At this moment on Tuesday morning, it does not look like it will be the most momentous week in Irish politics.
The agenda for the Oireachtas is surprisingly light on legislation, with no Bills being debated in the Dáil today and relatively minor technical Bills taking up the agendas of the Dáil and Seanad on Wednesday and Thursday.
The only debate of note that might generate some heat is the slot allotted to statements on supports for hauliers and supply chains on Thursday. But even then, you sense that debate has moved on from protests and blockades, at least until another negative twist in the war between Iran and the US and Israel.
This morning, Jack Horgan-Jones reports that the National Lottery wants the Government to effectively ban bookmakers from accepting bets on its draws.
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A report commissioned by the operator of the lottery says more than €800 million was bet with bookies last year on lottery draws, in a large secondary market.
National Lottery chief executive Cian Murphy told The Irish Times the secondary market was estimated to be only slightly smaller than the actual draw. He said betting on the lottery has been operating in a “grey zone” whereby it is neither explicitly legal nor illegal but has been tolerated.
The former politician who wrote court reference
Jim Glennon was a one-term Fianna Fáil TD who retired from politics almost two decades ago in 2007. Yet, given that he was also a well-known rugby personality and the chair of one of the biggest public relations companies in Ireland, he was still in the public eye.
Over the weekend, it emerged that Glennon is the former TD who wrote a reference letter for a man convicted of sexually exploiting a young boy.
In a statement, Glennon said he had formally apologised for writing the reference, which he said was “naive” and “wrong”. He also confirmed he would be “resigning from any and all employment, consultancies and directorships that I currently hold”.
There had been media queries for some days to the company he chaired until March, Edelman, asking whether he was the former politician referred to by a Court of Appeal judge, who criticised the reference letters written on behalf of Daniel Ramamoorthy, because none had referred to the terrible offence itself.
We profile Glennon and his career here.
Ukrainian accommodation contracts to come to an end
Jack Horgan-Jones reports that the State is to terminate more than 500 contracts with hotels and other accommodation housing more than 16,000 Ukrainian refugees.
When Russia invaded Ukraine more than four years ago, Ireland offered one of the most generous packages in the EU to those fleeing the war. It included them being provided with accommodation with host families, and also in hotels, and extensive access to welfare, health services and education.
As other EU countries began tapering off their programmes for refugees, a significant number who had sought protection elsewhere began moving to Ireland in so-called “secondary movements”. The Irish programme, while providing essential refuge, has cost billions of euro since its inception.
The move to end the contracts, which was approved by the Cabinet committee on migration on Monday, gives effect to previously flagged plans as part of an effort to wind down the system of accommodation and support for people fleeing the war in that country.
It is expected the measures will go to Cabinet shortly for approval, with contracts expected to wind down over the next 12 months. Government sources said 522 contracts would be affected.
The development will see the withdrawal of State-contracted accommodation to about 16,000 people, most of whom have been in receipt of the service since before March 2024, when the Government adjusted the rights to accommodation for new arrivals from Ukraine.
Right to be forgotten
There is a full agenda for the Cabinet meeting today.
One important item is a “right to be forgotten” for cancer patients in the insurance market.
Tánaiste Simon Harris is set to seek Government approval for amendments to legislation that will place the protections on a statutory footing.
Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary will also brief Ministers on a plan to offer travel support for victims of domestic violence.
The Cabinet will also be briefed on the detail of support schemes for hauliers and farmers agreed by the Government earlier this month.
The Taoiseach will bring a report on artificial intelligence (AI) to the Cabinet, authored by the National Economic and Social Council, which will set out five priority areas to guide development of the technology in Ireland.
Garda policing of public events
The Public Accounts Committeewill launch a report that shows public money might be used because An Garda Síochána is not charging enough for providing policing and security for events such as concerts and sporting fixtures.
In 2023, the force recovered more than €7 million from such work, but the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report to the committee noted that some fees remained unpaid from previous years. There were also flaws identified in how the model was implemented, including that overtime, allowances and higher-rank pay were not included when calculating the flat rate.
Jack Horgan-Jones has details of the report.
Best reads
Fintan O’Toole gives very interesting historical political context to the housing crisis. His argument is that Fianna Fáil created the middle class who aspired to own their own homes, but that the party has little to offer to the latest generation, who cannot fulfil that expectation because they are locked out of housing.
Sadhbh O’Neill, in her column, points out that legally approved emissions in planning will significantly increase emissions in the State.
Playbook
The Cabinet meets today. Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers travels to San Francisco tomorrow for a visit focused on AI.
Dáil Éireann
2pm: Leaders’ Questions
3.50pm: Statements on the consultation process for the Our Rural Future policy
6.15pm: Sinn Féin Private Members’ Motion on strengthening workers’ rights
8.15pm: Parliamentary Questions to Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke
10.51pm: Dáil adjourns
Seanad Éireann
4.45pm: Motion on Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Fingal and Wexford County Councils) (Parts of Administrative Areas) Order 2026
6.15pm: Statements on the delivery of the Broadband Plan
7.45pm: Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 – second stage
9pm: Seanad adjourns
Committees
11am: Committee on AI is looking at defence, security and cybersecurity.
11am: Comhchoiste na Gaeilge ag scrúdú an Eircode, chomh maith le hEarcaíocht sa tSeirbhís Phoiblí.
11am: Committee on Fisheries is examining seaweed harvesting and licensing.
3pm: Committee on Justice is examining supports for victims of crime
3pm: Committee on Foreign Affairs is discussing the GAA’s work internationally and with the diaspora
