Early Edition

The Russian oligarch believed to control Aughinish Alumina; supermarket turf war 05.06.2026 9min

A confidential report by Swedish authorities claims the Russian billionaire, Oleg Deripaska, still controls the metals giant Rusal, which owns the Aughinish Alumina plant in County Limerick, despite sanctions meant to limit his power.Researchers at Maynooth University say the record for the hottest day ever in the month of May was smashed by more than 2 degrees, and it wouldn’t have happened without manmade global warming.The European Commission says peat cutting is taking place across parts of Ireland without planning permission, environmental assessments, or enforcement.A turf war is brewing between supermarket chains Lidl and Supervalue over planning permission for new stores.It’s day three of the state exams and The Irish Times speaks to one Leaving Certificate student and a careers consultant.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lidl warns government; Trump's UFC ring; Shergar; Rotunda row reaction 04.06.2026 10min

The planning system for commercial development is being exploited, sometimes for anticompetitive purposes through spurious objections, supermarket chain Lidl has said.There’s been a huge reaction from readers to Fintan O’Toole’s column this week which was about the row that’s kicked off between the Rotunda Hospital and the HSE and Department of Health.There could surely be no more appropriate or damning symbol of Donald Trump’s presidency than the sight of construction crews erecting a UFC cage on the White House lawn for his 80th birthday, writes Bobby McDonagh.Just about every time Séamas O’Reilly has heard Shergar mentioned in casual conversation, it has been from the mouths of the many salty old dogs he’s met in Derry pubs who’ve claimed to know the precise location where the world’s most famous stallion might be found – specifically because they themselves buried him there.Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Car scrappage scheme; Rotunda Hospital; Leaving Cert; Space X; Big feet blues 03.06.2026 10min

People with petrol and diesel cars that are more than 13 years old are to be eligible for grants of €8,500 to purchase a new electric vehicle (EV) under a State scrappage scheme.The Rotunda maternity hospital has been warned it could have its funding pulled if it does not withdraw permission for consultants on public-only contracts to practise privately on its premises.60,000 students will not only have to sit the first paper of the marathon Leaving Cert exams today, but also listen to an unknown quantity of people telling them they “did terribly, but turned out just fine!” Jen Hogan has some advice for students and parents alike.John McManus writes in his column today that if Elon Musk succeeds in listing SpaceX on the stock market, “our pensions could be invested in this one-sided racket.”After a lifetime of being foot-shamed, Genevieve Carbery has ordered new shoes from Denmark: Duckfeet, size 8, and she is “finally liberated from the shame of the larger-footed woman.”Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeffrey Donaldson trial; rise in arson attacks on council houses 29.05.2026 9min

The jury hearing the trail of former DUP leaderJeffrey Donaldson, 63, has been told he wrote a letter to one of the two alleged victims expressing “regret” and that he had sought God’s forgiveness. He denies 18 charges, include rape.Electric Ireland says prices will go up by 8 per cent, affecting around 1.1 million customers.New figures seen by The Irish Times reveal a sharp rise in arson attacks on council homes across Ireland.Health correspondent Shauna Bowers examines services for people with severe acquired brain injury.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irish visas for Russians; ADHD and addiction; reckoning for dating apps 28.05.2026 10min

There are concerns ‘hostile’ agents may be among the 14,000 Russians granted Irish visas in the past four years.The Government hopes to make “swift progress” pushing forward negotiations on Ukraine’s stalled bid to join the European Union when Ireland holds the union’s rotating presidency in the second half of this year.Dating apps are struggling with the AI revolution as users lose faith. Can the industry recover?From today Trinity College Dublin is offering a course free of charge to anyone who wants it, in response to findings which highlight the prevalence of neurodivergence amongst users of drug addiction services. There was a warm reception for Bertie Ahern yesterday in Croke Park as members of the muslim community gathered for the feast of Eid al-Adha. Some 500 men, women and children had gathered for the seventh annual Eid celebration at the famed GAA stadium.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Naval service names online; wind farm objections; most annoying phrases 27.05.2026 8min

The names of dozens of Defence Forces personnel, including those involved in intelligence work and sensitive counterdrug smuggling operations, are being published online by the European Union, triggering safety concerns among members.A chill wind – why are wind farms drawing so many objections at a time of climate crisis?Does your household have the “two good salaries, but still feel broke” problem? You’re not alone. Financial planners say they are meeting an increasing number of comparatively high-earning households who say they’re still feeling the pinch.An email has kicked off a deluge of Letters to the Editor from readers who have “reached out” to express their irritation “in terms of” the most annoying phrases people are using in 2026.Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Sinn Féin still seen as left wing? New anti-drone technology for the defence forces 26.05.2026 8min

There are tensions between left wing parties and Sinn Fein on the policy direction of Mary Lou McDonald’s party following its performance in the Dublin Central and Galway West byelections.Ireland’s Defence Forces are ramping up anti-drone measures to prepare for new threats.A search for the body of Seamus Maguire, one of the so-called disappeared who were murdered and buried in secret during the troubles, is to begin.Proposals to fund graduate-entry medical fees in exchange for mandatory service is being criticised as missing the point on why doctors leave Ireland.A Department of Enterprise presentation seen by The Irish Times shows growth in employment could be about to slow significantly.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kyne and Ennis elected to the Dáil; HSE waiting lists; the trial of Jeffrey Donaldson 25.05.2026 10min

The Dáil has two new TD’s; Daniel Ennis from the Social Democrats and Sean Kyne from Fine Gael. Political correspondents Cormac McQuinn and Marie O’Halloran explain who they are.Plans to rezone a stretch of protected land along Dublin’s Liffey Valley could deliver a significant windfall for billionaires John Magnier and JP McManus.New figures from the HSE show more than 32,000 adults in Ireland are waiting over a year for an initial primary care assessment.Irish activists returned home on Saturday, following their detention in Israel after attempting to reach Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla aiming to deliver aid.The trial of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson begins this week.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Polls open in byelections; Paul Rudd on filming in Dublin; Under the Hawthorn Tree 22.05.2026 7min

Voters in Dublin and Galway are going to the polls in two byelections on Friday after intense canvassing in the closing days of the campaign and efforts by candidates to ensure their supporters turn up to vote.The Government has exceeded its annual spending target by an average €5.1 billion in each of the last three budgets, new figures from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) indicate.Meanwhile, spending in the justice and transport areas seem set to be hit by the impact of the new levy being imposed across Government to offset a €640 million overrun in the education sector, an initial breakdown of the new savings being sought suggest.Ask any millennial which novels they remember reading as a child, and odds are they’ll list the fictional famine tale Under the Hawthorn Tree as one of them. In today’s Me Myself and Ireland, its author Marita Conlon McKenna says the inspiration to write it came during a ghostly dream.“I’m such a fan of this city and this country,” actor Paul Rudd tells Tara Brady while speaking about his new movie Power Ballad, which was filmed on location in Dublin.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meta job losses; RTÉ salary row; more registered voters that residents in some areas 20.05.2026 11min

Meta is to cut 350 jobs from it’s Irish workforce amid a global round of layoffs affecting around 8000 roles worldwide.RTÉ has faced tough questions at an Oireachtas committee about newly disclosed salaries.More than 40 leading climate scientists are warning Ireland against adopting a controversial new way of measuring greenhouse emissions.Planned changes to the electoral register following revelations that there are more registered voters than residents in some areas.When might the result of the Dublin Central and Galway West byelection results be announced? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dodgy boxes; more flotilla boats set for Gaza intercepted; What happened to Yves Sakilas 20.05.2026 8min

200 users of so-called dodgy boxes used to illegally stream live TV have been issued with cease and desist notices.Rents across Ireland have just shot up at the fastest rate ever recorded, rising 4.4% in just three months, according to Daft.ie.More boats in the aid flotilla heading for Gaza have been intercepted by Israeli forces, crew members have said.What do we know about what happened to Yves Sakilas, who died shortly after being restrained by security guards in Dublin last Friday.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tobacco lobbyists; sexually abusive homes; A.I. in schools 19.05.2026 10min

Irish diplomats in Brussels have been warned to be on high alert for lobbying by the tobacco industry.The European Commission has signalled tighter restrictions on exports that could be used by Russia’s military, following concerns raised about materials leaving the EU.Fear of homelessness is increasingly trapping people in sexually abusive situations, according to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.The couple who built a house in Co. Meath without planning permission face a legal bid by the council to recover costs for its demolition.An A.I. tool being used in a primary school is helping teachers plan lessons and answer pupil’s questions, but are teacher’s concerns about the technology being addressed?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irregular betting on by election; bodyguards to protect special care staff 18.05.2026 9min

There are serious questions about betting activity linked to Friday’s by-election in Dublin Central in which $1 million (€860,000) was placed and then withdrawn with little or no profit.Immigration, the cost of living and housing are among the main issues on voters minds in Dublin Central and Galway West.Taoiseach Micheál Martin has used Fianna Fáil’s centenary Ard Fheis to defend the party’s record and set out its priorities in Government.Tusla has brought in bodyguards to protect staff at a special care unit in north Dublin as staffing shortages reach critical levels.Changes have been made to in-flight catering on Irish deportation flights after pork sausages were served on a charter flight to Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dublin Central by election; trouble for Kier Starmer; Trump in Beijing 15.05.2026 11min

Sinn Féin’s Janice Boylan leads the race for the Dublin Central by election according to a new Irish Times/ TG4 poll.A UK Labour MP has stepped down paving the way for Andy Burnham to run for parliament and potentially topple Prime Minister Kier Starmer.New rules for childminders are putting pressure on the sector, with some now saying they’re thinking about quitting altogether.There was a record surge in eviction notices at the start of 2026, just before new rental rules came into effect.Donald Trump was at a state banquet in Beijing on Thursday, hosted by Xi Jing Ping. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ballooning national debt, women and cycling, and Patrick Freyne’s ‘history of sexy tellly’ 14.05.2026 9min

Ireland’s national debt could approach a quarter of a trillion euro by the 2030s, the head of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) will tell an Oireachtas committee on Thursday.Aggressive driver behaviour, speeding, poor cycling infrastructure, and the increased size of vehicles, is deterring women from getting on their bikes, research by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has found.Allies of Britain’s health secretary Wes Streeting were phoning Labour Party MPs last night asking them to back him in an imminent heave against the UK prime minister Keir Starmer.‘I have been left half a property with a sibling. What is the best way to proceed?’ Whether you sell the home and split the proceeds, or one sibling buys the other out – try not to bring solicitors into the equation, writes Joanne Hunt in the first of our new weekly column ‘Ask a Lawyer.’The excellent Rivals, an adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s bonkbuster, in which 1980s rich people enthusiastically bonk (English for having sex), is back on Disney+ this week. So Patrick thought he’d take this opportunity to write a short history of sexy telly.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four to a bed, Keir Starmer, one-off housing, and ice Hockey in Dublin? 13.05.2026 9min

A spotlight is being shone on the condition of council housing after plans to regenerate one of Dublin’s most neglected flat complexes were halted. Janice Maguire shares a bed with three of her youngest sons. Two sleep at the bottom, and one at the top next to her.Keir Starmer’s future as the British prime minister is looking increasingly untenable following a string of cabinet resignations yesterday.Michael McDowell says he wants a fair minded discussion on one-off rural housing. But his views will likely have the Irish Times letters page hopping for the next few days.Several US and Canadian ice hockey stars have emerged as investors in the proposed €250 million ice hockey arena for Dublin.You’ve heard of the Wild Atlantic Way – now check out a proposal for the Literary Way. Arts Over Borders is an organisation hoping to do for Irish literature what the coastal route has done for tourism.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ambulance strike; guns ordered off the dark web; and falling overseas holiday bookings 12.05.2026 10min

Two thousand ambulance staff in the Unite and SIPTU unions begin a 24-hour strike this morning in a long running dispute over pay.The media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán has released its first complains insights reports showing RTÉ attracted the highest number of complains between 2023 and 2025.Guns bought on the dark web are now one of the biggest challenges facing An Garda Síochána, according to the Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly.Overseas holiday bookings have dropped sharply, with some travel companies reporting a fall of up to 25 per cent despite assurances that there will not be a jet fuel shortage, and falling prices to some destinations.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Derelict city council properties, Louth sisters in Miami plastic surgery, and the richest man in the Seanad? 11.05.2026 8min

More than 30 vacant and derelict properties bought by Dublin City Council for social housing since 2017 remain unused, and may no longer be viable for refurbishment, because of their extreme state of dilapidation.The assets declared in Aubrey McCarthy’s return to the Seanad register of interests are being examined by political correspondent Cormac McQuinn today.Since the Iran war began, financial markets have shown faith that Donald Trump and the ayatollahs will bring the war to a speedy conclusion. But John Fitzgerald doesn’t have the same faith and believes Ireland should prepare for the real possibility that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for much of 2026.Miami has a reputation as a city for beautiful people, and Co. Louth sisters Sidhbh and Neasa Gallagher are working at the core of this idea with their plastic surgery business.Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Narrow lead for FG in by election poll; Passengers who disembarked cruise ship after hantavirus outbreak 08.05.2026 9min

Fine Gael’s Seán Kyne holds the slimmest of leads over Independent Ireland rival Noel Thomas in the Galway West by election campaign, according to an Irish Times and TG4 opinion poll published on Friday.Ireland is recycling more waste, but not fast enough to meet national targets, according to a new report from the Environmental Protection Agency.The race is on to trace dozens of passengers who disembarked from the cruise ship at the centre of a deadly hantavirus outbreak before isolation measures were implemented.Russia’s Victory Day parade takes place tomorrow, but will be significantly scaled back due to the threat of Ukrainian drones.Irish Times readers give their thoughts on calls for more regulation on drinking alcohol in airports.Workplace perks appear to be becoming rarer and economists say it reflects a shift in power away from employees.Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Asylum seekers posing as children; peace negotiations over Iran; billion dollar TV series’ 07.05.2026 12min

Almost 300 adult asylum seekers who claimed they were children were placed in Tusla children’s centres in the last four years. Separately, Tusla is to launch an appeal in the Supreme Court on whether parents already in receipt of civil legal aid can recover legal costs in special care cases involving their children. The US and Iran are to begin peace negotiations. The Iranians are understood to be demanding reparations for the damaged caused during the war and tolls for ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. Streaming giants are spending billions on blockbuster series. Our columnist Patrick Freyne asks whether the storylines are worth it. Robot vacuums promise a zip line out of doing the housework, but are they really much more than a gimmick? Ciara O’Brien reviews a new model. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.