Government

Alan Dunney, Director of Service, Planning, Enterprise and Economic Development Kildare County Council (KCC), Marian Higgins, Director of Climate, Community, Environment and Water (KCC), Deputy Sean O’Fearghail TD, Patsy Glennon, EMRA Cathaoirleach, Annette Aspell, Deputy Chief Executive (KCC), Senator Fiona O’Loughlin, Councillor Tim Durkan, Cathaoirleach of County Kildare, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon TD, Councillor Mark Leigh, Cathaoirleach of Athy Municipal District and Jacqui McNabb, Head of Enterprise (KCC)

EU funding boost for six Longford-led projects

Irish troops on parade outside

Changing triple lock without referendum a ‘profound betrayal’, claims Sinn Féin

Paul Murphy, People Before Profit-Solidarity TD

Court hears appeal over super junior ministers attending Cabinet meetings

Paul Murphy, People Before Profit-Solidarity TD

Court hears appeal over super junior ministers attending Cabinet meetings

Irish troops on parade outside

Changing triple lock without referendum a ‘profound betrayal’, claims Sinn Féin

Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan speaks to media

Justice Minister renews claims that striking solicitors targeted rape trials

Demand remains strong in Longford with 271 applications received since the launch of the refurbishment grant in 2022PICTURE: PIXABAY

Figures reveal almost 100 vacant properties brought back into use

The Four Courts, Dublin

Irish state at fault for not preventing Omagh bomb, says lawyer seeking inquiry

External view of a Paddy Power shop

Paddy Power owner to axe 1,400 jobs after UK tax hikes

Kevin Callinan

Strike ‘remains available’, unions say as pay talks begin

Oireachtas staff strike

Public sector pay deal should ‘advance productivity’, Taoiseach says

Oireachtas staff strike

Formal talks on public sector pay deal expected to begin

Oireachtas staff strike

McDonald accuses Government of ‘playing chicken’ with public sector workers

People on the picket line

Unions suspend next week’s strike action

Jack Chambers

Hope for progress on public sector talks ‘shortly’, Jack Chambers says

Industrial strike

Taoiseach hopes ‘behind-the-scenes work’ results in talks with unions

A man seen from behind walking inside data centre

Data centre energy use questioned amid AI summit
The EU will need to triple its data centre capacity in the next five to seven years, the bloc’s tech chief has said.
Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

A picket line at Mater Hospital

Government will face ‘test of sincerity’ over pay deal dispute comments

Sally Rooney

Sally Rooney’s books withdrawn from UK over her support of Palestine Action

International Artificial Intelligence Summit 2026, Dublin

Government does not ‘envisage’ public sector job displacement because of AI

Blurred figures of doctors and nurses walking in a hospital corridor

Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers to stage 24-hour strike

Longford disability rights advocate James Cawley

Longford disability advocate challenges Budget 2027 exclusion

Sinn Féin TD for Longford-Westmeath, Sorca Clarke has called on TDs from all parties to back Sinn Féin’s motion to deliver a real meaningful cut in the price of home heating oil to put workers and families first this winter

Longford Westmeath TD says home heating oil cut already wiped out

Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity

AI linked to ‘churn’ and redundancies in recent months, minister says

Jennifer Murnane O’Connor and Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

Gardai to make decision to refer personal drug users to health services

Fórsa's Kevin Callinan

'Standing together': Over 1,000 Forsa members in Longford to strike

Taoiseach Micheál Martin

Taoiseach urges unions for further talks on eve of public sector strike

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan (centre) speaking at the union's headquarters in Dublin

Public sector strike to go ahead after bid for talks rejected
Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers had called on unions to postpone the strike.
Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

Ellie Reeves

UK Attorney General to decide if Troubles prosecutions go ahead under new law

Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers

Minister asks public sector unions to attend mediation ahead of strike

Not too late to avoid strike action, insists Lawless

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant speaking to the Press Association on Friday evening, at his constituency home

NI Secretary Sir Chris Bryant bans Drumcree parade

Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation protest – Dublin

Nurses hold lunchtime protest over public sector pay deal dispute

The project saw the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade award two separate contracts: one to develop and design the publication and one to print and distribute

€150,000 spent on children's book about Ireland's EU Presidency

Irish Budget 2027

Government must ‘put hands in pockets’ for culture card – Patrick O’Donovan

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan

RTE ‘slow’ to implement changes – media minister

The Fine Gael team held a post-Budget canvass with commuters on Wednesday morning at Stephen's Green in Dublin

McEntee defends Budget spending plans despite sharp criticism from watchdog

Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers and Finance Minister Simon Harris with the Budget 2027

Income tax changes and social welfare increases in Budget

Simon Harris outside Leinster House

Government using ‘high-risk’ receipts to fund tax and spending plans – watchdog

Dan Dooley, the chairman of the Rathcormac Men's Shed

Men’s sheds awaiting details of support funding

Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers speaks to the media outside Leinster House, Dublin, following the announcement of Budget 2027

Government not able to ‘fund and deliver’ 100 euro culture card

University of Limerick graduate Eva McCormack holding a sign

Failure to abolish student contribution fee ‘devastating’ for families

Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers and Finance Minister Simon Harris on Budget day

Opposition parties accuse Government of ‘lack of honesty’ in Budget 2027

Paul Lenehan outside his restaurant

Minimum wage increase to ‘wipe out’ VAT savings according to a restaurant owner

Irish Budget 2027

Nothing in the Budget to bring me back to the market – former landlord

Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty

Budget a test that Government has ‘failed’ – Doherty

Laura Fennelly at her home in Dublin

Mother-of-two welcomes cut in childcare fees but calls for bigger reduction

Paul Toner of Toner Transport and Logistics

‘Fair’ Budget but fundamental problems remain, says haulage operator

Person Smoking

Fuel excise hikes pushed back to February and cigarettes more expensive

Irish Budget 2027

Irish Government announces ‘optimistic’ Budget 2027

Tánaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris

Culture card ‘not dead in the water’, Tánaiste insists

Micheal Martin speaking to the media

Taoiseach signals pause on home heating oil carbon tax increase

Empty classroom with chairs on desks

Teachers prepare for ‘all-out strike’ action over two days in October

Simon Harris and Jack Chambers speaking to the media

Corporation tax take in September soars as companies pay bills early

The 2026 Longford Leader & Longford Live Build & Renovate Expo takes place in The Longford Arms Hotel on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11

Longford Council showcase Vacant Homes Grants at Build & Renovate Expo

Fees associated with e-scooters detained by Gardaí have also increased significantly

Under-18s banned from using e-scooters in Ireland from today

Jennifer Whitmore, Cian O’Callaghan and Liam Quaid speaking into microphones outside

SocDems outline ‘ambitious and fair’ budget pledging wealth tax on super-rich

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