One operation looked like a clean win on screen. The other turned into a bleak cycle of footage, outrage and denial. Together, they say a lot about America’s relationship with force.
Ireland says no but Mercosur may very well pass today – after 25 years of to-and-fro. The thorny issues at play and drawn-out negotiations send a bad signal to other would-be trading partners.
The US is claiming “victory” over a side deal to the OECD minimum tax agreement until the end of the Trump presidency. Ireland will find it hard to resist the temptation of spending the money while it has it.
Some concern is driven by longer-term debasement of data collection budgets. Yet, most concern stems from politically charged moves from the White House and its challenge of statistical agencies' independence.
Inflation in housing in 2025 was about twice that in the rest of the economy. This is a symptom of a housing system under pressure.
Getting a deal that works for everyone across the line is a cause for celebration, but experienced recruiters know there are usually many hurdles to clear first.
After a year of hesitation, the Government can no longer claim it’s finding its feet. With housing, childcare, disability and infrastructure still stuck in first gear, 2026 will be the year we find out what it’s really capable of.
2026 must deliver greater coherence, alignment, and hopefully a few more trophies. However, this may require fundamental shifts in thinking and more difficult personnel decisions.
Even as protests grow and allies defect, Donald Trump remains surrounded by loyalty, kitsch and ritual displays of power. Watching from Florida — and thinking of Ireland — it’s hard not to wonder whether MAGA is a movement on the march, or one circling its own excesses.
Three years after Covid grounded global aviation, airlines are flying higher than ever. For Ireland, that recovery brings both opportunity and urgent policy choices.
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