Harry McGee

5 days ago | irishtimes.com | Harry McGee

Imposing annual passenger caps on Dublin Airport will be “arbitrary” as even the 40 million cap being sought by airport operator DAA will be surpassed within a short period, Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien says. The cap of 32 million passengers a year, which has been in place since 2008, was breached in 2023 and 2024. Mr O’Brien said the number of passengers passing through the airport was likely to exceed 36 million this year.

5 days ago | irishtimes.com | Harry McGee

An operation is ongoing on Sunday evening to evacuate a group of 15 Irish citizens and their dependents from Israel, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has confirmed. He also said Irish diplomats were working to assist a small number of Irish citizens from Iran but did not specify the number. Speaking to the media at Government Buildings on Sunday afternoon, Mr Harris said the evacuation operation was being done in partnership with other EU countries.

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Harry McGee

It was a routine slot in the Dáil early on Thursday morning. Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke was taking oral questions from TDs.Somebody asked him about mandatory health labelling on alcohol products. He replied the Government might defer its introduction because of the threat of US tariffs. Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney intervened to say she opposed putting the labels on the long finger.

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Harry McGee

Another week. Another war. The prospect of carnage and thousands of deaths. Worrying questions about its impact on the region and beyond, the impacts on global stability. Israel’s launch of a war against Iran was not defensive or triggered by any attack. Rather it is a war of choice. Its stated aims at the start – eliminating Iran’s nuclear threat – quickly pivoted into something else, regime change, or, more accurately, regime destruction.

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Harry McGee

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has said intensive consular work is ongoing to assist Irish citizens who want to leave Israel and Iran. There is a particular concern about the safety of diplomats in Iran. Ireland is working with other partners about potential routes out. Mr Harris, the Tánaiste, has held talks with the foreign affairs ministers of Saudi Arabia and Jordan over what he termed the “increasingly dangerous” situation unfolding in the Middle East.