It doesn’t, but it has been facilitating near instant money transfers for a long time now, and our banks have been laggards in the space. If the world is going digital, central bank money should go digital”. I am confused, Can we not already make instant payments using Sepa Instant and Revolut and – soon Zippay not to mention Apple and Google Pay? The promise is that the digital euro will be almost as private as banknotes – not quite, but almost as private as banknotes.”And what is the time frame for this digital euro? The EU wants its digital euro to compete with the US stablecoin, but for it to do so, it must first create it.

Anyone who has ever decorated their home will know the agony and ecstasy of choosing paint colours. When you choose colours which echo the natural world, they bring warmth, comfort, and authenticity to a space, season after season. “Bedrooms often suit softer, cocooning shades like Water Lilies, Seafoam, or the dusky pink tones of Lerici and Tempest. Neutral or earthyNature is also an inspiration at Colourtrend, where the new range is inspired by natural colours found in woodlands across Ireland. Also, use colour to enhance space, lighter tones open up smaller rooms; deeper hues can make large rooms feel more intimate.

Local Property Tax: Local authorities will receive about 10 per cent more from revised evaluations and new properties in 2026. Photograph: Bryan O'BrienThe country’s 31 local authorities will receive €767 million from the local property tax (LPT) in 2026, according to figures published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Just three local authorities will apply cuts to their charges next year, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin County Council (SDCC). The €767 million total for the 31 local authorities for next year includes central Government supports of €142.3 million to 21 local authorities with low LPT bases. The €767 million total is 69 per cent more than the €453 million allocated a decade ago.

Catherine Connolly’s election is a nadir for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. But if Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael fall back, and they can’t make it together, Sinn Féin can and would consider a deal with Fianna Fáil under new leadership. There is deep dissatisfaction in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael with their respective leaders – but if change is attempted, it is not assured. The Fine Gael ecosystem is parched and its circle of decision makers is too small and too incapable of renewal. Unlike Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil has choices and perhaps just enough energy left to exercise them.

Families can save money by borrowing toys that are quickly outgrown instead of buying them, says Toy Libraries Ireland. Nearly 80 per cent of all toys end up in landfill, incinerators or the ocean, according to Toy Libraries Ireland. Set up and run on a voluntary basis by individuals and community groups who are passionate about high-quality, sustainable play, toy libraries are helping families to save money, cut down on clutter and reduce waste. You’ll find toy libraries at the Carrig Centre in Ballincollig, Cork, in Ongar community centre in northwest Dublin, and in the Flemington centre in Balbriggan too, says Toy Libraries Ireland. Toy Libraries Ireland has put together a “how-to” guide providing practical information for getting your community toy library off the ground.

It is one of 349 unique Erasmus Mundus master’s programmes that have been running since 2004. It was a broad master’s programme, rather than a deep one – each of the five words in the programme title is a master’s in itself. Elsewhere, Erasmus Mundus programme fees vary between €2,000 and €9,000 per year, with higher costs for those coming from outside the EU. In addition to the lower costs of fees and student accommodation compared with Ireland, many places on Erasmus Mundus courses are funded by scholarships. Similarly, Butler says the chance to practise Spanish as part of her master’s programme was a big draw for her.

Minister of State Thomas Byrne conceded that his party has to have “difficult conversations” in the wake of its disastrous presidential election campaign, but said that Fianna Fáil cannot afford division. So I think we really need to come together as a party,” Mr Byrne said. Asked about Mr Lahart’s claim that a modern political party can’t afford “errors of judgement,” Mr Byrne said that a “a modern political party can’t afford division”. Mr Byrne said he didn’t detect a “groundswell” of criticism towards Mr Martin. “No matter what is done, it’s going to take a long time for Fianna Fáil to recover,” he said.

Sports BriefingLatest news from the world of sport, along with the best in opinion from our outstanding team of sports writers

If parents wish for their children to be active within the Church, then they should take them to a church. Don’t knock Knock AirportSir, – In his Irishman’s Diary of Friday, October 24th, Frank McNally describes Knock Airport as being located on a boggy hill somewhere between Charlestown and nowhere. For Mr McNally’s information, Knock Airport is located just off the N17 national primary road that connects Sligo to Galway. Maybe the next time Frank is struggling to find a subject to write about for his column he should pay a return visit to Knock Airport. Sir, – Can I express my outrage at Frank McNally’s suggestion that what he refers to as “Knock Airport” is located “halfway between Charlestown and nowhere”.

Here are 59 of my most-used – and, needless to say, “don’t lose your passport” trumps them all. If you’re travelling with a backpack as luggage, and only have large packing cubes, it might not Tetris up neatly. At the airport gates for low-cost airlines, don’t be the last to board, just in case the flight is overbooked. [ An Irish flight attendant’s top travel tips on how to avoid stress on your next tripOpens in new window ]15. If you’re abroad for more than four days, take your usual vitamins and supplements with you.

Oksana Dubyk, a former resident of Russian-occupied Mariupol in eastern Ukraine, is preparing to open a small bakery 1,200km away in Lviv. It took months to recover his body, and he was buried in Lviv’s historic Lychakiv cemetery only the following summer. “It’s hard – and harder for older people than for the young,” Dubyk says about the experience of displacement. Hanna Kutepova fled with her mother and two children from Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine in April 2022 and has settled in Lviv near the Polish border. Kulynych says the upheaval of the war has forced easterners and westerners to integrate more deeply, and that most displaced people have settled well in Lviv.

A Fianna Fáil TD who suggested Taoiseach Micheál Martin made errors in the party’s presidential election campaign has denied his comments should be seen as the start of a heave against the party leader. Mr Lahart’s comments on Newstalk on Saturday were interpreted by some within Fianna Fáil as the beginning of a potential move against Mr Martin. Fianna Fáil had a disastrous presidential election. At this, Mr Martin apologised and acknowledged the “hurt and shock” of Fianna Fáil members. “No matter what is done, it’s going to take a long time for Fianna Fáil to recover,” he said.

At the last 2018 presidential election, spoiled votes totalled 18,438, accounting for 1.2 per cent of the total vote in that election. Spoiled votes from the Dublin South West count centre as the first boxes are being opened for counting of presidential votes at Dublins RDS count centre. Large numbers of spoiled votes were cast in working-class areas in particular, though significant numbers appeared in most boxes across all 43 constituencies. Other spoiled votes had “Connor”, “Dustin the Turkey”, “Donald Trump”, “I’m spoiling my vote” and “IPAS centres out of here” written on them. Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the level of spoiled votes had to be addressed.

Pat Leahy takes us through his top three points on the presidential election and the outcome of the vote. A rabble of Fine Gael farmers stand with Heather stickers on their lapels, ready to clap. Elsewhere, a presidential campaign for the remaining 80 per cent of the electorate is taking place. The presidential campaign was said to be the first time Humphreys had real experience of social media abuse. Within the Humphreys campaign some called these diehard party members “Black Fianna Fáilers”.

So as the dust settles on a historic result, who are the winners and losers? This is Fianna Fáil’s worst election result ever. Jim Gavin (right) and Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the launch for the latter's shortlived 2025 presidential campaign in September. But you can be sure that in future parties will interrogate whether willing celebrities have the chops to handle a bruising election campaign. The broad left has been significantly strengthened – and Sinn Féin is the leader of the left.