Ireland’s AI crossroads – regulation and the race for talent
“Research Ireland is funding huge amounts of PhDs to be trained, but they’re leaving afterwards because there isn’t an incentive to stay. “They don’t have the residency and visa to be able to do that, so they move abroad.”For Hines, the bottlenecks are clear: housing and visas, but most of all, AI infrastructure. Ireland’s AI talent retention challenges come just as the European Union’s AI Act – the world’s first comprehensive attempt to regulate artificial intelligence – begins to take effect. The Act is intended not only to set guardrails for companies, but also to signal Europe’s determination to shape the culture of AI research itself. During the event, Canadian computer scientist Richard Sutton urged young researchers to ignore debates about regulation and ethics and just “focus on developing the AI”.
Source:The Irish Times
December 11, 2025 10:32 UTC
EU satellite images identified ‘dark vessel’ in Irish Sea that could be linked to rogue drones
Images taken by a European Union satellite last week shortly before the sighting of five rogue drones in Dublin Bay show the nearby presence of a “dark vessel”, which appeared to be trying to hide its location. Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has said the drones “were for the purpose of putting pressure on EU and Ukrainian interests”. Zelensky Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish TimesGiven their location, there are strong suspicions the drones were launched from a ship in the Irish Sea rather than from land. The presence of the unidentified ship shortly before the incident is a vital clue for investigators from An Garda Síochána’s Special Detective Unit, the section investigating the drones incident. Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Dáil on Wednesday the presence of the drones was a “very concerning incident” similar to incidents in other EU states.
Source:The Irish Times
December 11, 2025 10:32 UTC
Politicians are bad at the internet. Just look at Simon Harris’s TikTok – The Irish Times
But for the very most part, finding an elected official with a proficiency in the humour, grammar and vocabulary of social media is rare. You do not have to spend the same amount of hours on Simon Harris’s TikTok account as I did to work this out. And with apologies to Harris, because he is not the only – in fact, far from the worst – perpetrator of bad social media practice. Oh don’t worry, it’s only the 2.2 million Irish TikTok users who might see that! Social media operates in a chatty vernacular, a lax cadence, whatever you want to call it.
Source:The Irish Times
December 11, 2025 10:32 UTC
New €19m anti-drone capability to be available to Defence Forces for EU presidency
The target date for the full delivery of the military radar programme is set for 2028. Photograph: Alan BetsonNew anti-drone capabilities will be available if needed as part of security arrangements for Ireland’s presidency of the EU in the second half of next year, the Minister for Defence is expected to announce on Thursday. It is understood Helen McEntee will say a budget of €19 million will be provided for a counter unmanned aerial system to be procured for the Defence Forces. The aim is to have the system available to the Defence Forces by the middle of next year. The target date for the full delivery of the military radar programme is set for 2028.
Source:The Irish Times
December 11, 2025 10:12 UTC
‘Difficult to establish’ why Ireland’s electricity prices are so high, says ESRI
Ireland’s limited ability to diversify away from gas-fired generation reduces the scope for wholesale price reductions, the committee has heard. Photograph: iStockThe reason for Ireland’s high electricity prices is “difficult to establish”, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has said. Citing Eurostat data, the ESRI said Irish electricity prices have fallen in the last two years, from their 2023 peak, but the decline has been less than in many other European countries. [ Wholesale electricity prices down 18.5% but consumers still facing high billsOpens in new window ]“Possible explanations include fewer risk-mitigation options and weaker competition in the Irish market. He identified “reliance on imported fossil fuels, particularly gas, for electricity generation,” as a driver of higher energy costs.
Source:The Irish Times
December 11, 2025 09:04 UTC
Jury views footage of moment father of four stabs man outside home
Garda Dara Kelly on Wednesday said he compiled CCTV footage taken from three houses on Drumcairn Avenue and a Ring doorbell attached to Mr Murphy’s house. On arrival at Mr Murphy’s house, Ronan entered the driveway, activating lights in Mr Murphy’s van, the witness said. Garda Cullen agreed with Mr Kennedy that Mr Murphy was polite and courteous at all times. When Det Insp Houlihan knocked on the front door, Mr Murphy’s partner answered and said Mr Murphy was in bed. Det Insp Houlihan noted Mr Murphy appeared nervous and did not seem like someone who had just woken up.
Source:The Irish Times
December 11, 2025 01:48 UTC
Judge halts marathon dispute between brother and sister over former family home in Dublin
Ms O’Kelly had said, to maintain good family relations, she permitted Raymond to live there under licence. When her brother refused to leave, Ms O’Kelly went to court acting on her own behalf or as executor and trustee under her father’s will. When Raymond had not left by that date, the Dublin County Sheriff took possession of the house and delivered possession to Ms O’Kelly. Grellan O’Kelly, as personal representative of the estate of Ms O’Kelly, was later substituted for his deceased sister as plaintiff. Raymond McGovern had to get an extension of time to appeal and, having got that, did “absolutely nothing” to prosecute his appeal, the judge said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 11, 2025 00:53 UTC
Number of people hospitalised with flu increases by almost 60% in two weeks
The number of people hospitalised with influenza has increased by almost 60 per cent over the last two weeks as pressure on the health system continues to mount. The figures also show there were seven admissions into intensive care and one flu death reported by the HPSC that week. The highest number of cases reported last week were in children aged 0 to 14, who accounted for 1,022. On Wednesday morning, there were 20 children waiting for a bed across the three Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) sites. There were 434 patients waiting on hospital trolleys for a bed on Wednesday morning, of whom 70 were waiting more than 24 hours.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 22:35 UTC
The Irish Times view on the Kenova report: some lives were considered expendable
The final report into the British army/MI5 agent known as Stakeknife once again illustrated how during the Troubles the lives of some people were viewed as expendable by representatives of the British state. More people died than were saved by him. Scappaticci was run by the British army’s secretive Force Research Unit (FRU) but this latest Kenova report disclosed that MI5 was involved in “briefing and tasking Stakeknife” via the FRU throughout his “operation as an agent”. He was a spy from the late 1970s until at least the early 1990s. Previously it said its role with Stakeknife was “peripheral”.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 22:31 UTC
Why routine assessments for children with special needs are being scrapped
Next year, parents applying for special schools will no longer need an Assessment of Needs in order to access it for the 2027 academic year. Depending on the age of the child, being able to access special education can often change their life for the better. Next year, however, parents applying for special schools will be told they no longer need an AoN in order to access special education for the 2027 academic year. According to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), a child does need a “professional report” which identifies that they do have a special educational need, before they can be placed in a special class or a special school. “Who is going to be the gatekeeper of special education?” Ms O’Neill said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 22:22 UTC
European court stance limits Ireland’s ability to deport criminals, O’Callaghan says
The European Court of Human Rights is interpreting “inhuman and degrading treatment” too broadly, which is limiting the ability of member states to deport foreign criminals, the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has said. It is understood that Denmark is frustrated with people who have successfully evaded deportation, if they can argue that they would suffer cruel or degrading treatment in their home country. Mr O’Callaghan was speaking as part of a meeting of justice ministers at the Council of Europe, to discuss the European Convention on Human Rights and migration. Some have successfully argued they would face cruel or degrading treatment in their home country. A spokeswoman for Mr O’Callaghan confirmed he believes that “the European Court of Human Rights has interpreted Article 3 on inhuman and degrading treatment too broadly”.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 21:57 UTC
Veteran Irish executive says finding out she was being demoted in company newsletter was ‘pretty stressful’
Photograph: Alan BetsonA veteran Irish executive has described finding out from a company newsletter that she was being demoted from her role as managing director of the multinational where she spent 24 years. “I have to say, that was pretty stressful,” Caroline O’Connell told the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). “I believe I was dismissed because I took a grievance about my job being changed in a newsletter to the company,” Ms O’Connell told the tribunal. “What was I supposed to do, sit around for a year on the dole?” Ms O’Connell said. Mr Curran said that Ms O’Connell had failed to show sufficient evidence of efforts to mitigate her losses by interviewing for three jobs in the number of months she was unemployed.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 21:30 UTC
Flu strain H3N2: how prepared is the HSE for a winter surge?
Health chiefs are worried as uptake rates of highly effective flu jab are below target. This, Bernard Gloster, head of the HSE, said indicated the flu virus was likely to peak at a time of key socialisation: during the weeks of Christmas and new year. Kim Price, clinical nurse manager at Temple Street Hospital’s emergency department, said they were seeing “huge numbers of patients presenting”. The main issue for health officials is whether hospitals will be able to withstand the pressure in coming weeks. All of these things combined – a highly virulent strain, lower-than-optimal vaccine uptake, an ageing population and bed shortages – paint a daunting image of how much pressure the hospital system could be under this Christmas.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 21:12 UTC
Some 2,500 remain without power after Storm Bram, as status yellow wind warning to hit three counties
Roy Mercer walks along the coast at the Shelley Banks in Ringsend, Dublin, as Storm Bram battered the country on Tuesday. Photograph: Bryan O’BrienA status yellow wind warning is set to come into force overnight for counties Galway, Kerry and Mayo. As of 5pm on Wednesday, the ESB confirmed, 2,500 households and businesses remain without supply predominately in the southeast region. Met Éireann has said a temperature of 17.2 degrees was recorded at its weather station in Dublin’s Phoenix Park during Storm Bram. The highest verified temperature recorded in Ireland in December is 18.1 degrees which was noted at Dublin’s Peamount weather station on December 2nd in 1948.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 21:00 UTC
Glendalough Hotel in Co Wicklow one of 14 premises served with FSAI closure order last month
Photo: Sam Boal/CollinsThe Glendalough Hotel in Co Wicklow was one of 14 premises served with a closure order by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) last month. The closure order was served on the hotel in Glendalough after a rodent infestation was found in the main food preparation area, evident by the presence of droppings throughout the main kitchen area. Rodent droppings were noted on the floor of the internal dry store, below the dishwasher area, on the floor below the hot holding unit and below the pot wash area. The closure order was served on November 5th, but lifted on November 7th. Among other food businesses served with a closure order was Cruncheesz takeaway on Cavan Road, Oldcastle, Co Meath.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 20:43 UTC