Two existential political problems are competing against each other on our front page this morning
In our lead story, the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) warns only modest progress has been made by countries on climate pledges to reduce carbon emissions, “leaving the world heading for a serious escalation of climate risks and damages”.
A report published yesterday said that “lack of ambition and action means exceedance of 1.5 degrees is approaching”. This breach is based on a long-term average rather than a single year’s temperature.
It comes as world leaders including Taoiseach Micheál Martin gather in the Amazon city of Belém in Brazil for a summit tomorrow in advance of Cop30. The conference is bringing Mr Martin away from domestic politics, which continues to be haunted by the country’s enduring housing crisis.
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Also on the front page is a bleak report that predicts that the housing crisis is set to persist for at least another 15 years. That’s a prediction from the Government itself.
The grim analysis was contained in Future Forty: A Fiscal and Economic Outlook to 2065, which is the Department of Finance’s assessment of the economic and fiscal challenges facing the State between now and 2065.
It says housing demand is not expected to peak until the early 2030s, with “pent-up demand” not fully eliminated until at least 2040.
Immigration a dominant theme
Tánaiste Simon Harris’s comments on immigration last week were a dominant theme in the Dáil yesterday, both on the plinth and in the chamber. On his way into Cabinet yesterday, exactly a week on from when he had told reporters outside Government buildings that migration was too high, Mr Harris stood over his remarks. He pointed out that higher migration has a knock-on effect on housing needs. “The conversation about migration isn’t just about international protection, it’s about our population growth in general,” he said.
“Roughly speaking, for every 10,000 people [who] come into our country, around 3,000 more homes are needed. So let’s actually have a rational, calm, informed debate that doesn’t seek to label people, shout them down, box them into certain positions.”
But in the chamber, the Opposition was very critical of the Government’s apparent toughening of its stance on migration, in the wake of an Ipas centre being the subject of an alleged arson attack and following riots in Citywest.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said any flaws in the asylum system are the Government’s responsibility and the Government is conflating “immigration with criminality”. This rhetoric “can contribute to an environment where violence can develop”. Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns accused the Government of playing politics “straight out of the Farage playbook”.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the alleged arson attack on the international protection accommodation centre in Drogheda last week, I took a look at fire safety issues at accommodation centres.
My story, which is also on the front page today, involved reviewing all available reports for inspections on Ipas facilities so far this year. The review found fire-safety concerns were raised in respect of more than 50 accommodation centres.
Slow evacuation drills, locked doors, overcrowding, fire doors wedged open and blocked fire exits have all been flagged as safety concerns at Ipas centres. Inspectors also identified fire risks from a number of e-scooters being charged indoors in the corridors of some accommodation centres. In centres without self-catering kitchen access, inspectors often found evidence of cooking equipment in bedrooms. This was also identified as a fire risk.
The Department of Justice said an inspection report was “a snapshot in time” and said issues documented in a published report may have already been resolved.
It said it could cancel a contract when it was not satisfied with accommodation. It has done so for 21 contracts in the last year, the department said.
Meanwhile, in his column today Michael McDowell is asking why Ireland is such an attractive country for migration.
Elections past and future
Ivan Yates’s ears must have been burning yesterday, as his name continued to be invoked throughout the day in Leinster House and on the national airwaves.
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers rejected Sinn Féin claims that he had responsibility as Fianna Fáil director of elections to publicly declare the party’s relationship with broadcaster Yates.
Kathy Sheridan uses her column today to mull over how a brutal presidential campaign would suit Yates and his media-training services.
Oh, and there was the small matter of a little announcement in the Dáil yesterday congratulating a certain TD. Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy formally announced a vacant Dáil seat in Galway West following the election of Catherine Connolly as president. Ms Murphy told colleagues that it was the first time “in the history of our Constitution that a sitting female TD has successfully contested a presidential election”.
TDs also heard a call for the byelection to fill Ms Connolly’s seat to take place “immediately”.
Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins called for a debate this week on “how soon the writ will be issued so that the people of Galway West will get the representation they fully deserve”.
Listening somewhere was Independent Ireland byelection candidate Noel Thomas, who just so happened to be in Leinster House yesterday.
Speaking of elections, while it won’t have made your print edition, Keith Duggan has a dispatch from New York, where mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has pulled off a stunning win.
Best reads
Miriam Lord has a very entertaining colour piece from the Dáil yesterday that notes what a wonderful exhibit of Yates’s clients the front bench on the Government side of the house was.
Lorcan Sirr has a column that explores how the country appears to be very rich, despite the fact that very few of us feel very rich
And in something completely different, Patsy McGarry has a really lovely piece on the new diverse congregations filling Ireland’s church pews
Playbook
The Dáil schedule for the day ahead is as follows:
9.00 - Topical Issues
10.00 - Private Members’ Business (Labour Party): Motion re Decriminalisation of People who use Drugs
12.00 - Leaders’ Questions (Sinn Féin, Labour Party, Social Democrats, Independent and Parties Technical Group)
12.34 - Other Members’ Questions
12.42 - Questions on Policy or Legislation
13.12 - SOS
14.12 - Parliamentary Questions: Oral — Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
15.49 - Government Business: Statements on International Protection Processing and Enforcement
19.21 Government Business: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 — Report and Final Stages
20.21 - Government Business: Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025 — Committee and remaining Stages
00.21 Motion(s) without debate: Further Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025 [Vote 33]
00.22 - Deferred Divisions
00.52 - Dáil adjourns
The Seanad schedule is as follows:
10.30 Commencement Matters
11.30 Order of Business
12.15 Motion(s) without debate: Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2025
12.20 SOS
13.00 Government Business: Statements on the Post Office Network
14:30 SOS
15.00 Government Business: Statements on National Parks
16.30 Private Members’ Business: Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022 — Report and Final Stages
18.30 Seanad adjourns
