Andrew Walsh

1 week ago | thejournal.ie | Andrew Walsh

AS WAR CLOUDS gather over the Middle East and Donald Trump edges closer to authorising military strikes, an objector has emerged from inside his own ranks. You may have come across footage of a tense exchange this week between two of Trump’s most loyal allies – Republican Senator Ted Cruz and right-wing broadcaster Tucker Carlson – clashing over the situation in Israel and Iran.

1 week ago | thejournal.ie | Andrew Walsh

FORMER TAOISEACH LEO Varadkar has said that he would “forgo two years of economic growth” for the unification of Ireland. Varadkar made the claim during an interview with BBC Northern Ireland’s The View programme, where he described British politics as “very vile”. He said that he did not think a date should be fixed for an Irish unity referendum, as nationalists did not have the numbers to win. He added that planning for a united Ireland should take place, however.

1 week ago | thejournal.ie | Andrew Walsh

THE BASIC INCOME for the Arts (BIA) payment scheme has been extended until February 2026 – meaning that artists currently on the pilot programme will receive an additional €8,450. This extension applies to the 2,000 artists participating in the scheme, who receive a weekly payment of €325. Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, confirmed that the government remains committed to reviewing the BIA pilot scheme to “maximise its impact”.

1 week ago | thejournal.ie | Andrew Walsh

NO PLANS HAVE been put into effect for Irish troops to evacuate Irish citizens from Iran and Israel, as the conflict between the two nations enters its seventh day. Sources have told The Journal that there are not yet any proposals to deploy an Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) to the region. It is understood that the Army Ranger Wing, which was previously been deployed with ECATs in Afghanistan and Sudan, has not been ordered to prepare for Irish evacuations from Iran or Israel.

1 week ago | thejournal.ie | Andrew Walsh

IRELAND IS BEING taken to the European Union’s top court for failing to follow key rules on removing terrorist content from the internet. The European Commission announced today that it has referred Ireland, along with Bulgaria and Portugal, to the Court of Justice of the EU, as the government has not fully implemented the Terrorist Content Online (TCO) Regulation.