Ireland’s approach to defence ‘very hypocritical’, says German military expert
Prof Carlo Masala had no issue with Ireland deciding to stay neutral, but it had to be able to defend itself. Photograph: Alan BetsonIreland’s policy on defence is hypocritical, and to think Ireland will not be attacked because it is neutral “is of course stupid”, a German expert on security policy has said. Asked about Irish neutrality, Prof Masala said he found it “very hypocritical, if you use your neutrality to basically save money in terms of defence policy – I know that this is changing now – and relying on others, if push comes to shove, to defend you". Democracy won the two major battles of the 20th century, against fascism and communism, and democracy could survive in the 21st century, he said. The critical condition was that societies remembered that democracy cannot be taken for granted.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 22:31 UTC
Ireland to buy €500m military radar system from France
Photograph: Department of DefenceThe State will acquire a proposed €500 million military radar system through a government-to-government deal with France, it has been announced. RadarThe military radar programme comprises three parts. There will be a long range, land-based radar, a ship-borne maritime radar and ground-based air defence systems, which will include counter-drone technology. Funding for the project will come from the €1.7 billion National Development Plan for the Defence Forces which was published last week. The purpose of the DGA is to equip the French military and to promote the export of French arms.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 22:21 UTC
Trump has ‘alcoholic’s personality’, says chief of staff
Donald Trump has an “alcoholic’s personality”; JD Vance has been a “conspiracy theorist for a decade”; Elon Musk is an “odd, odd duck”. She claimed that as the daughter of an alcoholic father, she thought that Mr Trump had an “alcoholic’s personality” – recognising similar character traits even though the president does not drink. But while she offered a positive spin to her assessment of Mr Trump, her verdict on Mr Vance, the vice-president and political heir-apparent of the president’s Maga movement was more damning. “And he’s an odd, odd duck, as I think geniuses are. “There was a huge disagreement over whether [tariffs were] a good idea,” Ms Wiles said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 21:24 UTC
Fianna Fáil presidential election report: Party told Jim Gavin past disputes would be uncovered
Photograph: Dan DennisonThe report says Mr Gavin was subjected to a more intensive due diligence process than any previous candidate for the party in any election. However, no polling was done on Mr Gavin before his nomination. The party again put the allegations to Mr Gavin, who again said he had no recollection of any dispute or money owing. There is not, it says, and has never been a procedure by which a person can seek to be the Fianna Fáil candidate. The report will be discussed at what is expected to be a stormy Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting at Leinster House on Tuesday evening.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 19:44 UTC
Other countries could follow Irish lead on data centre rules
Milan, Italy is one of several cities favoured by data centre developers. Other countries could follow the Republic’s lead by requiring new data centres to build their own power plants as a condition of connecting to the electricity network, one expert suggests. He noted that moratoriums or congested queues for electricity connections had slowed data centre development in many countries. [ New data centres may need additional electricity supply close to Ireland’s peak demandOpens in new window ]Data centres facilitate digital services including social media, streaming, email, online shopping and artificial intelligence. This country became the primary location for these utilities on the back of its position as a leading European centre for software and technology services.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 19:27 UTC
Defence Forces takes possession of €53m ‘strategic reach’ aircraft, replacing Government jet
Photograph: Department of DefenceThe Defence Forces has taken possession of a new “strategic reach” aircraft which will be capable of flying to the west coast of the United States without refuelling. Other roles will include evacuation of Irish citizens from emergency situations, repatriation of Defence Forces personnel and the transport of supplies to overseas military missions. Minister for Defence Helen McEntee said the new aircraft “is further evidence of the Government’s ongoing commitment to enhance the capabilities of our Defence Forces”. Last weekend, another new aircraft, a Canadian-made Viking 400, also arrived at the Air Corps headquarters in Baldonnell, west Dublin. It will serve as a Garda surveillance aircraft but will be operated by Air Corps pilots.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 19:00 UTC
Case alleging chief of Limerick firm spent company money on girlfriends settles
Jennifer O'Carroll claimed that since spring, Karl Bohlin had been primarily concerned with his love life and finding a girlfriend. Jennifer O’Carroll, chief operations officer of Limerick-based enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management software group, HansaWorld, had sought orders lifting her suspension as director and company secretary and to stop alleged interference in her role as chief operating officer. She claimed that since spring, Mr Bohlin had been primarily concerned with his love life and finding a girlfriend which he described as his “highest priority”, she said. She claimed Mr Bohlin used the company human resources “to screen the girls from various illicit websites for suitability”. Mr Justice Brian Cregan agreed to do so with the undertakings to remain in place until then.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 18:45 UTC
Secret Santa disasters: ‘I tried to pretend that I got the joke, but I was horrified’
However, what the gift-giver didn’t know was that Goldstein’s relationship had ended shortly before the Secret Santa exchange took place. And she got bought a bondage kit in the Secret Santa.” As a result, the entire team underwent sexual harassment awareness training. Secret Santas are 'giving for the sake of giving in so many ways'O’Brien wasn’t alone in the Northern Ireland Civil Service in having a negative Secret Santa experience. “There were a few other incidents of inappropriate and nasty and spiteful Secret Santas that led to the decision in the Civil Service to ban Secret Santas completely,” he says. Interestingly, Goldstein objects to Secret Santa wishlists, which are filled out ahead of the Secret Santa at her current workplace, despite the fact they could have saved her from receiving a disastrous gift.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 18:35 UTC
Woman who set fire to bus during Dublin riots jailed for six years
Photograph: Collins DublinA woman who set fire to a bus during the 2023 Dublin riots, causing nearly half a million euro worth of damage, has been jailed for six years. The judge went on to pass sentence on Kelly, of no fixed abode, who pleaded guilty to criminal damage of a bus on O’Connell Bridge during the Dublin riots on November 23rd, 2023. A victim impact statement from a representative of Dublin Bus was read out in court by counsel. “Employees of Dublin Bus have never experienced anything like the violent, threatening and volatile behaviour on that day,” the statement said. The statement said Dublin Bus employs 4,000 people, including about 3,100 drivers from 85 countries.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 17:46 UTC
Plan before Cabinet would see €600m in loans to small builders and developers – The Irish Times
The Christmas socialising season is hitting its stride but there’s still plenty of politics to do before the holidays. Today sees the last Cabinet meeting of the year – “barring emergencies”, says one insider – so expect a lengthy agenda. Cormac McQuinn has the highlights here, which include two meaty items from the new Minister for Finance, Simon Harris. One is a new plan to provide €600 million in loans to small builders and developers to build up to 5,000 new homes of all tenure types in the next few years. Harris will also seek Cabinet agreement for the new – and long-promised – Medium Term Fiscal Framework, which will set fiscal and budgetary rules for the rest of the Coalition’s term.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 16:55 UTC
At the top of the 2025 naughty list is the US, now officially in climate denial – The Irish Times
This was a year of extremes when it came to both climate change and climate policy. Cop30 was another missed opportunity to build momentum for a fossil fuel phase-out. At the top of the 2025 naughty list is the US, now officially in climate denial. Even in the US oil and gas hotspot state of Texas, renewables flourished under former president Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) subsidies. Climate leadership was not much in evidence from the Irish Government in 2025, though on paper at least, it remains committed to the 2030 climate targets.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 16:54 UTC
Accountant cut after nearly 18 years was ‘laughed at’ when she asked about redundancy payment, WRC hears
Ms McDonagh said she was “laughed at” by her employer when she asked about her lump sum after being told she was being made redundant in January this year. “Why should I liquidate when the company is doing well, flying, and making loads of money?” Ms McDonagh said. Adjudication officer Úna Glazier-Farmer asked Ms McDonagh whether she and “anything to support that contention the company was ‘flying’”. “I probably shouldn’t be saying this – it was a cash business, so it was what they were putting through the banks then. Mr Dunlea said it was “not an unfair dismissal”, arguing there was leeway for a small business in the circumstances.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 16:32 UTC
Donald Trump sues BBC for $10 billion over Panorama speech edit
US president Donald Trump has confirmed that he is suing the BBC for defamation over the editing of a speech he made on January 6th, 2021. Video: C-SpanUS president Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against the BBC for selectively editing one of his speeches in an episode of Panorama. It also accused the BBC of “splicing together two entirely separate parts of President Trump’s speech on January 6th, 2021” in order to “intentionally misrepresent the meaning of what President Trump said”. [ BBC apologises to Trump over speech edit but rejects compensation claimOpens in new window ]Mr Trump said the lawsuit was imminent when he spoke at a press conference on Monday afternoon in Washington. Despite the apology, Mr Trump said he would proceed with legal action for “anywhere between one billion dollars and five billion dollars”.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 16:12 UTC
How a 50-year mortgage could help fix Ireland’s housing crisis
A 50-year mortgage would allow someone to borrow for a longer term, which would mean lower monthly repayments, which, in turn, could make housing more affordable. For Joey Sheahan, head of credit at MyMortgages.ie and author of The Mortgage Coach, the most effective solution to our housing crisis will be “the ready availability of housing stock”. A 50-year mortgageThe longer you repay the loan, the smaller the monthly repayments and the more affordable purchasing property might be. If a 50-year mortgage was to really work, then, it would require buyers to get buying at a younger age. These days, most lenders have rowed back on such terms, although Nua Money now offers a mortgage term of up to 40 years.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 16:03 UTC
The Bondi Beach massacre makes both Jews and Muslims feel less safe
Mourners cover their faces during a moment of prayer at a tribute to those killed in the shooting attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Monday. Photograph: Matthew Abbott/The New York TimesSunday’s massacre of at least 15 people at a Jewish event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach shocked Australia, a country Jews have long regarded as welcoming and safe. Sunday’s candle lighting on Bondi Beach was one of the first such Hannukah events this year, as the sun set hours earlier than most of the rest of the world. The exchange highlights the fact that Netanyahu will use the Bondi Beach massacre to reinforce his narrative that connects support for Palestinian statehood and opposition to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza with anti-Semitism and attacks on Jews around the world. The Bondi Beach massacre will make both Jews and Muslims feel less safe at a moment when the peace process in Gaza remains fragile and uncertain.
Source:The Irish Times
December 16, 2025 16:00 UTC