In The News The Irish Times

Dublin’s housing market has reached the point where a three-bed semi-detached house in Coolock priced at €475,000 is deemed ‘affordable.’ The long awaited development of state-owned land off Oscar Traynor Road was supposed to yield public housing and affordable purchase homes between €204k and €306k. But now that the first sixteen homes are coming on stream, the actual price is up to €170k higher than what was quoted in 2021. It doesn’t appear to be down to cost over-runs on the developer’s side. Dublin City Council has confirmed Glenveagh Homes built the properties at the agreed cost, fixed at 2020 prices. The council insists the price tag still represents good value because it’s 18% cheaper than if the homes were sold on the open market. Dublin editor, Olivia Kelly, has been looking into why the homes are so dear, and why people earning €106k are qualified to apply for the state subsidy.
Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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Revelations that members of UK prime minister Rishi Sunak's inner circle correctly bet on the timing of the general election have damaged the Tory party as it tries to shore up support ahead of an expected Labour victory. To add to Sunak's woes, Nigel Farage's Reform UK party is polling well. London correspondent Mark Paul on whether Sunak can avoid an historic wipeout next week - and whether Farage can convert votes into seats.
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Another protest is planned today in Limerick over the suspended sentence handed down to a serving soldier who was convicted of assault last week. Two years ago, 22 year-old Cathal Crotty beat his victim, Natasha O'Brien, until she was unconscious and later bragged about it on social media. The 24 year-old woman was set upon in the unprovoked attack after she asked him to stop shouting homophobic slurs at people in the street. Crotty avoided jail time after the judge took his guilty plea and his career in the Defence Forces into account. Natasha O'Brien went public with her dismay at the outcome and it is widely expected the case will be referred to the Court of Appeal. Tom O’Malley, barrister, author, law lecturer and Ireland’s foremost expert in sentencing, offers this explainer on how sentencing works in Ireland, the factors that are taken into consideration and why a suspended sentence can sometimes be the appropriate response.
Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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The war of words between Aer Lingus and the pilots union Ialpa ratcheted up at the weekend with the airline accusing Ialpa of “blackmail” and the union responding with claims of “greed” and refusing to rule out an all-out strike.
On Sunday both sides said they were ready for talks while blaming the other side for being the stumbling block to meaningful negotiations happening.
At the heart of this dispute is the pilots’ demand for a 24 per cent pay hike while management has made an initial offer of just under 10 per cent.
The pilots begin a work-to-rule on Wednesday, a move that has forced the airline to cancel more than 200 flights between Wednesday and Sunday.
Then on Saturday, the pilots will escalate their industrial action with an eight hour all-out strike prompting Aer Lingus to cancel 120 flights.
All disputes eventually end but with the gap between the pilots’ demands and the company’s offer so wide, it’s difficult to see who will blink first. What is clear is that it is the travelling public who will suffer.
Consumer correspondent Conor Pope looks at how we got here – and where this dispute might eventually land.
Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey

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This week the Dáil will vote on the EU migration and asylum pact.
Why is Ireland opting in to the EU-wide system of migration control? And how will it operate? And why is it proving controversial – not just in Ireland but in states across Europe?
Irish Times social affairs correspondent Kitty Holland explains.
Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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“Slow ticketing”, VIP packages and platinum pricing - there's a new lexicon involved in buying concert tickets. But all of them involve forking out much more for certain concerts since live entertainment resumed after the pandemic. Anyone who managed to snag tickets for Taylor Swift at the Aviva next Friday will probably have spent about €200. Why are concert tickets so expensive now, how much responsibility does Taylor bear and will stadium gigs ever come down in price again?Irish TImes media columnist, Laura Slattery, explains the new business model and how US lawmakers - incensed at the Taylor Ticketmaster fiasco last year - are moving to try and break up the allaged Live Nation monopoly of the American market. She also outlines why she herself is such a committed Swiftie.
Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.