Hugh O'Connell

Oct 26, 2024 | thetimes.com | Hugh O'Connell

The HSE has paid BAM, the developer accused by the health minister of “holding the state to ransom” over the national children’s hospital, more than €100 million to deliver several other hospital projects over the last decade. Figures obtained by The Sunday Times show that BAM Ireland, the developer behind the long-delayed €2.2 billion children’s hospital, has been paid tens of millions of euros to deliver six other health infrastructure projects in the last decade.

Oct 26, 2024 | thetimes.com | Hugh O'Connell

Sinn Fein’s chairman told a female party member who complained she was bullied, harassed and intimidated by another member to raise it with a former IRA commander. The party has now admitted shortcomings in its handling of the complaint. Declan Kearney, the national chair of Sinn Fein, told the woman to contact Seán Hughes, once a senior IRA figure who is now the party’s national organiser and was at the time the line manager of the person she was complaining about, as it was an HR issue.

Oct 26, 2024 | thetimes.com | Hugh O'Connell

Having lambasted RTE over a joke about traitors and The Irish Times over “misogyny” in a column, could Sinn Fein target Disney next? Disney+ is due to release all nine episodes of its landmark Troubles-era drama Say Nothing on November 14. Given the subject matter, the timing, in the middle of the general election campaign, is not ideal for Sinn Fein.

Mar 24, 2024 | independent.ie | Hugh O'Connell

“An economy has to work for people so that they feel it in their own household economies, on their farms and in their businesses, around the kitchen table, and in the lives they can see ahead for their children,” he will tell members. Harris will tell members he intends to prioritise supporting families, small businesses, law and order, making work pay, and education.

Mar 24, 2024 | belfasttelegraph.co.uk | Hugh O'Connell

For the better part of the last decade, Simon Harris has spoken privately of his ambition to be Fine Gael leader and taoiseach. Preparation for this moment intensified over the last two years as it became clear Leo Varadkar’s political fortunes were waning — but still, no one was prepared for the political earthquake the Taoiseach triggered last Wednesday. “You always thought the day was coming,” said one Harris confidant. “But no one thought it was coming the way it has.”