Lobbying Scrutiny and Dublin Housing Crisis Deepen
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New revelations have emerged regarding governance and transparency, with an investigation uncovering that 63 former politicians and civil servants have extensively lobbied their one-time colleagues numerous times since 2020. This comes as concerns about how wrongdoing is handled in the country are highlighted through a series of whistleblower cases.
The housing situation in Dublin is under severe scrutiny, with reports detailing dozens of rental bans issued at a "horrible" flat complex and the decline of Buckingham Village from urban renewal hope to an inner-city slum. A developer has also warned that 18,500 proposed homes at Dunsink will be unaffordable, while a charity is calling for a homelessness 'tsar' to address the rising numbers in the city.
In other domestic news, Garda management has withdrawn a disciplinary threat against a senior Garda Representative Association official who spoke out publicly. Permission has been granted for the Drumcree march to proceed after a nearly 30-year hiatus. Families are questioning delays in a Children's Health Ireland spinal review, and new polls reveal public sentiment on data centre construction and the country's neutrality. On a positive note, wait times for ESB connections in new housing estates are reportedly shrinking significantly.