Elaine Loughlin

1 week ago | irishexaminer.com | Sean Murray |Elaine Loughlin

European laws will prevent children from being exposed to ‚Äúdark patterns‚ÄĚ online while new age checks will stop them accessing harmful content like pornography, Michael McGrath has said. The European commissioner for justice, and former minister for finance, told the that the new proposed Digital Fairness Act will also limit harmful addictive design features such as gambling-like mechanics through loot boxes in popular video games.

2 weeks ago | irishexaminer.com | Jess Casey |Paul Hosford |Elaine Loughlin

The Department of Education has stopped short of an outright ban on smartphones for post-primary students, asking schools instead to work on restricting their use. However, all primary schools will implement new policies that ban the use of, and access to, smartphones during the school day. The direction to schools comes as part of national guidance on phone use issued by Helen McEntee, the education minister.

2 weeks ago | irishexaminer.com | Sean Murray |Paul Hosford |Elaine Loughlin

The number of children living in consistent poverty has risen to over 100,000, with advocates warning it could take four to five generations to break the cycle. Children’s Rights Alliance chief executive Tanya Ward said “untold trauma” was being inflicted on children who are homeless in Ireland while rising rents and a scarcity of housing supply has left thousands of families living on top of each other in cramped or inappropriate homes.

3 weeks ago | irishexaminer.com | Elaine Loughlin

It's gearing up to be a last-minute dash for the Áras as all parties, and none, seem caught up in a game where no one wants to make the first move. With Frances Black all but ruling herself out of the race, the grand plan to put forward one consensus candidate of the left could fall apart before it fully materialises. However, many willing to back her still quietly believe the singer, campaigner and senator wasn't fully serious when she declared in recent days that she is "98%" out of the race.

3 weeks ago | irishexaminer.com | Elaine Loughlin |Michelle McGlynn

The Government is to explore measures that would make apartment building more viable in an attempt to increase housing output. It is understood that the Cabinet’s committee focused on housing discussed how to get the greatest volume of housing output from the Land Development Agency (LDA) while requiring a minimum amount of capital funding. The meeting heard that proposals for measures that would help to make apartments a more viable option are being considered.