Gerard Howlin columns
Apart from the back of an envelope suggestion for a new Department of Infrastructure, there is little by way of new ideas on how we can do things better, as distinct from just spending more money
State’s immediate challenge is not money but capacity. We lack the people and infrastructure needed to match current demand
The worst of all worlds would be a Department of Infrastructure which takes years to assemble but is several pistons short of being a full engine
Simon Harris has moved ahead of his problems without necessarily confronting them. Now he’s in a race against time
Undecided voters, and those who make up their minds late on, will influence the outcome of the general election
Cutting inheritance tax benefits the offspring of the generation now leaving property behind - and their parents already enjoyed mortgage interest relief in the past
The new Minister must use the pre-election budget to perform an interconnected series of balances
We need to stop talking about climate obligations and look at the opportunities
The great issues of our times are ageing, climate, and generative AI
Disjointed responses to different humanitarian crises are dictated by their distance, our convenience and political opportunism
The vote - to be held four weeks from today - is an important experiment in extending local government. A lot rests on voters’ choice
In the past, there was a formula which ensured that the worse things were, the more money you got. That’s no longer the case
Series of flip-flops by Sinn Féin on hate speech, the Nature Restoration Law, and the recent referendums raises questions. If they can’t speak clearly for themselves, how can they speak for us?
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil TDs know they are franchisees of brands in decline
A short history of political advisers in Ireland, from the early 1990s to today
The party decided not to be the party of change on climate change, which may be a smart political calculation, but comes at a cost
The problem isn’t the overrun - it is that the cost was grossly underestimated and all the information the market needed to squeeze the Government was made public
There are no signs that the lightening of the mood is helping the Government parties. But it’s not necessarily good for Sinn Féin either
Politics is now increasingly a zero-sum contest seeking only tactical advantage
Unable to afford their own homes or save for a pension, they’ll have to carry the burden of paying for the pensions of the home-owning generation. More must be asked of older people
Accommodating asylum seekers and refugees is a medium-sized infrastructure problem in danger of imminent political contamination by the far right
Sinn Féin rode wave of support on core social issues, but the context has now changed to law, order and immigration
Too many of our 13 MEPs are in peripheral groups, where little real power is exercised. Thirty per cent of Ireland’s parliamentary presence is in a group that comprises just over 5 per cent of the parliament
Ireland cannot sustain a bigger state on our current tax base
Just as a government worthy of the name must pass a budget that is credible, the health service must be able to live within its allocation
Budget day saw rare flashes of leadership but these were overshadowed by imprudent overspending
We have EU-wide responsibilities that are enormous in scale and consequence
If there is a slam dunk election in the making, it is an inside job, and Martin is a chief architect
We are under-prepared and ill-equipped for the real threats to our sovereignty
Leo Varadkar’s support for roads is nostalgia for a world suffocating on its own emissions
Self-referential news cycle prioritising this controversy in the face of climate breakdown is a deadly extension of fake news
A grassroots organisation aims to equip women with the skills, knowledge and confidence to run in local elections
In terms of gender, the Dáil is barely more representative than the ascendancy parliament in the eighteenth century. A culture change is needed
He cannot behave now as if he is still on the hustings, because it changes the future as well as the present
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices
