The Clintons’ battle to avoid testifying in the Epstein inquiry may be coming to a head
Bill and Hillary Clinton have repeatedly offered to give sworn statements to the oversight committee, but James Comer has rejected these. Comer, in response, has only amped up his threats to penalise the Clintons if they fail to show up in person. “We submit that the Clintons likewise do not have knowledge relevant to the committee’s investigation,” Kendall wrote in that letter. Hillary Clinton had “no personal knowledge of Epstein or Maxwell’s criminal activities, never flew on his aircraft, never visited his island and cannot recall ever speaking to Epstein,” Kendall wrote. In a follow-up letter he sent on November 3rd, Kendall wrote that “subpoenaing former secretary Clinton is on its face both purposeless and harassing”.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 18:00 UTC
McCarthy brothers hammering the line for Leinster
Leinster's Rieko Ioane (left) and Joe McCarthy during the game against Leicester. Leinster’s Jack Boyle, suddenly the forgotten man in the powerful prop conversation thanks to Paddy McCarthy’s rise, is 23. Leinster's Paddy McCarthy in action against Leicester's Harry Wells. Joe and Paddy McCarthy after Leinster's Champions Cup win over Leicester. After the match, the elder McCarthy spoke of his levels rising because of his brother’s presence.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 16:37 UTC
Student accommodation landlords should be allowed reset rents for new tenancies
Yet new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development has not kept pace, and the shortfall is now a structural constraint on higher education growth. The retreat has not been driven by a lack of interest in student housing as an asset class. Reform of rent controls, and the recognition that student housing is a distinct asset class, is also welcome. If the policy objective is to increase student housing delivery, a small adjustment would help achieve it while preserving student protections. Allow schemes to reset rents at the start of the academic year for new tenancies, with an initial reset from the 2026 to 2027 intake.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 16:35 UTC
Teenage boy facing 19 rape counts sent to Central Criminal Court for trial
The Court Buildings in Smithfield, Dublin, where the Children’s Court is located. Photograph: Alan BetsonA teenage boy is to stand trial accused of sexual abuse, including 19 counts of rape of another child, in Dublin for over three years. The boy, now 15, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Dublin Children’s Court charged with 27 offences committed between 2020 and 2023 and has been sent forward for trial to the Central Criminal Court. They included a single charge under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 for inviting or inducing another boy, under the age of 15, to take part in sexual touching. He also faces seven charges of sexually assaulting the same boy and 19 charges of raping him on different dates.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:57 UTC
Even for great players like Mo Salah, the end can come suddenly and without warning – The Irish Times
All of Salah and part of Liverpool are transfixed by the mirage of the player Salah used to be, as recently as a few months ago. Even for great players, the end can come suddenly and without warning. Just like Keher, Shefflin was 36 when he retired, but in his case, it came after a winter of speculation and consistent doubt in his mind. Being a sub in his final season would have been a trial, just as it would have been for any great player. Shefflin’s successor as the leader of the Kilkenny team, TJ Reid, turned 38 last month.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:49 UTC
‘Spotify levy’ could fund next generation of CMATs and Fontaines DCs, says trade body
The Association of Independent Music Ireland believes a content levy on streaming services could nourish the next generation of artists such as CMAT. Photograph: Alan BetsonIreland’s independent music industry wants the Government to introduce a content levy on streaming services such as Spotify to raise funds to seed the next generation of internationally successful artists. AIM Ireland (Association of Independent Music Ireland), a trade body representing independent record labels, managers, producers and others involved in the business side of the industry, is set to push for greater support for the sector in 2026. In the summer, the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) published a report, indicating the average Irish adult spends €172 on music streaming each year. More than half of respondents to IMRO’s survey said they pay for music streaming, valuing the market at between €370 million and €384 million.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:47 UTC
Businesses operating in economy rises above 400,000 for first time
Micro enterprises accounted for 92.6 per cent of enterprises in the economy in 2023. The number of businesses operating in the Irish economy rose above 400,000 for the first time in 2023. The number of active micro enterprises, those containing fewer than 10 employees, rose by 3.3 per cent to 371,480. Micro enterprises accounted for 92.6 per cent of businesses n the economy in 2023 and 26.9 per cent of people employed. The CSO noted that micro enterprises accounted for the largest proportion of enterprise deaths and people employed in ceased enterprises.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:45 UTC
Plan to cap value of homes eligible for vacant property grant scrapped
A vacant property in Dundrum, Co Dublin. The Government has scrapped plans to set a cap on the value of homes that can avail of the vacant property grant. Photograph: Enda O'DowdA plan to introduce a cap on the value of homes eligible for the State’s vacant property grant has been scrapped. Like the vacant property grant, the new grant for spaces above shops will apply to properties where the upper floors have been vacant for at least two years. Fine Gael TD for Dublin Bay South James Geoghegan had raised concerns about the proposed cap for the vacant property grant in the Dáil on Tuesday.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:39 UTC
Engineers seek restoration of public transport spending priority
Public transport should continue to get twice as much investment funding as roads, the professional body for engineers in Ireland has said. The Government abandoned the policy when it published details of planned transport spending under the revised National Development Plan last month. The body is calling for restoration of the funding priority, further support for working from home, continued work on unblocking planning delays and renewed focus on rail and rural public transport. One in four (24 per cent) avoid public transport because they want personal space while travelling. The research revealed other challenges to greener travel, particularly in rural Ireland where lack of footpaths impedes walking or connecting with public transport.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:30 UTC
New Chilean leader faces task of keeping good terms with both US and China – The Irish Times
As our correspondent Tom Hennigan noted in his excellent report ahead of the election, Kast will be the latest in a succession of right-wing populists to take power in Latin America. And it warns foreign states and companies that the US now regards Latin America as its own economic sphere of influence too. This is a reference to China, which has expanded its footprint in Latin America since the start of this century, becoming the region’s biggest trading partner. Previous Chilean leaders of all political stripes have taken a pragmatic approach by seeking to remain on good terms with both Washington and Beijing. For all his affinity with Trump, Kast may find this to be the most prudent course, even if it is a tricky one.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:30 UTC
Could we be on the verge of a techlash? – The Irish Times
[ AI bubble? It is easy to imagine a tech or AI crash producing a similar reaction against the personalities and corporations of Silicon Valley. In a few years, could data centres be the new Wall Street or Tahrir Square? A bigger question is whether any possible techlash would result in a fundamental power shift away from the tech ownership class. [ The Irish Times view on data centres: how many is too many?Opens in new window ]
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:19 UTC
Triple-lock reforms are about ‘taking back sovereignty’, Helen McEntee says
Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Helen McEntee says she supports a reparations loan to help Ukraine shore up its defences. Photograph: Olivier Hoslet/EPAReforming the “triple lock” system to remove the veto the United Nations Security Council in effect has over the deployment of Irish peacekeepers on new missions is about taking back “our sovereignty”, Helen McEntee has said. Ms McEntee said reforming the so-called “triple lock” on overseas deployments of the Defence Forces would not weaken Ireland’s policy of military neutrality. “We have a long-standing history, and a history we’re very proud of, providing peacekeeping troops on the ground. “The reparations loan is the way that we see that as best moving forward,” Ms McEntee said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:17 UTC
Who are the Bondi Beach shooting suspects, Naveed and Sajid Akram?
The alleged gunmen behind the Bondi beach attack are a father-son duo suspected of using legally obtained firearms to commit the massacre, according to police. His son, Naveed Akram, 24, was shot but survived. Naveed Akram reportedly told his family they were going away for a weekend trip when he left the small bungalow in Bonnyrigg where he lived, in Sydney’s far western suburbs. “[Naveed Akram] was examined on the basis of being associated with others and the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence,” Mr Albanese said. Until recently, Naveed Akram had been working as a bricklayer.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:16 UTC
European Union facing a ‘make-or-break’ moment on Ukraine support
“It is crunch time for Europe and Ukraine,” Denmark’s foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Monday morning. Russian president Vladimir Putin has shown little sign of compromise. European leaders fear Washington will put pressure on Ukraine to sign a peace deal that overly favours Moscow. Hence the insistence from Zelenskiy that Ukraine will need solid guarantees the US will lend the threat of its military might to ward off such a scenario. They are not expected to leave until a decision has been taken on how to fund a large package of financial support for Ukraine.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:07 UTC
Billionaire Marc Cuban backs Galway-based Orreco in $4m funding round
Orreco chief executive Brian Moore: 'Investment is a powerful endorsement of the science and technology we’ve been building.' Galway-based sports tech company Orreco has raised $4 million (€3.4 million) in funding from investors who include billionaire Mark Cuban and announced the acquisition of Australian AI computer vision specialist Data Driven Sports Analytics (DDSA). “Mark’s investment is a powerful endorsement of the science and technology we’ve been building,” said Dr Moore, chief executive of Orreco. The funding and acquisition are part of Orreco’s plans for its AI-powered Motion Signal, which analyses athlete movement using computer vision and machine learning. Orreco has developed algorithms to influence a player’s rehabilitation after an injury, helping them to return to play and help performance.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 15:07 UTC