Latest news with #SeánKelly
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
‘Daddy' Trump meets Nato, while defence, trade and Gaza dominate EU summit
Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics: US President Donald Trump was the main attraction at a landmark Nato summit on Wednesday with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte calling him 'Daddy' during their press conference. Trump got what he came for with Nato member states agreeing to an increase of 5 per cent of GDP in defence spending . Over at the EU leaders summit on Thursday, defence spending was also high on the agenda with Ireland backing the EU's €150bn defence plan . The war in Gaza was highlighted too with Taoiseach Micheál Martin unable to comprehend how Europe doesn't seem capable of putting any pressure on Israel to stop it. And with Trump's tariffs pause set to end on July 9th, Ireland and other EU countries will be forgiven for looking at India and China as greater trading partners. Do policy interventions like reviewing RPZs compensate for the delayed release of the Government's housing plan ? The document won't be published until after the summer. Presidential candidates are still pretty thin on the ground with Fine Gael's Seán Kelly saying he 'could do a lot' as president but stopped short of declaring he actually will enter the race. Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week: The endurance test that Irish concert-goers have to go through is worth it, Democratic mayoral primary Zohran Mamdani shocks as New York swelters, and Jaws and its Irish connection .
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
More than €900k spent on new cars to transport ministers, the Taoiseach, and the President
More than €910,000 has been spent by An Garda Síochána over the past year to buy 11 new cars for the fleet that transports ministers, the Taoiseach, the President and other officeholders. The average cost of the vehicles – all of them made by Audi – was around €83,000 with the majority of them plug-in hybrid models. Four of the new arrivals were diesel Audi A6 50 TDI Quattro vehicles despite the high environmental emissions they cause. Most of the rest were plug-in hybrids of the same model bringing the total number of eco-friendly vehicles in the 41-car fleet to 22. Nineteen of the cars in the ministerial pool are still diesel cars, a mix of BMWs and Audis and one custom Ford Transit. Some of the cars have amassed colossal mileage with four of them having exceeded 300,000km on their odometers. One of them – a BMW 740 bought in 2017 – has run up 358,172km, enough to circumnavigate the globe around nine times. The lowest mileage in the fleet was just 22,705 kilometres for an all-electric Hyundai Ioniq that was bought in 2023. As well as the €913,840 spent in the past 12 months on new vehicles, two old cars had been removed from the fleet. The fleet has grown substantially in size since the 2022 decision to restore garda drivers to all ministers due to security concerns. However, An Garda Síochána said they would not provide a car-by-car breakdown of costs. They said if the pricing information was made available, it could put their supplier at a competitive disadvantage. They also declined to provide details of which cars were allocated to which officeholder. Read More Seán Kelly signals interest in presidential race as Fine Gael eyes internal contest
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Fine Gael's Seán Kelly ‘could do a lot' as president but stops short of declaring run
Fine Gael 's Seán Kelly has said he 'could do a lot' as president as he continues to consider a bid for Áras an Uachtaráin while stopping short of declaring he will enter the race. The Ireland South MEP also highlighted comments from Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary , who described the presidency as a 'makey-uppy job'. Mr Kelly said while the remarks were 'a bit cynical' – and he did not agree with Mr O'Leary's approach – 'the makey-uppy is what I would like because what that actually means is flexibility to look at it and to do a lot of things'. Fine Gael is set to open its nominations process for the presidential election next month. READ MORE Former European commissioner and MEP Mairead McGuinness has also been tipped as a possible candidate but is yet to confirm any intention. Mr Kelly has been mulling over a possible run in recent months. His latest remarks came during a questions-and-answers session at a lunch jointly hosted by the Association of European Journalists and the European Parliament's Dublin office. He said he has been asked to run mainly by Fine Gael colleagues but also by people he knows through sport andwas 'thinking about it', but noted there were arguments 'for and against'. 'It's obviously the highest honour in Ireland but also it's a big change of lifestyle,' he said. 'It's a seven-year commitment, which I think is pretty long. It's unique, probably in elected politics, to be elected for that long.' On the qualities he could bring to the job Mr Kelly expressed a reluctance to be 'blowing my own trumpet until I have my mind made up'. 'I'd ask those who were asking me to go forward, what do they see in me that might make me a good president?' 'I'd be thinking – I could do a lot actually – but I won't spell it out.' In March Ryanair chief executive Mr O'Leary backed Ms McGuinness, saying he would be 'very proud' to have her as Ireland's next president. He also indicated he would not want the 'makey-uppy' role himself. Mr Kelly expressed hope there would be multiple candidates seeking the Fine Gael nomination as he believed party members would like to have their say on who would contest the election. On what can be bruising campaigns he said people were 'surprised and some maybe not too pleased' with the tone of the last two presidential elections and there were 'very fine people who were destroyed'.
The Journal
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Who would you rather see as Fine Gael's presidential nominee?
TÁNAISTE AND FINE Gael leader Simon Harris has confirmed that his party will open presidential nominations will open in early July. Seán Kelly MEP has said that he has not made a final decision on seeking a nomination, but the expectation is that he will. Advertisement Meanwhile, former European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness has not ruled out running. Some party sources have said that she is 'everywhere', suggesting that she is actively building support. Harris previously told The Journal that he believes an internal contest for the presidential bid 'could be healthy'. So, today we're asking you: Who would you rather see as the Fine Gael presidential candidate? Poll Results: Mairead McGuinness (177) Someone else (let us know in the comments) (78) Seán Kelly (47) Seán Kelly Mairead McGuinness Someone else (let us know in the comments) Vote
Irish Independent
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Cycling legend Seán Kelly launches ‘incredible' 25th Tour de Munster in Limerick
Set to take place from Thursday, August 7 to Sunday, August 10, this year's Tour will see amateur cyclists ride across all six counties of Munster to raise vital funds for Down Syndrome Ireland's (DSI) Munster branches. 'This year's 25th edition is a special milestone, and I'm proud to be part of it once again,' said Seán Kelly, who is supporting the Tour for the 19th consecutive year. 'I've been fortunate to meet so many incredible children and adults with Down syndrome through Tour de Munster over the past two decades. The commitment shown by DSI's Munster branches is truly inspiring. Their work provides vital services and support, and it's a privilege to play a role in helping that continue,' he added. Speaking at the Limerick launch, Tour de Munster founder Paul Sheridan reflected on how far the event has come: 'It's hard to believe we're marking the 25th Tour de Munster, a milestone that reflects the incredible commitment of everyone involved over the past 25 years. 'From the beginning, this event has been rooted in community, compassion and the drive to make a real difference.' Paul Sheridan remains the only cyclist to have participated in every single Tour since 2001, covering more than 15,000 kilometres, equating to nearly a third of the way around the world. Funds raised from the cycle go toward essential services for people with Down syndrome, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, employment support, and other life-enhancing supports across Munster. Claire Power, Chairperson of Down Syndrome Waterford and South Kilkenny, praised the Tour's impact: 'The funds raised have helped us keep essential services like speech and occupational therapy going, which we simply couldn't do without.' DSI President Gerard O'Carroll added: 'On behalf of Down Syndrome Ireland, thank you to every rider, donor, and volunteer for being part of this remarkable journey.' Since it began in 2001, the Tour has raised over €5 million for Down Syndrome Ireland. To support the tour or make a donation, visit
