Department objected to Government’s ‘housing tsar’ amid concerns over pay and recruitment
McDonagh withdrew from consideration after possibility he might retain €430,000 salary
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Chambers refused to back open-ended RTÉ redundancy scheme, documents show
Department of Public Expenditure set out several conditions for voluntary exits at broadcaster
Minister set to push for extension of artists’ income scheme
About 2,000 artists have been allocated €325 a week in pilot funding since 2022
‘Lowballing’ for big public projects to be tackled by new Dáil infrastructure committee
Seán Fleming says practice undermines public confidence, as actual cost of projects is a multiple of estimate
AI in Irish civil service: Major differences in how Government departments approach issue, survey shows
Some embracing artificial intelligence and others avoiding its use, at least for now
Prison service negotiated with bishop rather than unions on new pay structure for chaplains
Two-tier remuneration system for those appointed before and after 2015 should be ended, arbitration board rules
Castletown House: Vandals cause more than €500,000 of damage amid dispute over right-of-way access
Campaigners who want the full opening of access to Castletown House in Kildare are shocked at alarming turn of events
Sinn Féin accuses Government of misleading public over ‘additional’ Uisce Éireann funding
€1bn allocation did not provide any further funding, utility‘s chair told former minister
Housing crisis: Proposals to boost LDA’s remit under consideration to boost housing output
Government considering steps to allow Land Development Agency to build more private housing at its projects
Curb education ‘overspending’ before lowering class sizes, officials warn
More than 50,000 pupils are in ‘supersized’ classes with 30 children or more
Officials warned of ‘uncertainty’ in housing completions outlook
Internal Department of Housing report set out 10 selected 2024 forecasts, with all but two below 40,000
There is one risk to Ireland’s future progress that dwarfs even pandemics, terrorism and tariffs
The ‘hidden curriculum’ of nod and wink in the civil service leads to widespread disregard for public money
Planned ban on Airbnb-type lettings in rural communities prompts concern
Tourism sector critical to jobs and economic growth in many rural regions, department notes
RTÉ’s voluntary redundancy scheme approved by Government
Programme that could see up to 400 staff leave the broadcaster RTÉ was held up by requests for more information about terms
Cost of long-delayed Dublin Airport Metrolink could rise to more than €23bn, Minister told
Briefing for Darragh O’Brien warns true cost of link between Swords, Dublin Airport and city centre will only be known at procurement stage
Government funding row stalls delivery of up to 5,000 social and affordable homes
Approved Housing Bodies say they have been waiting over six months to start work on projects because department refuses to sign off on funding
Learner drivers face having to start again if they have more than four permits without passing a test
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien advises changes must be made to learner permit regime for sake of road safety
‘Extensive planning’ to combat possible damage from US tariffs happening across Government - Chambers
Trump has promised that tariffs on EU imports are on the way due to ‘trade imbalances’
New supports needed as energy bills set to rise further, officials warn
Official source notes 10% and 24% of electricity and gas customers respectively in arrears
Irish electricity prices, already Europe’s highest, may rise further due to ‘required investment’
Officials also warn ageing population poses long-term risk to Government spending sustainability
State’s housing investment ‘not sustainable’ as homebuilding grows, officials warned
Relying on exchequer grants to deliver climate and energy targets not sustainable in long term, department said
Social Protection rises or cost-of-living measures along lines of recent years ‘will not be needed in future’
Gap between state pension and inflation has narrowed, but the purchasing power of the payment to pensioners has weakened, officials told senior politicians
Shredding public sector waste set to cost €7m under new contract
Service will cover paper and ‘non-paper items’ such as SIM cards, USB flash drives, laptops and uniforms
‘Too many’ unentitled asylum applicants, says Minister, signalling cut in supports
Cutting Ukrainian hosting payment will ‘push people into homelessness’, say advocacy groups
Judge sends transcripts of care hearings to government officials in bid to end ‘emergency’ over vulnerable children
Young people, some in danger of sexual exploitation, are not being taken into care despite High Court orders
Only certain ministerial job appointments so far are the five Independent TDs
Speculation intensifying six days ahead of formal appointment of new Cabinet next Wednesday
Changing how Government is run: justice, migration and infrastructure included in shake-up
Government to introduce changes to delivery of infrastructure and justice and migration
Government green-friendly spending estimated to increase to €7bn in 2025
Another €2bn of spending during the year will be unfavourable to climate and the environment, leaving a net pro-environment spend of just under €5bn
Government submits second payment request under EU’s post-pandemic recovery fund
December 2024 request for €115.5 million in grants is contingent on a series of performance targets
Ireland is being harmed by divorce between managing the economy and managing public spending
Where there is neither control of spending nor effective delivery, it is the worst of all worlds
‘Completely unworkable’: Plans for Sipo to enforce lobbyists’ cooling-off periods criticised
Sipo said offences would be better dealt with through the courts, but the Department rejected this approach, saying it could have a ‘chilling effect’
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to begin formal government coalition talks on Wednesday
Labour and Regional Independent group to decide on pursuing negotiations with two outgoing ruling parties
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael close on some issues but last mile to government formation could be hardest
Fianna Fáil particularly keen on enticing Labour into a coalition rather than Independents, while main two negotiating parties have differing views on issues including VAT reform, new departments and overhaul of the Department of Public Expenditure
Leo Varadkar says many in politics do not understand numbers or percentages
Former taoiseach urged doctors not to ‘sell themselves short’ in pay negotiations with the government
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