Stories from Dublin · Ireland

The Irish government has approved more than €6.5 million in one-off funding for eight local authorities. The funds are designated for the introduction of interim flood protection measures. This allocation follows the impact of Storm Chandra, which caused heavy rain and strong winds in parts of Ireland in late January. The measures aim to lessen the impact of future flooding in the worst affected areas. Mark O'Driscoll reported that the funding comes almost three months after the storm's occurrence.

The developer BAM has indicated an intention to provide a completion programme for a hospital project by tomorrow. The National Pediatric Hospital Development Board's Chief Officer, Dave Gunning, addressed a committee regarding the project.

Authorities in Ireland are requesting that citizens report any suspected sightings of the Asian Hornet to invasives.ie. Reporting sightings with photos is described as the most effective way to assist in the continued control or eradication of the invasive species.

European member states have reportedly provided tax advantages totaling 13 billion euros to Apple to encourage investment in Ireland. These practices reportedly allowed Apple to exempt various activities involving foreign companies, specifically American firms, from taxation. The scale of the untaxed revenue is described as very considerable. The Commission holds decision-making power in the areas of state aid and competition policy. While the European Union court initially ruled that the Commission was incorrect, the Commission maintains its role as a guardian of treaties to sanction companies violating competition rules. The Court of Justice annulled a previous tribunal decision to rule in favor of the European Commission's 2016 decision regarding Irish tax payments. The ruling is final and requires the recovery of sums unduly received by Apple due to tax exemptions.

President Michael D. Higgins is returning €2.6 million in salary and allowances to the Irish State. The move involves the reimbursement of accumulated funds to the government.

An 11-year-old child found a firearm in a bush in Ballymun and discharged the weapon yesterday. No injuries were reported following the incident. The event has drawn attention to firearm safety.

capital projects are being planned as part of a £275 billion framework set out in recent months. Officials aim to ensure new contracts are robust enough to prevent delays and cost overruns similar to the Children's Hospital situation.

A conference held in Ireland reported that new medicines have taken an average of 600 days to become available to public patients over the last ten years. Brenda Dooley, head of access consulting, stated that the speed of access to new drugs is personal for patients.

The new national children's hospital project missed its 19th completion deadline today. The National Pediatric Hospital Development Board's Chief Officer, Dave Gunning, stated that all remaining issues rest with the contractor. Developer BAM reported that 75% of the 5,000 rooms meet completion standards, but over 12,000 defects remain unresolved. BAM issued a statement claiming highly selective data is being used regarding the defects. Representatives from Children's Health Ireland and the National Pediatric Hospital Development Board provided the update. TD Shane Moynihan stated that thousands of defects remain unresolved at the site. The project's cost has increased to approximately 2.2 billion euro from an original estimate. The builder, Bam, described claims regarding the project status as selective and misleading.

New home completions in Ireland increased by almost 33 percent during the first quarter. New data from the Central Statistics Office shows an increase in dwelling completions in Ireland during the first three months of the year. The border region recorded a 58 percent rise in completions. Minister for Housing James Brown stated the figures were reinforced by strong mortgage drawdowns. The CSO began collecting this specific data in 2011. New dwelling completions in Ireland reached 7,856 for the first quarter of 2026. This figure represents a 32.9% increase compared to the same period last year. The increase covers completions built during January, February, and March of this year.