Paschal Donohoe’s departure gives Coalition a different complexion – The Irish Times
Paschal Donohoe's departure from Irish public life has brought the usual verbal garlands from allies – but also criticism. The administration was already different from its predecessor in both obvious and more subtle ways, but Donohoe’s decision gives the Government – and particularly its Fine Gael element – a different complexion and political texture. Best readsMiriam Lord on Donohoe’s departure. Leaders’ Questions is at midday, followed by Other Member’s Questions and Questions on Policy or Legislation. Simon Harris makes his committee bow as Minister for Finance with supplementary estimates in the finance committee at 3.30pm.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 23:26 UTC
Man driving 61 times over legal limit for cocaine ‘should be dead’, court hears
A judge said he does not know how a west Clare man is alive after readings show that on two occasions he was 61 times and 46 times over the legal limit for cocaine while driving. Solicitor for Kenny, Patrick Moylan, said that based on the cocaine readings before the court, Kenny “should be dead”. The legal limit for Benzoylecgonine when driving is 50 ng/ml, and Judge Gabbett said that this was 46 times over the limit. Judge Gabbett said that on December 4th, 2024, Kenny was “exceptionally intoxicated” while driving with the amount of cocaine he had consumed. Kenny told Judge Gabbett he was off the rails at the time of the offending, but that now, “I am trying my best, I really am”.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 22:45 UTC
IRFU report reduced operating deficit of €4.2m for 2024/25
The IRFU has reported an improved financial position for the year ending July 31st, 2025, with a reduced operating deficit of €4.2 million compared to €18.4 million the previous year. The IRFU also benefited from an additional match outside World Rugby’s November window last season, the 150th Anniversary match against Australia at the Aviva Stadium. The union also invested €9.4 million in the women’s game, an increase of €1.1 million from the previous year and more than quadruple the level of 2020/21. Of this, about €4 million was generated by the women’s game itself. “The values of broadcast have stagnated and fallen back for rugby over the last five or six years,” said Potts.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 22:35 UTC
Who has qualified for the World Cup already and how did they do it?
With an expanded 48 teams in the World Cup for 2026, and games played over three countries, it is not easy to keep track of who has qualified around the world for the big event in North America next summer. Four will be through Uefa, which you may be familiar with and involves Ireland, while two will be through interconfederation playoffs involving other continents. Here are all the teams that have qualified for the World Cup so far:AFC (Asian Confederation):AustraliaIranJapanJordanQatarSaudi ArabiaSouth KoreaUzbekistanJordan and Uzbekistan make their debuts in the tournament. They may yet be joined by Iraq, who are seeded for an interconfederation playoff, the draw for that takes place on Thursday. CAF (African confederation):AlgeriaCape VerdeEgyptGhanaIvory CoastMoroccoSenegalSouth AfricaTunisiaCape Verde, the nation of Shamrock Rovers player Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes, are debutants at the World Cup.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 22:17 UTC
Ireland’s new fast casual food: 10 top dishes to grab and go
Falafelumi-falafel.ieFalafel is an age-old street food classic, beloved across Arab countries and the Mediterranean and now firmly part of Ireland’s food scene. Korean corn dogs, Korean fried chicken and kimchi cheese toasties seem to be everywhere. Fried ChickenA selection of Chimac dishesIt’s nothing new, but we love fried chicken, and so we keep finding ways to reinvent it, and that’s not a bad thing. It means that businesses such as Dublin’s Chimac continue to blossom with their wildly popular “Soul food via Seoul” Korean Fried Chicken, and Cluck Chicken Truck captures hearts with their fried chicken delights. In Galway, try Smash Bird for an impressive selection of buttermilk fried chicken burgers.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 21:54 UTC
Joanne McNally: ‘I was like, I’ll absolutely fly to Ireland and play golf with Bill Murray’
The six-part series, based on Tom Coyne’s book A Course Called Ireland, sees Murray joined by ‘celebrity friends’ – one of which is McNally – as he tours Ireland’s golf courses. So I was like, ‘I’ll absolutely fly to Ireland and play golf with Bill Murray’. “He’s got an energy about him: this attractive, elder, successful man energy.”Joanne McNally[ Joanne McNally: ‘I’m allergic to romance. So Prosecco was very much about my story, whereas this show branches out a little bit into the world and what’s going on. I think I’m getting... I’m not going to say spiritual, because I’ll never get to that point.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 21:30 UTC
Irish football back down to earth with humbling Andorra defeat
First we saw our under-17s beaten by Switzerland in the last 16 of the World Cup, and then our under-21s suffered a humiliating 4-0 Euro 2027 qualification defeat to ... Andorra. It was only the fourth time in their entire history that they won a competitive game at under-21 level. South Africa, of course, are our rugby crew’s opponents on Saturday, Gordon D’Arcy previewing that encounter in his column. TV Watch: It’s back to club action football goes, the women’s Champions League resuming today. Manchester United are away to Wolfsburg (5.45pm) and holders Arsenal are at home to Real Madrid (both games are on Disney Plus).
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 20:28 UTC
‘It’s a crazy set-up’: residents who lost out in bus changes protest against new routes
Photograph: Katie MellettResidents of areas in north Dublin poorly served by changed bus routes have described the new system as “crazy” as they made their opposition clear to the National Transport Authority (NTA) on Wednesday. The Finglas Bus Action Group delivered more than 700 complaints and hundreds of petition signatures to the NTA’s office on Wednesday at 2pm. Opposition to bus routing changes has also grown in other areas, including Chapelizod, Dundrum and Bray. On Tuesday evening, a public meeting was held on the BusConnects Finglas routes. People who rely on the bus to get in to do shopping or socialise – they’re now completely isolated.”Rosanna Egan, a resident in Finglas, says she missed Wednesday’s meeting as she arrived late due to the new bus routes.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 20:22 UTC
Philosophical Donohoe leaves incomplete Eurogroup legacy
Former minister for finance Paschal Donohoe, left, pictured alongside Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, at a press briefing at Government Buildings on Monday to formally announce his resignation. Photograph: Damien Eagers/PA WirePaschal Donohoe was in a reflective and philosophical mood last Friday in Frankfurt what would prove his last visit to the European Central Bank (ECB) as Eurogroup president. Donohoe said he never approached such reforms as political theorist but as a finance minister who knew first-hand “the stark challenges in taking difficult decisions”. It was proposed in the euro crisis to obviate future bailouts through harmonised European banking rules and common oversight to spot problems early and weaken connections between private banks and the national governments. “We must throw our hats over that wall and commit to delivery,” he told the ECB gathering.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 18:38 UTC
At least 25 killed, including children, in Russian attack on Ukraine apartment building
A high-rise apartment building struck in a Russian attack on Ternopil, Ukraine on November 19th. Photograph: State Emergency Service of Ukrain/Anadolu via Getty ImagesAt least 25 people were killed in a Russian drone and missile attack overnight that hit apartment buildings in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday. The upper floors of a residential building in Ternopil were torn away in the attack. Officials said three children were among the dead and that the death toll could rise, with about 25 people still missing. A residential building damaged by a Russian air strike in Ternopil, Ukraine.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 18:26 UTC
In an age of doom scrolling and brain rot, it feels good to waste time people-watching from my Dublin step
Molly Furey: 'At best, we could dress it up as a wholesome sense of curiosity – a joie de vivre for the eclecticism of Dublin life'. We treat our Dublin city steps like a set of pitchside bleachers. In an age of doom scrolling and brain rot, it has felt good (dare I say even revolutionary?) At best, we could dress it up as a wholesome sense of curiosity – a joie de vivre for the eclecticism of Dublin pedestrian life. It feels good, grounding even, to know that Garda One’s five debs trumps Garda Two’s mere three.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 18:03 UTC
Garry Moroney appointed as chief executive of The Irish Times media group
Technology entrepreneur Garry Moroney has been appointed as chief executive of The Irish Times media groupTechnology entrepreneur Garry Moroney has been appointed as chief executive of The Irish Times media group. Mr Moroney has been chief executive of Roomex, a travel management platform, since September 2019. Mr Moroney steps into a role that has been filled on an interim basis by Michael Sheehan, the group chief financial officer (CFO) of The Irish Times. The Irish Times media group also includes the Cork-based Examiner and Echo titles, a number of regional newspapers, Gloss magazine, property website MyHome.ie, and death notice website RIP.ie. In 2024, The Irish Times media group almost doubled its pretax profit to €4.05 million due to a slightly improved trading performance, investment portfolio gains and tight management of costs.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 17:28 UTC
‘Tis the season to be scammed: shoppers fall for rogue websites
Photograph: iStockAs the festive season kicks off, many of us will shop online for gifts. More than two in five had been targeted in an online shopping scam over the previous 12 months. So if you’re planning to shop online this season, can you tell a real deal from a fake one? “Always search for reviews on other sites before buying from an online shop that’s new to you,” says Griffin. So, as Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals flood our inboxes and social media feeds, we need to be particularly vigilant.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 17:02 UTC
Moral duty ‘to act now’ on climate change for future generations, says Catherine Connolly
President Catherine Connolly made the opening address for a panel discussion on Climate Justice (Leaving No One Behind) An Taisce's Tailors Hall. Photograph: Tony MaxwellPresident Catherine Connolly has said she will do “everything” in her power to keep climate action “at the top of our national and international agenda”. Ms Connolly said it was “abundantly clear” from the latest report from the Climate Change Advisory Council that Ireland must “decarbonise and do so with the greatest urgency”. Both the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and the Climate Change Advisory Council have previously said that Ireland could face fines of between €8 billion and €26 billion for breaching emissions targets. The President said “without a doubt” climate change, along with ongoing wars, pose an “existential threat to our civilisation’s future”.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 16:42 UTC
Occupied Territories Bill: Three EU countries have passed Bills sanctioning Israel, Dáil told
Pro-Palestinian supporters, organised by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, rallying to support the Occupied Territories Bill earlier this year. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni/The Irish TimesSpain, Slovenia and the Netherlands have all passed Bills imposing sanctions on Israel in the Occupied Territories, the Dáil has heard as it debated a joint Opposition motion on the legislation. The Government has faced pressure from the Opposition to pass the Bill and from politicians in the US, a key ally of Israel, not to proceed. They had been promised that the Bill would progress once amendments were made within six months, but 11 months had passed. Mr Byrne stressed that the Bills passed by other EU states “by and large” dealt with goods from illegal settlements.
Source:The Irish Times
November 19, 2025 16:36 UTC