THE IDA prepared a series of briefing documents for their executives after multinational companies raised concerns over “constraints” and “clear market failures” in the residential property market. Executives from the IDA were advised to say that the country’s housing shortage was “not unique to Ireland” in the guidance documents. The investment agency prepared a series… Read More »

SEVEN former HSE consultants and staff have received lump sum retirement pay-outs of more than €300,000 over the past three years. The enormous golden handshakes are part of close to €19 million in lump sums paid to high-earning former consultants and senior officials from the health service since 2016. Altogether, 80 former HSE staff qualified… Read More »

THE former Lord Mayor of Cork flew to Rome for a “Papal audience” on a trip funded by the taxpayer earlier this year. Fianna Fáil’s Tony Fitzgerald travelled with his wife Georgina to the Eternal City to meet with Pope Francis where they gifted the Pontiff a book of photography of Cork City and a… Read More »

TRANSPORT minister Shane Ross and his advisers believed anxieties over a revamp of Dublin’s bus network were being deliberately stirred up for political reasons. The Minister for Transport – who was later accused of having disowned the capital’s BusConnects plan – was under “considerable pressure” over the redesigned network according to internal emails. Records released… Read More »

TWENTY three developers are still in receipt of incomes from NAMA with the highest earning receiving €195,000 per year. Three more get an “allowance” worth €180,000 annually according to figures released under FOI by the asset management agency. Altogether, the 23 developers – who manage sites on behalf of NAMA – receive €2.3 million, an… Read More »

THE Department of Health wanted to pay the new chairperson of the HSE €100,000-a-year for a job that would involve working for just two days each week. After negotiations with the Department of Public Expenditure – the fee was instead agreed at €80,000-a-year, internal records have revealed. The Department of Health wanted the pay package… Read More »

HEALTH Minister Simon Harris gave the green light to a controversial cardiac lab despite strong recommendations against it from senior departmental officials. The second cath lab at Waterford University Hospital had been a key priority for Independent Alliance junior minister John Halligan and was given approval by Minister Harris in early July. However, internal Department… Read More »

STAFF in Met Éireann have been told to be non-committal when asked if specific extreme weather events in Ireland are linked to global warning. The advice is contained in a guidance document for staff on what to do when hurricanes, droughts, heat waves, and snow storms are being blamed directly on climate change. In their… Read More »

THE country’s busiest motorway has witnessed more than 5,100 accidents and incidents since the beginning of 2017. Dublin’s M50 ring road has recorded “incidents” at the rate of over 243 per month, according to a detailed list provided by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The events vary from low priority to major incidents with drivers falling ill… Read More »

THE Information Commissioner threatened to use his legal powers to force the Department of Justice to have searches carried out on private emails between former minister Frances Fitzgerald and PR advisor Terry Prone. The request was made as part of the handling of a Right to Know request for correspondence between Ms Fitzgerald and Ms… Read More »