Inflation explainer: why are prices in Ireland accelerating again?
It accounted for 0.73 per cent of the 3.2 per cent rate recorded last month. And apparently these relate directly to higher food prices. Food inflation remains elevated in Ireland with prices rising by 4.2 per cent in the 12 months to November. Higher food prices reflect the lagged effect of higher energy prices. It’s probably too early to say if elevated food prices here are evidence of this.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 14:59 UTC
HSE warns over high-strength MDMA in circulation this Christmas
Drug testing has found MDMA products ranging from 0mg to more than 300mg in Ireland this year. HSE drug-checking, Ireland’s only service analysing substances submitted for harm-reduction purposes, found MDMA products ranging from 0mg to more than 300mg this year. The HSE is warning of high-strength MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, in circulation this Christmas. “MDMA has changed, and higher strength carries higher risk ... one pill does not mean one dose,” said Nicki Killeen, HSE emerging drug trends manager. A study earlier this year found Ireland’s young people are the second-biggest users of MDMA.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 14:54 UTC
Bulgaria faces political turmoil on the eve of euro entry
Bulgaria faces a fresh wave of political turmoil after street protests over rampant corruption led to the resignation of the prime minister just weeks before the country joins the euro. “We will be a strong opposition,” Mr Borissov told his party leadership in a live Facebook stream on Thursday. Bulgaria's prime minister Rossen Jeliazkov delivers a speech following his government resignation at the parliament in Sofia. Photograph: Dimitar Kyosemarliev/AFP/Getty ImagesThe president has sought to tap into popular discontent with Mr Peevski and Mr Borissov, praising protesters for standing up to the “oligarchy”. Mr Radev has indicated several times he may enter parliamentary politics.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 14:02 UTC
Sudden reduction in exports would have ‘severe impact’ on economy
Container traffic in Dublin Port: A sudden slowdown in demand for Irish exports linked to changes in US trade policy or a global recession would have a “severe impact” on the economy here, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has warned. Get the latest business news and commentary from our expert business team in your inbox every weekday morningA sudden slowdown in demand for Irish exports linked to changes in US trade policy or a global recession would have a “severe impact” on the economy here, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has warned. Bus company Go-Ahead Ireland plans to hire 400 workers after winning a contract for 65 bus routes around Dublin. The deal comes as the Government has introduced a number of initiatives to support apartment building following a slump in multi-unit construction in recent years. Green’s number, contained in a provocative post on Substack, was criticised as ridiculous by statisticians and poverty campaigners who picked holes in his calculations.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 13:03 UTC
Lost Range by Nils Röper: winner of the Moth Nature Prize 2025
Everything was already structured into chapters and reading lists, after all, and he merely had to sit down and write it. What he saw left and right of the road spoke to him like poetry pregnant with symbolism and substance. There was an abandoned church with a wall missing but the wooden cross on the roof still standing straight. Sagebrush plain that ran unbroken until the hills on the horizon, except for the road he was on. Nils Röper has been awarded The Moth Nature Writing Prize 2025, for Lost Range, an excerpt from his novel with the same title, judged anonymously by The Guardian country diarist Mark Cocker.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 13:01 UTC
Former politician ordered to pay €50,000 damages for defaming Sinn Féin councillor
A 51-year-old former Navan councillor has been ordered to pay €50,000 damages after falsely claiming a Sinn Féin councillor had threatened to arrange a punishment beating. Eddie Fennessy, Sinn Féin councillor for Meath County Council, took legal action against former independent councillor Wayne Forde, of Parnell Park, Navan, at Trim Circuit Court. In making the award against Mr Forde, Judge Mary O’Malley Costello said the case was “at the highest level of defamation”. The judge made an order directing Mr Forde to pay €50,000 damages to Mr Fennessy for defaming him. She also made an order restraining Mr Forde from defaming or disparaging Mr Fennessy in any way whatsoever in the future.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 13:01 UTC
What would happen if Russians landed at Shannon and took over the airport? – The Irish Times
For instance, what would happen if a planeload or two of Russian paratroopers landed at Shannon and took over the airport? Simon Harris made a determined effort earlier this year to get a significant increase in defence spending, but the original target of €3 billion was cut in half by the department. While strict supervision of public spending is necessary, our current Exchequer surpluses mean there is no excuse for not giving defence the priority it deserves. The EU and most of its member states are now engaged in a dramatic escalation of defence spending. Defence will probably be the biggest item on the EU agenda during the Irish presidency in the second half of 2026.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 12:40 UTC
Ireland’s air traffic control operators not notified of drone activity during Zelenskiy visit
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska at Dublin Airport on December 1st. AirNav, which runs air traffic control in the Republic, including flights in and out of Dublin Airport, has confirmed to The Irish Times it was not informed of the drone activity on the night of Monday, December 1st. “AirNav Ireland received no reports of drone activity during the visit of President Zelenskiy to Ireland,” the agency said in response to queries about whether the pilots of incoming planes were warned of the drone activity. The package will also include a sonobuoy project; sonobuoys are dropped from ships or aircraft to detect submarines or other underwater activity, including threats to subsea cables. There is also a €400 million commitment to “investment in Defence Forces infrastructure, including accommodation, offices, gyms, aircraft hangars and naval berthage”.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 12:37 UTC
‘You’re talking about 6am to 6pm door-to-door’: How motorway congestion in Dublin is getting worse
A private bus operator does provide a service from the town to the city centre but the times don’t align with their childcare drop-off. “You’re talking about 6am to 6pm door-to-door really and it’s the same for a lot of people, not just teachers,” says Balfe. “There have also been changes to the city centre traffic system, which has had an impact as well. The issue of traffic congestion, in particular delays on the M50, has been raised continuously by commuters, politicians and transport experts over recent months. “People are moving further away from Dublin city centre because they can’t afford to live here and that’s resulting in longer commutes,” he says.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 12:34 UTC
Former RSA Ireland CEO Philip Smith barred from senior financial role for 13 years but avoids fine
Philip Smith, former chief executive of insurance company RSA Ireland, has been barred from holding a senior financial role for 13 years. The Central Bank of Ireland has barred former RSA Insurance Ireland chief executive Philip Smith from holding a senior financial role for 13 years but decided not to impose a fine, for fear that it could push him into bankruptcy. The regulator said that Mr Smith’s participation in regulatory breaches by RSA Ireland merited a financial penalty of €120,000. The Central Bank fined RSA Insurance Ireland €3.5 million in late 2018 for regulatory breaches relating to the accounting issues. RSA Insurance in Ireland rebranded in October to Intact Insurance as part of a rebranding of the wider RSA Insurance Group by its Canadian owners.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 12:29 UTC
Aiming for a world-class employee experience
Gas Networks Ireland is redefining its employee experience as a strategic enabler of business performance, culture and long-term organisational resilience. The workplace experience strategy is a fundamental element of the overall corporate strategy, she adds. “Some elements of the employee experience can seem less tangible at first glance, but they drive measurable outcomes including engagement, productivity, retention and culture. It’s about identifying and upskilling the people to take on the roles, to ensure we fill knowledge and experience gaps.”Employee feedback is central to the workplace experience strategy. We act on the insights gained to ensure we are delivering a world-class employee experience, so that our people can deliver for Ireland.”
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 12:04 UTC
Transport firm Go-Ahead Ireland seeks 400 workers for bus services
Photograph: Bryan O'BrienBus company Go-Ahead Ireland plans to recruit 400 workers after winning a contract for 65 bus routes around Dublin. Now Go-Ahead Ireland is seeking 400 drivers, mechanics, apprentices and other workers to staff the new services, the company said on Thursday. It will add the other 40 as the state agency proceeds with phases eight to 11 of the BusConnects network, which is meant to streamline public transport. Dervla McKay, managing director, Go-Ahead Ireland, said the business had progressed steadily since its launch. “Investment in our public transport services and the commitment of operators such as Go-Ahead Ireland go hand in hand in furthering the development of sustainable public transport that benefits communities,” he said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 10:31 UTC
Companies’ register could drop directors’ home addresses amid safety concerns
Risks to personal safety have prompted calls to allow politicians, social media performers and others to obscure details of where they live from the public. A Company Law Review Group (CLRG) recommendation that the law change to “preclude the default public availability” of directors’ usual residential addresses on the Republic’s Register of Companies, sparked the department’s move. Listen | 41:32Directors can get exemptions from this if they face risks to personal safety or security. Publication of directors’ personal addresses also raised “potential issues” under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is part of Irish law, the society said. It said continuing to disclose the addresses of directors who have faced threats or other risks posed a significant risk to their safety.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 10:02 UTC
Sudden drop in exports would have ‘severe impact’ on the Irish economy, ESRI warns
Photograph: Aidan Crawley/BloombergA sudden slowdown in demand for Irish exports linked to changes in United States trade policy or a global recession would have a “severe impact” on the economy here, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has warned. Household disposable income and consumption would also take a hit with the ESRI projecting these to be 6.7 per cent and 6.2 per cent lower respectively than they might have been. The ESRI report examined how changes in the global economic environment and domestic policies might affect Ireland’s economic trajectory. [ Irish economy contracts by 0.3% as multinational export surge unwindsOpens in new window ]The last time the ESRI published a medium-term economic outlook report was in 2016. The effect on the economy as a whole is less than the other two scenarios with national income being 1.5 per cent lower by 2030.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 10:00 UTC
Win a festive break at Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel, Co Kildare.
Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel have a host of festive breaks available, from relaxing pre-Christmas stays to “Betwixtmas” breaks to rest and recharge between Christmas and New Years. Located in the beautiful Gold Salon, Carton House Fairmont has sprinkled a little Christmas magic over their Iconic Afternoon Tea, transforming it into a truly festive experience. You will also be welcomed with a special Christmas gift in your room on arrival. Wake up on Christmas morning, put on your favourite Christmas outfit and make your way to a spectacular Christmas morning breakfast buffet. Enjoy a morning swim in the wellness suite, a stroll or cycle on the 1,100 estate and work up an appetite for your lunch - a magnificent Christmas Day feast.
Source:The Irish Times
December 12, 2025 09:26 UTC