Politics « Thurles Information

Climate Change Advisory Council Calls For Faster Action.

Ireland has failed to achieve the targeted emission reductions during the first Carbon Budget period (2021-2025).

Instead of the maximum emissions of 295 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2eq) set out in the Carbon Budget to 2025, we will overshoot by about 10 Mt CO2eq. Whilst acknowledging progress made, the Council warns that this overshoot will need to be paid back in the next Carbon Budget period (2026-2030) making it increasingly difficult to achieve.

The biggest blockage to Ireland’s progress remains our dependence on expensive, harmful fossil fuels, which were subsidised by €4.7bn of taxpayers’ money in 2024.

Launching the final chapter of its Annual Review the Council once again, called out Transport, where emissions remain stubbornly high. Both the Government and the public can do more collectively and individually to make significant emissions reductions. The Council calls for increased expenditure on public transport ensuring efficient, reliable and timely services, increased grants for less expensive electric vehicles (EVs) and the rapid implementation of a demand management strategy to help drive down emissions in this sector.

In addition, the Council has emphasised the critical role that Local Authorities play in driving climate action at community level, especially with the establishment of flagship “decarbonisation zones” within each local authority area. These zones create momentum and deliver locally tailored solutions for households and businesses.

The Council re-emphasised the significant opportunity that Ireland has to invest in households, communities and businesses, rather than paying extremely punitive compliance costs estimated to be up to €26bn for failing to meet EU targets.

Commenting, Ms Marie Donnelly, Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council said, “In our first Carbon Budget period, progress has undoubtedly been made in the built environment with the roll out of retrofits in our homes, the increased uptake of protected urea in agriculture and the growth in the development of renewable energy especially wind and solar, including on our houses. However, we need to redesign how we commute, heat homes, and power the economy. That means real investment in people, infrastructure, and communities, not more delay.”

“We have the opportunity and the resources to transform Ireland, both in terms of reducing emissions and preparing for future climate events. We must act now because if we don’t, we will pay the financial and societal price by losing out on secure and affordable energy, a healthier and more sustainable society, both today, and for future generations.”

Ahead of Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union, the Council has urged the Government to fully integrate all climate and energy-related EU directives into Irish law within the legally binding time limit.

Government Announces 2 Tipperary Projects Funded Under 2025 Integration Fund.

Government announces 117 projects to be funded under the 2025 Integration Fund.
€3.6 million will be made available to 117 not-for-profit, civil society and community-based organisations for integration based projects.
Grants of up to €100,000 will be allocated to successful organisations to assist in the integration of migrants.

The Irish government announced the names of 117 community-based projects set to receive €3,612,974 in funding under the 2025 Integration Fund. The Fund helps enable community organisations across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the integration of migrants.

The Integration Fund combines the two funds previously known as the International Protection Integration Fund and the Communities Integration Fund. Since their inception, both funds have provided close to €10m in funding to over 1,000 projects across the country.

Scheme A was open to projects that specifically promote the integration of International Protection Applicants; while Scheme B was open to smaller scale projects that promote the integration of any migrant group. All applications have been assessed against the selection criteria set out in the funding call guidelines.

Of the 2025 Integration Fund Successful Projects, Tipperary benefitted from only two grants, namely:-

Scheme A

Organisation Name.	Project Name.	Amount.	County.
Silver Arch Family Resource Centre.	Unity Youth Hub.	€94,874.	Tipperary.
South Tipperary Development Company.	Bridging Language for Employment.	€38,900.	Tipperary.

Also under Scheme A the other organisations who benefited included:- one in Cavan; two in Cork; three in Donegal; twenty three in Dublin; four in Galway; one in Kerry; one in Kilkenny; two in Limerick; one in Louth; three in Mayo; two in Meath; one in Sligo; one in Westmeath and one in Wexford.

Scheme B

Under Scheme B the other organisations who benefited included:- one in Carlow; two in Clare; five in Cork; four in Donegal and six in Dublin

This level of funding has been made available in 2025 as a targeted measure and parity funding may not be available in future editions of the fund.

Cycling To Fiscal Responsibility? Not When Your Bike Shed Pricier Than My House.

€18,611 Per Bike? That’s One Expensive Two-Wheeler Area.
Bike Rack or Bank Vault? €336K Suggests the Wheels Were Secured Through Gold Bars.

Simon Harris faced a wave of criticism from the public after news broke about the €336,000 bike shed erected at Leinster House.

Dozens of emails accused the then Taoiseach and other politicians of wasting taxpayer money, with some suggesting the project symbolised everything wrong with government spending priorities.

**Leinster House’s Deluxe Bike Hangar: While Taxpayers Wait In The Rain**.

An internal audit later found that no value-for-money assessment was carried out before construction began. The controversy intensified after it emerged that a separate €190,000 was being spent on a fitness instructor for TDs.

**Failure by OPW to plan *“hot air”* openings for Tipperary politicians.**

Many correspondents expressed anger over what they saw as misplaced priorities, contrasting the bike shed’s cost with ongoing struggles faced by families of children with disabilities and survivors of State institutions.
One disgruntled observer locally in Thurles was heard to quip that a section of the shed should open occasionally, to allow “hot air” to escape, from Tipperary politicians.

FAI Moves To Seek UEFA Ban On Israel.

Questions Raised Over Motivation and Governance.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has voted overwhelmingly to submit a motion to UEFA calling for the suspension of the Israel Football Association (IFA) from European football competitions.

The motion, passed by 74 votes to 7 with 2 abstentions, was adopted at an extraordinary general meeting of the FAI. It urges UEFA to remove Israel from participation in club and international competitions, citing alleged breaches of football governance and human rights obligations.

Grounds for the Motion:
The proposal contends that the Israel Football Association:

Operates clubs in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association — said to breach UEFA and FIFA statutes.
Has failed to uphold UEFA’s anti-racism and equality policies, contrary to Article 7bis of the UEFA Statutes.
UEFA has already decided that no European competition matches can take place in Israel due to ongoing security concerns. However, the FAI motion goes further, seeking to completely suspend Israel from all UEFA competitions.

Next Steps and Potential Outcomes:
The FAI’s motion will now be transmitted to UEFA, where it may be considered by the organisation’s Executive Committee or Congress.

If acted upon, the suspension could see:

Israeli clubs removed from the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.
The Israeli national team barred from European Championship and World Cup qualifying campaigns conducted under UEFA.

No formal timetable for discussion or decision has been announced by UEFA.

Potential Consequences
Analysts warn that the move could have wide-ranging implications:
Sporting disruption: Fixtures involving Israeli clubs or national sides could be cancelled or restructured.
Legal risk: The Israel Football Association could challenge any suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing that it is politically motivated.
Diplomatic impact: UEFA could face political and commercial pressure from member governments and sponsors.
Precedent: A ban on Israel could prompt demands for similar action in other politically charged situations, raising questions about consistency and governance in sport.
Financial Context: – FAI’s Dependence on State Support.

This debate comes as the FAI continues to rely heavily on Irish Government and UEFA financial assistance.

In January 2020, the State, UEFA and Bank of Ireland agreed a €30 million rescue package to save the FAI from insolvency. This included €20 million in taxpayer funding through Irish government loans and grants.

In October 2025, the Government confirmed a further €3 million allocation in Budget 2026; same to support the development of League of Ireland academies.

This financial dependency has led some observers to ask who exactly initiated or influenced the FAI’s extraordinary meeting and subsequent vote and whether the association consulted adequately with its funding partners before taking a political position of such scale.

Broader Questions: While many within Irish football support calls for greater international accountability, others caution that the FAI, still emerging from years of financial crisis and governance reform, must act with care to avoid drawing itself into complex geopolitical disputes.

As UEFA weighs its response, the move has sparked debate not only about Israel’s role in European football, but also about the role of the Irish football authorities themselves, an organisation dependent on public funds now taking a stand on one of the most divisive issues in world sport.

Making Ireland’s 2026 EU Presidency A Voice For Its People.

For Ireland’s upcoming EU Presidency to carry real democratic weight, the Government must move beyond token consultation and create genuine channels for citizens to shape the nation’s European agenda.

How the Irish Public Can Engage Meaningfully in Ireland’s EU Presidency Consultation (2026).

From 1st July to 31st December 2026, Ireland will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union; a position that will place the Irish Government at the centre of EU policymaking for six crucial months. Ahead of this, the Department of Foreign Affairs has now invited views from domestic stakeholders and the public on the priorities that should shape Ireland’s Presidency programme.

Domestic stakeholders and the public who wish to express views – Please See HERE.

On paper, this is an admirable democratic exercise. In practice, however, the distance between the government and the citizen in Ireland has grown markedly, especially in recent years. Many people find it increasingly difficult to have queries answered by TDs or to receive substantive engagement from government Ministers and government Departments. Political dialogue has become one-directional with official statements flowing outward, but public input rarely finds its way back in.

To further prove this point I personally contacted 14 elected Irish TD’s, at the highest level, via email, during the time of this present government and, indeed, the previous government. I received acknowledgements from all 14, but sadly never any replys to the various queries I then highlighted.

If this consultation is to be more than a box-ticking exercise, the Government must create mechanisms that allow citizens to contribute ideas, challenge assumptions, and hold policy-makers accountable for how their feedback is used.

A number of practical steps could make that possible:
Regional Forums: Host open hearings in towns and cities across Ireland — akin to the Citizens’ Assembly format — where ordinary citizens, community organisations, and businesses can voice views on EU priorities such as energy security, migration, the digital economy, and climate policy.
Online Platform: Establish a transparent online portal where individuals can submit policy suggestions, endorse others’ proposals, and see how those inputs are reflected in the final Presidency agenda.
Sectoral Round-tables: Engage directly with universities, trade unions, youth groups, farmers, and SMEs to capture the breadth of Irish experience and expertise.
Public Accountability: Publish a detailed summary showing which ideas were adopted or rejected, and why.

This kind of participatory approach would do more than enhance policy legitimacy. It would also help to restore public faith in democratic dialogue, at a time when trust in institutions and in politics itself is under strain.

An inclusive, transparent consultation process would ensure that Ireland’s EU Presidency is informed not only by officials in Dublin, but by the lived experience of Irish society. That would make the EU Presidency not merely an administrative duty, but a national expression of Ireland’s values and voice in Europe.

Note: The deadline for receipt of submissions is Friday 12th December 2025. If you have any questions, please send your query to the email address hereunder.

The public are invited to please submit their submissions via email to EUPresidency2026Consultations@dfa.ie