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Irish Times
15 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill declines to rule out presidential run
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill has declined to rule out a bid for the presidency . Asked on Friday if she was considering putting her name forward, Ms O'Neill replied: 'I am working my way through our deliberations as we speak.' The Sinn Féin vice-president said the party had not finalised its deliberations on the subject. 'I think I've plenty to do, being First Minister,' Ms O'Neill said at a press conference in Co Armagh . 'But I would think the fact remains that I could stand for election, I could be elected as Uachtarán na hÉireann, but I can't vote in that election, so that's where there's a deficit and what we need to see is presidential voting rights extended to the North so the Irish citizens in the North can vote.' READ MORE Separately on Friday, former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood told the BBC that people had asked him to consider standing for the presidency. 'I'm going to take the time to think about it,' Mr Eastwood said. While SDLP leader, Mr Eastwood was involved in talks with Fianna Fáil about closer co-operation between the parties, although no agreement was progressed. It is expected that should he run in the presidential election, it would be as a Fianna Fáil candidate. Taoiseach Micheál Martin was asked if Mr Eastwood might stand on his party's behalf but he said there had been 'no contact with me' and 'no engagement that I'm aware of with Fianna Fáil'. 'It hasn't been on the agenda at all, I was surprised when I heard that this morning,' Mr Martin said. [ Nobody wants the presidency and its €250k salary. Why? Opens in new window ] On Friday, Mr Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris, and Cabinet members joined Ms O'Neill, Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly , and members of the Stormont Executive for a plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh. Topics the meeting focused on included US tariffs and trade, potential co-operation on gender-based violence, mother and baby institutions and Magdalene laundries . It also addressed infrastructure projects and an air route between Derry and Dublin. . Ministers also discussed the redevelopment of Casement Park GAA stadium in Belfast, a project currently facing a funding shortfall. Last week the UK government said it would allocate £50 million (€59 million) to support the rebuild, with the Irish Government also set to contribute £50 million. However, even with other money from the GAA and Northern Ireland's Executive, the project is about £90 million (€105 million) short of what is required to develop a 34,000-seater stadium. A smaller ground could be built with the approximate £120 million available. At a press conference following the meeting, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and First Minister and Deputy First Minister were clear that now was the time to proceed. 'I think it is about not letting this moment pass,' Mr Harris said. 'Let's not look back in a number of years and see that this moment was squandered.' The Taoiseach said it was 'very important the moment is seized, when significant amounts of money are now on the table, that the stadium can be built here and can be developed'. Ms O'Neill said it was time for all partners involved to come together and find a way to start the work and complete the project. Meanwhile, Ms Little-Pengelly rejected comments by former taoiseach Leo Varadkar to the BBC on Thursday that Ireland was on a 'trajectory' towards unity . He said the most recent numbers show 'a very clear majority of younger people in Northern Ireland want there to be a new united Ireland'. Ms Little-Pengelly said he was 'entitled to reinvent himself in whatever way he so chooses, but he is wrong in terms of the trajectory … I don't accept that it is an inevitability'. Is Conor McGregor really the only person who wants to be President of Ireland? Listen | 19:19
Dublin Live
17 hours ago
- Business
- Dublin Live
Housing Minister admits rents may go up due to new RPZ plans
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Housing Minister James Browne has conceded that rents 'may go up in certain cases' due to his new Rent Pressure Zone plans. The Fianna Fail TD also admitted that the housing target of 41,000 in 2025 is 'no longer realistic'. The RPZs restrict the amount a landlord can increase rents by 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. Nationwide RPZs came into effect from midnight. The President confirmed last night that he had signed the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025 into law following its passage through the Dail and the Seanad this week. More sweeping measures will be introduced next March that will see tenants enter into six-year contracts. However, landlords will be able to increase the rent to market rates either at the end of the six-year period or whenever a tenant leaves voluntarily. Minister Browne conceded that some rents may increase under the plans. He said: 'The only way we can get rents down is to increase supply. That's having a certain system in place for tenants, for landlords and investors. 'The current system is clearly not working. The Housing Agency report made that very clear, we have one of the toughest rent control systems in the world, and it is clearly impacting on supply. Rents may go up in certain cases. I certainly hope they don't.' Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage .
BreakingNews.ie
17 hours ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Michelle O'Neill not ruling out run in Irish presidential election
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill has not ruled out a run in the Irish presidential election. Asked if she was considering putting her name forward, Ms O'Neill said Sinn Féin is working its way through deliberations on selecting a candidate. Advertisement Speaking at a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in Armagh, Ms O'Neill said she has plenty to do as First Minister but she did not rule herself out as a candidate. The election for the next president of Ireland is expected to take place in October. When asked if she would put her name forward as a candidate, Ms O'Neill said: 'I am…. working our way through our deliberations as we speak.' She also called for voting rights in presidential elections to be extended to Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland. Advertisement 'Just to say we obviously also haven't concluded our own deliberations in terms of the presidential race itself,' she added. 'I think I've plenty to do being First Minister, but I think that the fact remains that I could stand for election, I could be elected Uachtarán na hÉireann, but I can't vote in that election. 'So that's where there's a deficit and what we need to see is presidential voting rights extended to the north, so that Irish citizens in the North can vote for their Uachtarán.' Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he is not aware of any engagement with former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood over becoming the Fianna Fáil candidate for the Irish presidency. Advertisement It has been reported that Mr Eastwood is considering a bid for Áras an Uachtaráin. Asked to confirm if Mr Eastwood had been approached by the Fianna Fáil party, Mr Martin challenged the basis for the question, adding: 'There's been no contact with me, there's been no engagement that I am aware of from the Fianna Fáil party and it hasn't been on the agenda at all.' Mr Martin said he was 'surprised' to hear Mr Eastwood was considering a run but said 'it's open to everybody to put themselves forward'. He said Mr Eastwood was a 'very effective parliamentarian' but Fianna Fáil had not concluded on deliberations 'at all'. Advertisement 'We will make our choices as a party, and we haven't concluded deliberations at all,' he added. 'As you can see from recent commentary, and I think from previous experiences and previous presidential elections, there seems to be a tendency that later in the summer might be a more optimal time to be announcing candidates than earlier in the summer. 'That's where we are and we haven't made any decisions.' Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said that a head of state already exists in the province. Advertisement 'I don't have any opinion on a particular candidate, but all I can say is, like we live in a world where there's a constitutional reality and there's a constitutional aspiration, and that's set out very clearly in the Belfast-Good Friday Agreement and the mechanisms around that,' she added. 'We have a head of state here in Northern Ireland, we are a full part of the United Kingdom, until such times as the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic both to decide otherwise. 'So that's why it doesn't apply in NI. I am supportive of the continuum of the current situation and the equilibrium and balance that was carefully negotiated and endorsed by people of Northern Ireland in the Belfast-Good Friday Agreement.'
Irish Independent
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Micheál Martin not aware of any talks with former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood over Irish presidency
It has been reported that Mr Eastwood is considering a bid for Aras an Uachtarain. Asked to confirm if Mr Eastwood had been approached by the Fianna Fail party, Mr Martin questioned the basis for the question, adding: 'There's been no contact with me, there's been no engagement that I am aware of from the Fianna Fail party and it hasn't been on the agenda at all.' Mr Martin said he was 'surprised' to hear Mr Eastwood was considering a run but said 'it's open to everybody to put themselves forward'. He said Mr Eastwood was a 'very effective parliamentarian' but Fianna Fail had not concluded on deliberations 'at all'. Mr Eastwood has said he is considering entering the race to become the next president of Ireland, which will be held in November. The Foyle MP stepped down as leader in October 2024. Incumbent President Michael D Higgins is not eligible to stand again as he will have completed two full seven-year terms. Mr Eastwood said he was considering because 'people have asked'. "We'll see where it goes," he told the BBC. "There's very few candidates in the field right now. It's something that needs a lot of consideration. "I'm going to take the time to think about it, but it's a long summer and there's enough to be getting on with before any decisions around that would have to be made.' Meanwhile, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill has not ruled out a run for the Irish presidential election. Asked if she was considering putting her name forward, Ms O'Neill said Sinn Fein is working its way through deliberations on putting forward a candidate.
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
‘You mislead people, you burn' – housing minister defends rent controls
The housing minister has accused the Opposition of whipping up 'false anger' over his housing proposals during a Dáil debate on extending rent controls nationwide. While warning opposition politicians of the dangers of misleading the public, James Browne drew comparisons with the far-right, populism and of a 'Faustian pact'. Advertisement Mr Browne also said: 'Because you mislead people, you burn.' The Government is being pressured again over its approach to solving Ireland's housing crisis, after announcing a swathe of new rent and housing measures. This includes the introduction of rent caps nationwide of 2 per cent or to inflation, whichever is lower. This will apply to around a fifth of tenancies not already covered and has been welcomed, but other measures have been criticised as a pathway to even higher rents. Advertisement Six-year minimum tenancies on offer from March next year have been criticised for allowing landlords to 'reset' rents to market value every six years or when tenants voluntarily leave a rental property. There have also been criticisms of rents in new developments being capped only by inflation, in order to attract investors in an attempt to boost the supply of apartments. The Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael government, supported by several independents, has insisted that boosting supply is the best way to encourage affordability, while opposition parties argue more state-owned homes and regulation is needed. While debating the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025, which will introduce nationwide rent caps this summer, the government and opposition representatives criticised one another over their housing stances. Advertisement Fianna Fáil's Catherine Ardagh accused Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne of a 'sanctimonious rant'. 'It's very difficult to listen to my friend's sanctimonious rant in relation to this,' the Dublin South Central TD said. 'I'm sure you are familiar, I think you are a lecturer in economics. We know from Junior Cert economics when you increase supply in the market, prices stabilise if not come down. 'It's economics 101.' Advertisement Fianna Fáil's Catherine Ardagh (Niall Carson/PA) She said the Bill would ensure 'fairness, certainty and protection' for renters across the country. Independent Galway West TD Catherine Connolly said she was inspired to speak during the legislative debate to respond to Ms Ardagh's comments. 'I can't think of anything more inappropriate from a TD (who is) part of the government that is standing over a housing crisis. 'The only sanctimonious (rant) that I've ever heard in this chamber has been from successive governments, as a tool and a weapon to obfuscate, to avoid, to confuse as a way to not analyse the problem.' Advertisement She criticised the 'chaotic, disorderly fashion' that the draft rent control laws were introduced to the Dail without pre-legislative scrutiny. 'We keep adding the pieces of the jigsaw with no picture – expect the picture of 'the market will provide'.' Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman said the progression of the Bill was 'reckless' and said it was inevitable that problems would later come to light. 'I understand sometimes you have to work and move legislation rapidly, I've had to do it myself,' the former minister said. 'But this isn't rapid, this is reckless. 'I have no doubt that mistakes will come to light, in the debate here or in the debate in the Seanad, but because there isn't sufficient time to actually go through it in detail, to bring in the committee amendments, we will be bringing forward legislative amendments in the autumn term, I have no doubt about that.' People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said the government believed in 'the magic of the market' and that by increasing rents now, they would come down in the long term. 'The government won't own its own proposals. They tell us that what you're doing is going to increase investment in the rental sector and that ultimately will bring rents down. 'But you refuse to say the bit in the middle, in terms of why is this going to increase investment in the rental sector, which is the plan is to raise rents.' Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín accused the government of an 'omni-shambles' in relation to rent controls and 'confusion' and 'chaos' over its latest housing measures. 'It really feels that this is amateur hour in relation to the government's approach.' Mr Browne hit back, accusing the opposition of a 'Faustian pact' and of whipping up 'false anger'. He said personal comments had been made in the Dáil but no solutions offered, and accused Sinn Féin of 'quietly shelving' their manifesto plan for 'a home you'll never own'. He also claimed the opposition had 'worryingly' misled the public about the timing of plans to introduce rent controls nationwide. He said a Bill cannot go on the Order Paper until it has government approval, which it secured last Tuesday. 'Yet here we have Sinn Féin and Labour and the Social Democrats, all who know the procedures, deliberately putting it out there that because it wasn't on the order paper it wasn't going to happen, and that suddenly there was some sort of fast change. 'That's the kind of politics we see from the far-right, and we see that introduced here now.' He said that it was dangerous to 'whip up a false anger' and said it was 'pure populism'. 'You were deliberately misrepresenting the procedures to, again, whip up a false narrative. It is deeply dishonest. 'It's a kind of a Faustian pact, we've seen Labour do that to get into government before, and you get in a Faustian pact to whip up anger to try and get into government … if you get into government on the back of that kind of whipping up anger, you see what happened to Labour the last time and that's what happens. 'Because you mislead people, you burn,' he said. It was agreed in the Dáil on Wednesday that the Bill would move to committee and final stages.
