minister James] Browne, with record levels of homelessness and evictions. “The Rental Tenancies Board reported last month that 5,200 eviction notices were issued in quarter 4, 2025.

Most users would be less likely to avail of dodgy boxes if the convenience they provide was matched by legitimate broadcasters. Unless you’ve been living under a rock in recent months, you’ll no doubt have consumed plenty of content related to dodgy boxes. Most users would, and historical examples show this, be less likely to avail of dodgy boxes if the convenience they provide was matched by legitimate broadcasters. If it was, we wouldn’t be hearing so much about dodgy boxes. If they reduce the demand for dodgy boxes by changing up their own packages, they’ll starve the unauthorised market.

Denis Staunton's guide to understanding world events - what’s happening, why it matters and how it affects youIn a 19-minute speech about the Iran war this morning, Donald Trump said it is almost finished. Trump misses his off-rampAhead of Donald Trump’s televised address on the Iran war this morning, media speculation focused on whether he would declare victory or announce an escalation. Promising to bring Iran “back to the stone ages” over the next two or three weeks, Trump explicitly threatened to destroy the country’s critical infrastructure. “If there is no deal, we are going to hit each and every one of their electric-generating plants very hard and probably simultaneously. The arrival of ground forces expands US military options and decreases the time needed to launch operations against Iran.

Real Madrid are reportedly upset with England's handling of Jude Bellingham during the international break, after the midfielder sat out of the Three Lions friendlies with Uruguay and Japan. Tuchel saw it as 'too much of a risk' to give Bellingham minutes on the pitch, but this decision has seemingly left officials in Madrid baffled. Prior to England's loss to Japan, Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live: 'I think it's too much of a risk. 'So, it looked very, very good but we're still holding him back, to not take a risk. Madrid believe that Tuchel's decision not to play Bellingham has 'done little to help' the midfielder ahead of the crucial game with Bayern.

Everton are growing in confidence that Jack Grealish will be back with the club next season, Daily Mail Sport can reveal. Officials at Hill Dickinson Stadium are keen to retain the services of the on-loan Manchester City playmaker, who has a year remaining on his contract at the Etihad Stadium. Grealish had been a revelation following his loan move, until injury cruelly ended his season in January. In his time in a blue shirt, he scored twice and provided six assists in 22 appearances and was a key part of what has so far been a much improved season which could end in European qualification. Grealish was also popular in the dressing room and has impressed off the field, via his work with the club’s community arm.

“Looking at what’s possible, it does feel surprisingly slow,” Sam Altman said recently on the topic of AI adoption rates. It is no surprise to see technology leaders bemoan the pace of AI diffusion – they have something to sell, after all. But bullish rhetoric about “unleashing” AI is badly out of touch with the sensibilities of many voters in the developed world. But economic change can be painful if it outpaces people’s ability to adapt. “In one, firms adopt AI at a pace the labour market can absorb,” he writes.

Electric car manufacturer Tesla posted one of its worst sales quarters in years as the company struggles to turn around its core business and navigate an increasingly challenged electric-vehicle market. It is the second consecutive quarter that Tesla has fallen short of projections. Deliveries still managed to rise 6.3% from a year earlier, when the carmaker paused Model Y production at plants around the globe and dealt with a consumer backlash against chief executive Elon Musk. Read More Surge in electric car sales softens fall in new-car registrations in MarchThe stock declined 15% this year through Wednesday’s close and has fallen 22% from a record high in December. Tesla delivered a total of 341,893 Model Y SUVs and Model 3 sedans in the first quarter, with the two popular vehicles accounting for the bulk of the company’s sales and production.

Hundreds of adult wards of court could face delays of up to 18 months in being discharged from wardship for reasons including long waits for capacity assessments. After amending laws were signed on Tuesday by President Catherine Connolly, special sittings of the High Court began on Wednesday to extend the discharge deadline for hundreds of adult wards. On Wednesday, High Court president David Barniville and Judge Mark Heslin granted six-month extensions in almost 400 cases. Most extensions are required because functional capacity assessments have yet to be carried out on hundreds of adult wards. Under the 2015 Act, which began in April 2023, all adult wards were to be discharged by April 24th, 2026.

MetroLink boss Seán Sweeney is resigning from the project to develop Dublin’s long-awaited underground rail line less than two years after being appointed to the €550,000-a-year role. His resignation comes as updated cost estimates for the rail project, which is due to begin construction next year, are shortly to be presented to Government for approval. In a statement on Thursday, Sweeney said leading the MetroLink programme had been “one of the greatest professional privileges of my career”. It is with deep regret that I leave MetroLink. MetroLink is a 19km mostly underground rail line for Dublin stretching from Swords to Ranelagh.

Barry Flannery, founder and chief executive of Xerotech, has been awarded €420,000 after he was 'shut out' from the business shortly before it collapsed into liquidation last year. Barry Flannery, the founder and chief executive officer of the company, said he was “forced to resign” from the Co Galway manufacturing company in December 2024. Flannery said it seemed there were “unknown allegations” being discussed in the company, which were “never put to him”. Adjudication officer Breiffni O’Neill wrote he was satisfied the actions towards Flannery by the company “amount to a complete undermining of the employment relationship”. “No reasonable employee – let alone a senior company officer – could be expected to continue in employment under these circumstances,” he wrote.

Eimear McCrann, director EY Entrepreneur Of The Year, finalist Bobby Healy of Manna Air Delivery, finalist Jennifer Rock of Skingredients, and Roger Wallace, head of assurance and EY Ireland Entrepreneur of the Year. Photograph: Naoise CulhaneEY Ireland has unveiled a shortlist of finalists for the 2026 edition of its Entrepreneur of the Year awards, with 31 Irish entrepreneurs representing 24 companies in the programme. The finalists will take part in the Big Four firm’s nine-month-long programme, culminating with an awards ceremony in late November. Edward McCloskey, the founder of Louth-based WaterWipes, won the overall and international category prizes last year and will vie for the title of EY Global Entrepreneur of the Year at a world awards ceremony later this year. Other winners on the night included the Smooth Company’s Áine Kennedy in the emerging category, and Grid Finance chief executive Derek Foley in the established category.

Peak electricity demand from data centres would exceed that of all other electricity users in Ireland. This dynamic is also visible in a trend internationally for “off-grid” data centres whose massive scale is difficult to convey. In West Virginia, for example, Monarch Compute Campus is planning an 8GW “microgrid”, entirely fuelled by fossil gas. Claims that fossil gas can later be replaced with biomethane or hydrogen also do not resolve this problem. Instead, the current policy embeds fossil gas at the heart of the sector’s expansion.

Warning for dog owners ahead of Easter weekendDog Welfare charity Dogs Trust is issuing a stark warning to dog owners in Ireland, ahead of the Easter weekend. One of the highlights of our easter holidays is chocolate, and many families will sit down to open their easter eggs, most of which are made with chocolate. Chocolate is highly toxic to dogs, as it contains theobromine, which is a substance that they cannot metabolise effectively. Dogs Trust is urging owners who think their dogs have ingested any amount of chocolate. Niamh Curran-Kelly, Veterinary and Welfare Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland, said: “The easiest way to keep your dog safe this Easter is to ensure that chocolate and other treats are kept well away from furry friends.