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Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
First woman to lead RTÉ's news and current affairs division named Cork Person of the Month
The first woman to lead RTÉ's news and current affairs division has been named Cork Person of the Month for July. Deirdre McCarthy, who was appointed to the position in December 2022, is originally from Douglas. She was educated at UCC, where she was conferred with a BA in history and economics. She also holds an MA in politics from UCD, and a postgraduate diploma in conflict and dispute resolution from Trinity. Flagship shows including Morning Ireland, the Six One News and Prime Time are now under her remit. She forms part of the senior management team at RTÉ and sits on its executive board. Across her three decades in RTÉ, Ms McCarthy has been a TV and radio journalist, she has been managing editor of regions and radio news programmes, as well as politics and business coverage, and she has steered the growth of radio news programmes like Morning Ireland, News at One and This Week. She was RTÉ's political coverage editor at Leinster House, and from 2008 to 2012, she was the editor of The Week in Politics and Leaders' Questions. Cork Person of the Year organisers said throughout her time at RTÉ, she has consistently demonstrated a keen understanding of the evolving media landscape and a strong commitment to journalistic integrity, and that current affairs output. 'Deirdre is an active champion of initiatives promoting media literacy and fostering informed public discourse,' they said. 'Her commitment to fair and balanced reporting has been a hallmark of her career, ensuring that diverse voices are heard and critical issues are examined with rigour and accuracy. 'This is epitomised in her work launching RTÉ's Clarity initiative, which aims to demystify complicated issues, debunk deliberate attempts to distort reality, detail how online discourse impacts democracy, and explain exactly how RTÉ verifies its quality journalism.' Awards founder and organiser Manus O'Callaghan said Ms McCarthy's most recent appointment was a tremendous achievement, honour and responsibility. 'In a world where 'fake news' has entered the lexicon, trust in who supplies our news is all important, and RTÉ News under Deirdre's guidance tops all the surveys which measures trust in media organisations,' he said. Her name now goes forward for consideration alongside the other monthly winners for Cork Person of the Year which will be announced at the awards lunch next January. Read More Shocks from Spanish earthquake felt in Mitchelstown Cave
The Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Being a first-time TD: 'The hours are mad, if I finish at 9.30pm it feels like a half day'
YESTERDAY WE CAUGHT up with Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney on her experience of being a first-time TD, today we hear from the Labour Party's Conor Sheehan. At 32 years of age, the Limerick City TD is one of the youngest representatives in the Dáil. He talks us through the highs and lows, adjusting to hotel living and how he sometimes feels like he's talking to a brick wall. Is life as a TD what you expected? 'In ways it is and in other ways it isn't. I'll never forget the first time I stepped into the Dáil chamber. Sometimes I pinch myself when I'm sitting there during one of the week's set pieces like Leaders' Questions or whatever. 'The thing that struck me was actually how small the chamber is and how small the campus is as well. How often you bump into people the whole time.' Pit and peak Sheehan said he has had 'many highlights' so far. Notably, being on the panel for temporary chairs for the Dáil, which means he is sometimes called on to sit in as chair of the Dáil when Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy is not available. Other highlights have been working on legislation. 'It's really interesting, you know, doing committee stage in the chamber, and listening to the amendments,' he said. 'The delay in getting committees set up and everything like that was quite frustrating,' Sheehan said, adding that from a legislative perspective, the Dáil really only kicked into business in the last six weeks. He said at the beginning of the term, he felt like a huge amount of the Dáil schedule was dedicated to statements on a variety of topics, a move he feels was done to 'pad' the schedule because there wasn't much legislation coming through from the government. Sheehan said he finds it frustrating at times, as an opposition TD, to see government TDs vote down opposition bills or amendments and instead come back with a reply that is 'generic blather'. 'The thing that really annoys me is when you go in and you do a private member's motion, or you do a debate or whatever, and it's almost like sometimes the minister is coming in to read a pre-prepared reply and isn't actually engaging with you on the substance of the issues you are raising. 'Now, some ministers are better at that than others, but some are very frustrating. You just feel like you're talking to a wall.' Low point? 'The low point for me was all the crap that happened at the start of the year, around the recognition of the technical group and as to whether the [Regional Independents] were in government or opposition. It was totally unnecessary. 'The whole thing was unedifying… I thought it was a waste of everyone's time, and I don't understand why government were so insistent — Like they've created this other members' questions thing at the moment, which is almost like eight minutes of tumbleweed blowing through the Dáil chamber,' Sheehan said. Is there still animosity between the opposition and government since then? 'I think there is some bit of animosity, but I do think that things are thankfully no longer as tense as they were in the early part of the year,' Sheehan said, arguing that this is probably down to the fact the Dáil was busier in its last few weeks. 'Sometimes when you're in a vacuum, things can have a bit of an undue significance.' Advertisement At 32 years of age, Sheehan is one of the youngest TDs in the Dáil. How is he finding the career change from that perspective? 'The first thing I'd say is there are far too few young people in politics, right? 'I would be friendly enough with some of the other younger politicians, there would be people across different parties that I would be very fond of. 'People like Mairéad Farrell in Sinn Féin. She's great. Keira Keogh in Fine Gael, really, really, great. Just decent people that you can talk to about issues. 'There's an awful lot of people who think politics is just constant hand-to-hand combat, but it's actually not like that. An awful lot of the time, you disagree with people on certain things, but you'll agree with them on other things. And I always believe in finding common ground.' On the commute from Limerick, Sheehan opts for the train over driving so that he can get some work done, but he said this means he does a lot of 'pulling and dragging'. 'I'm used to it now, but people always slag me when they see me in Leinster House, because I always have a big, huge suitcase. 'I feel like I should have shares in Irish Rail at this stage. I drove a couple of times, coming down late on a Thursday, leaving Leinster House, snaking onto the Naas Road and just being like uh, when will I actually get home?' Sheehan said what he found tough initially was sleeping in hotels. 'I would go to bed in a hotel and 10 o'clock would become like one or 2 am and I would literally be wide awake in bed and not able to sleep. 'I would just feel out of sorts. Too hot or too cold, or it would be too loud, or I could hear footsteps. All very much first-world problems, but I did find that stuff, until I got into a routine, a bit tough. Whereas now I'm totally used to it.' Another aspect of the gig Sheehan said he finds tough is trying to maintain a healthy diet. 'You're constantly eating on the go, and it's not the most healthy lifestyle in the entire world,' Sheehan said, adding that his diet since becoming a TD has consisted of 'a lot of chips'. 'One of the things I do miss when I'm in Dublin is just being able to cook your dinner. 'Because I'm currently in and out of hotels in Dublin, I suppose I don't get that. But I love the job. It's really been such an enormous honour and privilege.' What I wish I knew Sheehan said the biggest thing any first-time TD has to be careful of is making sure they pace themselves, both mentally and physically. 'The thing about Leinster House is that the working hours are mad. I've often arrived in on a Wednesday morning around 8 am to get maybe an hour's work done before a committee meeting or a briefing at nine, and then I am still there that Wednesday evening at 10 or 11 o'clock at night.' Sheehan said it is rare to finish up any earlier than this on a Tuesday or Wednesday when the Dáil is sitting. 'I remember one Wednesday, about six or eight weeks ago, we got out at twenty past nine, and I felt like I'd had a half day.' Any surprises? 'The amount of people in a similar situation as myself trying to figure everything out. And the amount of decency that's in the Oireachtas.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
17-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Tánaiste criticises Opposition for wanting to spend more
Tánaiste Simon Harris has criticised the Opposition for wanting to spend more money, even though there are major concerns about US trade tariffs and the future of the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland. Speaking during Leaders' Questions before the Dáil ends for the summer, Mr Harris said there are measures being taken to help households, including extending the 9% VAT rate on energy bills, along with an expansion of the fuel allowance. But he said that anyone who fails to take into account the level of instability facing the economy simply does not get it. Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty said that there are now over 300,000 homes behind on their electricity bills and 175,000 behind on their gas bills. He said the Government was about to swan off for the summer while refusing to commit to delivering a cost-of-living package in the Budget. Meanwhile, Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore accused the Government of being "epic wasters". Ms Whitmore said people are worried about putting food on the table. She said there are economic clouds on the horizon and a growing sense of worry about what the future holds. She added that the Government splashed the cash in an attempt to buy votes last year, but now the Government is saying one-off payments are a bad idea as there is no election on the cards. Ms Whitmore said her party told the Government to target measures and supports. She added that Fine Gael styles itself as a party of fiscal probity, but in reality, it has been throwing public money around like "snuff at a wake". She said public spending is up 50% in a few short years, but Ireland has a housing crisis, record homelessness, threadbare disability services, a cost of living crisis and energy and water infrastructure that is crumbling. "This Government, you're epic wasters, you have wasted time, opportunity… and you have wasted our money." Responding, the Tánaiste accused the Opposition of hypocrisy, and he asked the deputy which of the one-off payments that were in place last year she was against? He said the united Opposition has not agreed on a presidential candidate, and cannot agree on budgetary matters either. He added that Sinn Féin want universal one-off measures, and the Social Democrats want targeted measures, but the Government will deliver a Budget in October. "It's not about giving anyone a lecture in fiscal prudence, it's about saying thank God we're approaching this moment of economic instability with full employment... with surpluses and a rainy day fund," said Mr Harris. 10,000 promised homes never materialised - Aontú Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said many people around the country will look to mark the Government's "report card" on the last day of the Dáil. He said 10,000 homes promised by the Government "never materialised". He said the only thing that is more affordable at the moment is cocaine. "Criminals are doing a better job in creating a functional market for an illegal drug than you are in terms of housing," said Mr Tóibín. In response, Mr Harris said Ireland has record levels of employment, an economy that's running budget surpluses, and "an ability to create effectively two national wealth funds to protect our country from economic shocks". "We have been able to take real measures in the here and now to help carers, to help increase the fuel allowance, to help the student grants, to help reduce the cost of books." Mr Harris said there has been housing reform and major reform to the health system. He thanked Deputy Tóibín for his perspective and said the Government has "already undertaken a lot of work". "We will continue to do it while you will continue to critique us from over there," Mr Harris added.
The Journal
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Donohoe asserts Government was 'honest' about cost-of-living supports during election campaigns
FINANCE MINISTER PASCHAL Donohoe has defended the government's budgetary election promises by claiming he and other candidates were honest with voters during the campaign. Government has been repeatedly criticised by opposition in recent months for earmarking the end of cost-of-living supports in Budget 2026 over falling inflation rates. The issue has been repeatedly discussed during Leaders' Questions in the Dáil , with TDs from all parties in opposition claiming that much of the public are still struggling with high costs. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil ministers have repeatedly said that Budget 2026 will include more-targeted measures to help those who are struggling the most and that public spending needs to be cut back in the face of a threat of US tariffs. Speaking to RTÉ Radio One today, Donohoe said that Ireland can withstand a potential shock as a result of possible tariffs on the EU with the sum of windfall tax receipts collected in the last number of years Asked, in the context of the end of cost-of-living supports in next year's budget, if the public were misled during the election campaign last year, Donohoe said: 'Well, in the election debates, that happened again and again, I made clear and was honest that if we were in a moment of challenge, we would have to make decisions that would continue to help and to keep our country safe. 'We are in that moment of challenge, in that moment of [un]certainty, and we're acting in the way that I and my party outlined at election time,' he added. Advertisement The Dublin Central TD said that the government is aware of the financial challenges that people are facing and intend to bring forward measures which 'reflect that inflation has come down, but acknowledging now that we're seeing the world change around us'. Figures from the CSO in March found that a third of households in Ireland had reported that housing costs were a 'heavy financial burden' on them in 2024. The Journal 's readers also told us their stories of dealing with the cost of living . A recent survey from poverty charity Barnardo's also highlighted the impact of the rising cost of groceries on low-income families, with 40% of parents they had skipped meals in order to have enough food to provide to their children . Despite accusations that government attempted to attract voters in the last general election through the introduction of large packages of once-off payments in successive budgets towards the end of its term, support has largely held for the coalition. A B&A IPSOS poll, published by the Irish Times this morning, has found that support for Government parties and independent TDs has remained steady and grew, respectively, since spring. Asked about the accusations, Donohoe told the Morning Ireland programme today: 'I answered those questions truthfully then, I'll answer them truthfully now. 'When I was dealing with those questions a year ago, when I was bringing in that budget that helped with the cost of living, I did so at a time in which inflation was very high within our economy. 'And I always said, again and again, that these are measures that could not be permanent, and I said that at election time. I'm making that argument here again.' The Fine Gael minister added that the rate at which prices are increasing is beginning to slow. While accepting that people are still experiencing financial challenges, Donohoe said the upcoming budget aims to focus on the creation of jobs and delivery of infrastructure to future-proof Ireland's economy. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Taoiseach grilled in Dáil on back to school cost crunch
MARY LOU MCDONALD accused the government of throwing struggling families 'under the bus' in October's budget, as a survey found one in three families are getting into debt to fund back to school costs. The Sinn Féin leader said the Taoiseach 'couldn't care less' about the cost pressures on families. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said McDonald was 'oblivious' to the economic climate. The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) research found that the number of families taking out loans to cover back-to-school costs has tripled to 12%. Advertisement The average amount of debt in 2025 is €376 compared to one in four parents in 2024, taking on an average of €368 of debt. The total back to school spend in 2025 is €1,450 for primary school parents and €1,560 for secondary school parents. This is an increase for primary school parents of €364 compared to 2024, and €159 for secondary school parents. After school-care is the top expense for primary school at €197. Over a third of parents say that they are forced to deny their children at least one back to school item. The research also found that 64% believe that back to school costs are a financial burden, while 78% of schools also ask for a 'voluntary' contribution. The Sinn Féin leader read out in the Dáil the experiences of four people struggling with the cost of living, saying the cost of a weekly shop has gone up. She said the 'kick in the teeth for people is that you flatly tell them that you're not going to help', after the Government said there will be no one-off measures in October's budget. She acknowledged the economic uncertainty caused by Donald Trump's threat of a 30% tariff on EU goods, but said working class families and young people would be 'the real casualty' in that scenario. 'Why? Because they have a Government that cares more about the high rollers, the big bankers, your squadrons of junior and super junior ministers, than you do about struggling households,' she told the Dail during Leaders' Questions on Wednesday. Martin said he would 'test' any budget measures put forward by Sinn Fein, accusing the party of offering to spend billions on whichever issue crops up. The Taoiseach said the Government understands there has been pressure on households since the end of the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He said cost-of-living packages were announced in subsequent budgets as a result, but this year offered a different economic scenario, which he accused McDonald of being 'oblivious' to. 'I heard your spokesman talking about universal benefits for the high rollers. That's what your spokesman Pearse Doherty said this morning. He wants universal energy credits for the high incomes, for the high rollers. I will test you and your commitment and your principles,' he said. 'Will you agree to targeting? Will you agree to prioritising those in respect of child poverty in the forthcoming budget? Because we will target, and we will prioritise those most in need,' he added. He said permanent measures such as the 'gamechanger' free books scheme and hot school meals programme have also been implemented. Martin added that Ireland's 1.8% rate of inflation is the third lowest in the EU and is 'mid-table' in relation to food prices. He said investment in the public's future through spending on infrastructure is 'important'. 'For the first time ever now, we're back to pre-famine population on the island of Ireland, that's a positive, but we've got to provide for that in terms of our water infrastructure, in terms of housing, energy infrastructure, public transport and roads. But there are limits to what any government can do, and you're the opposition with no limits in terms of what you will spend', he said. 'It doesn't matter, whatever turns up on any day, you will spend a billion or two billion on it, that's your philosophy and that's your mindset.' Sinn Féin spokesperson on Education and Youth, Darren O'Rourke TD, said the survey highlights the urgent need for the government to introduce a cost-of-living package for hard-pressed families. 'This survey undertaken by the ILCU found that one in three families will be forced into debt to send their children back to school this Autumn. This is shocking and shows the stark reality of the cost-of-living crisis,' he said. 'Government must increase investment in our school system to match increasing costs in insurance, energy, electricity and elsewhere, and they should enact Sinn Féin's Voluntary Contributions Bill to regulate this practice,' he said. O'Rourke urged the government to acknowledge the cost-of-living crisis and to respond to it with a cost-of-living package, adding that free school books and hot school meals do not go far enough to protect families from the increasing costs of education. Additional reporting by PA. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
