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Here In Thurles we keep street lights on for 24 hours each day, but after all Thurles is considered the Dubai of the Midlands. At the price of electricity in Ireland, the collective lamp posts in Liberty Square are now basically a single chandelier. Sure with lights blazing morning, noon and night, tourists, the few we attract, must think Thurles has struck oil sucked from the numerous existing potholes. Maybe the council just wants to prove Tipperary is rolling in money: “Can’t fix the roads lads, but by God you’ll be able to see every crack in them at 10:00am mid-morning.”
Seriously; all joking aside, Irish households are once again being hammered by some of the highest electricity costs in the European Union and ordinary families are right to ask: what exactly are we getting in return?
According to new figures from Eurostat, Ireland now has the highest household electricity prices in the EU, with consumers paying a staggering 40.42 cent per kilowatt-hour. That is almost 40% above the EU average of 28.96 cent. The average Irish household is now paying roughly €480 more per year than other families across Europe.
Government ministers and energy industry insiders continue to offer excuses, blaming geography, housing patterns, population growth, and even the war in Ukraine. But after years of soaring bills, the public deserves more than excuses. It deserves accountability.
Yes, Ireland is a relatively small island with a dispersed rural population. Yes, our electricity grid needs investment. But many of these issues have been known for decades. Instead of planning ahead, successive governments failed to build an energy system capable of supporting modern demand.
The result? Irish consumers are paying the price for years of poor infrastructure planning and political indecision.
One of the biggest failures has been Ireland’s overreliance on gas. More than 40% of our electricity is still generated using gas, leaving the country dangerously exposed to international price shocks. When gas prices surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Irish consumers were left uniquely vulnerable. Countries that invested heavily in nuclear, hydro, or long-term renewable infrastructure now enjoy far lower electricity costs. Ireland, meanwhile, continues to depend on expensive fossil fuels while talking endlessly about future green ambitions.
Even more frustrating is the pressure placed on the grid by the rapid expansion of energy-hungry data centres. While multinational tech companies benefit from Ireland’s favourable tax environment, ordinary households are left footing the bill for the extra strain on infrastructure. Families struggling to heat their homes should not be subsidising the energy demands of billion-dollar corporations.
Then there is the issue of interconnection. Ireland remains poorly connected to European electricity markets, with only limited links to the UK. A new interconnector with France is not expected until 2028. For years, experts warned that Ireland’s isolation would leave consumers exposed to higher prices, and once again, those warnings were ignored.
Meanwhile, energy companies continue to post strong profits while customers face relentless price hikes. The promises of “temporary increases” have become permanent reality. Even after multiple government energy credits and VAT reductions, Irish electricity remains among the most expensive in Europe.
The real scandal is not just the cost itself; it is the normalisation of these costs. Irish consumers are constantly told high prices are unavoidable, yet many other European countries manage to provide cheaper, more stable energy. Hungary, Malta, and Bulgaria all have dramatically lower household electricity costs.
At some point, the conversation must move beyond explanations and toward solutions. Ireland needs serious long-term investment in renewable generation, stronger energy security, faster grid upgrades, and far greater scrutiny of how energy policy impacts ordinary citizens.
Because right now, Irish households are not simply paying more for electricity; they are paying the price for years of failed energy policy.
The Irish Government has introduced a new suite of multimedia materials, including engaging videos, to help children better understand family justice processes in a clear and age-appropriate way. These resources are specifically designed for children aged 8 to 12 who may be going through family changes such as separation or divorce, or whose parents are involved in family court proceedings.
This initiative forms part of the broader reform of Ireland’s family justice system under the Family Justice Strategy 2022–2025. The strategy aims to reshape the system so that it places a stronger emphasis on the needs, rights, and voices of children, recognising their central role in many family law matters.
The newly launched video series is available online via a dedicated government webpage and can also be accessed through the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration’s YouTube channel. The project received financial support from the Dormant Accounts Fund and aligns with the strategy’s priority of “Supporting Children.”
A key objective of the strategy is to ensure children have access to clear, understandable information about family justice processes. This includes helping them grasp how decisions are made, how those decisions may affect them, and how their own views can be heard and considered.
To achieve this, the Government reviewed existing information available to young people and identified ways to improve how such information is delivered. The result is a series of child-friendly materials that explain legal processes and outcomes in a way that is accessible and appropriate for younger audiences.
The development of these resources involved collaboration with government agencies, NGOs, service providers, and relevant departments, including education and children’s services. Importantly, the content was also shaped by direct consultation with children who have experienced family separation, ensuring the materials reflect their perspectives and needs.
A Rich Country Begging for €8: What SVP’s TV Appeal Reveals About Ireland’s Broken Model.
There is something profoundly uncomfortable about watching an advert from Society of St. Vincent de Paul on Irish television, asking for just €8 a month to help Irish children. Not because the request is unreasonable, but because it is necessary in the first place.
In Ireland, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, a charity is asking ordinary people to fund basic childhood needs. That should stop and sicken us in our tracks.
The Quiet Power of SVP
For generations, SVP has been one of Ireland’s most trusted safety nets, quietly visiting homes, paying bills, buying food, and restoring dignity where the system on our Island falls short. Their work is not theoretical; it is immediate and it is human.
Now, for the first time, they have launched a major TV campaign focused on Irish child poverty. It is not subtle. It is not abstract. It is a direct appeal to the public to act.
The message is simple: “Give €8 a month to stop poverty hurting children”. The campaign highlights a stark truth, over one in five children in Ireland experiences deprivation, the highest of any age group and that statistic alone should be politically explosive. Instead, it has become normalised.
The Reality Behind the Advert.
SVP’s appeal is not about charity, it is about failure elsewhere.
Their own research shows, that child poverty has surged dramatically, rising from 4.8% to 8.5% in just a single year. Income supports for older children meet only 64% of actual needs. The cost of a basic standard of living has risen by 18.8% since 2020. This is not marginal hardship. It is systemic.
Children are hungry. Homes are cold. Parents are cutting essentials so their children can eat. These are not isolated cases, they are widespread enough to justify a national TV campaign.
Let’s Be Blunt: This Is a Political Failure, there is no polite way to say this.
This situation did not arise by accident. It is the result of policy choices made repeatedly over decades. Successive governments, led primarily by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and by those who supported them namely Labour, The Greens, Lowry’s Independants; latter who chose:-
• To rely on the private market to deliver housing.
• To underinvest in social housing for years.
• To allow essential costs (rent, childcare, energy) to spiral.
• To patch over problems with temporary payments rather than structural reform.
Even now, Budget 2026 offers increases, but they fall short of what families actually need. That is not an accident. That is a choice.
The Core Problem:
Ireland Is Expensive, Not Poor. Ireland does not have a ‘lack-of-money’ problem. It has a ‘cost-of-living’ problem. The state redistributes income reasonably well, but it does almost nothing to control the cost of essentials:
• Housing is among the most expensive in Europe.
• Energy costs remain elevated.
• Childcare is prohibitively expensive.
• Everyday goods have risen sharply.
So what happens?
The government gives with one hand, and the market takes with the other. The result is predictable, families fall short. Perhaps the most disturbing shift is this, people who are working; sometimes full-time, are now turning to SVP. This is not traditional poverty. This is a system malfunction. When employment no longer guarantees a basic standard of living, something fundamental has broken.
Charity is becoming structural as SVP handled hundreds of thousands of requests for help in recent years. That is not emergency support anymore, that is parallel welfare.
Let’s be honest about what this means; the Irish system is now quietly outsourcing part of its social responsibility to charities, and charities, no matter how good, cannot replace the State.
Where We Should Be Heading
Ireland does not need minor tweaks. It needs a shift in direction. Housing must be treated as infrastructure. The state must build at scale, tens of thousands of homes annually; not rely on private developers to solve a public crisis. Reduce costs, not just increase payments. Throwing money at people, while leaving rents and childcare untouched is futile. Costs must come down.
Benchmark Social Welfare to Reality. Supports should be tied to the actual cost of living, not political compromise.
Invest in Children Directly. Free school meals throughout, reduced education costs, and meaningful child supports should be universal.
The Political Courage Question.
None of this is impossible but it does requires confronting uncomfortable truths:
• Property values may stabilise or fall.
• Investors may lose out.
• Government spending must increase.
That is the trade-off and for years, Irish politics has chosen to avoid it.
Final Thought: What the €8 Really Means.
The €8 in that SVP advert is not just a donation. It is a signal. It tells us that:–
The system is not working. The gap between wealth and lived reality is widening and ordinary people are being asked to bridge that gap themselves.
SVP deserves enormous respect. Their work is compassionate, effective, and essential, but they should not have to do this at scale in a country like Ireland.
When a wealthy nation relies on charity to meet children’s basic needs, the problem is not charity, it is policy and until that changes, the adverts will keep coming.
It was with a great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Monday 4th May 2026, of Mrs Grazia Carroll, Springhill, Killenaule, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Pre-deceased by her husband Bill and great grandson Jack; Mrs Carroll passed away peacefully, while in the care of staff at Tipperary University Hospital, Clonmel, South Co. Tipperary.
Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; loving daughter Anna (Whitfield), son-in-law Nigel, grandchildren Emma and Liam, great grandchildren James, Reuban and Pippa, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.
Requiescat in Pace.
Funeral Arrangements.
The earthly remains of of Mrs Carroll will repose at O’Connell’s Funeral Home, Killenaule, Thurles, (Eircode E41 HH66), on tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday May 6th, from 5:00pm until 7:00pm same evening.
Her remains will be received into thhe Church of St Mary, Bailey Street, Killenaule, Thurles on Thursday morning, May 7th, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11.30am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in Crosscannon Cemetery, Killenaule, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
For those persons who would wish to attend Requiem Mass for Mrs Carroll, but for reasons cannot, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.
The extended Carroll family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time, and have made arrangements for those persons wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.
Newly released figures show that hundreds of patients experienced harm due to medication related incidents within public health services over the past year.
Out of the reported cases, 738 patients were affected. The vast majority; 732 incidents, resulted in minor to moderate harm, while six cases were classified as causing severe harm.
In total, approximately 10,400 medication related incidents and near misses were recorded. Of these, more than 7,150 incidents reached patients, but caused no harm or only negligible effects. Meanwhile, over 2,540 incidents were classified as near misses, meaning they were identified before affecting any patient.
Medication incidents are defined as preventable events that may lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm, while under the supervision of healthcare professionals.
Data from state claims records indicates that the most frequent type of incident involved missed or delayed doses of medication.
Public health services handle a significant volume of care annually, including around two million inpatient and day-case treatments, along with a similar number of emergency department visits.
Efforts are ongoing to improve patient safety, with medication-related harm identified as a key focus area. Safety improvements are being implemented at local, regional, and national levels to reduce risks associated with medication use.
A new performance measure introduced this year focuses on polypharmacy. This tracks the percentage of individuals aged 65 and older who are prescribed ten or more regular medications, as this group is considered at higher risk of receiving potentially inappropriate treatments.
Additionally, hospital inspections are carried out to monitor and enhance medication safety practices across healthcare settings.
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