Third-level students, staff unlikely to lodge formal complaints of harassment or violence
Data collected by the Speak Out platform shows fear of inaction as the most common reason why most incidents are left unreported by students and staff. Fewer than one in eight third-level students who anonymously disclosed experiences of bullying, assault or sexual violence over a two-year period felt comfortable making a formal report to their Higher Education Institution (HEI). Discrimination was noted in 18 per cent of staff cases, compared to 13 per cent of student cases. Bullying accounted for 382 reports, 35 per cent of staff cases and 19 per cent of students. Across the board, reporters were predominantly women, at 71 per cent for students and 80 per cent of staff.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 18:01 UTC
Alarm at claims of cheating in electricians exam
'Compromised' exam papers were alleged to have been shared with apprentices hoping to qualify as electricians in advance of assessments. The claims raised fears for the public from potentially unqualified electricians. Other “compromised” exam papers were alleged to have been shared with apprentices hoping to qualify as electricians in advance of assessments. And in the detritus of its disastrous presidential campaign, Fianna Fáil now finds itself in its Maud Gonne era. Path to Power told The Irish Times it “had no knowledge of any professional relationship between the Minister and Ivan Yates”.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 16:52 UTC
The Irish Times view on delivering major projects: slowly, the State plans to speed up
The broad outline of a likely Government response to one of the most pressing public policy problems facing the State – the slow pace of infrastructure development – is emerging. A Cabinet committee on Monday considered a report from a taskforce charged with making recommendations on how to get things moving. A key reason why progress on housing and infrastructure has been so slow is that there is significant opposition to many developments. Dealing much more effectively with complaints is vital and the judicial review process is clearly in need of reform. Ministers need to commit to an agreed timeline and be prepared to move heaven and earth to stick to it.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 05:39 UTC
Company sues over use of allegedly confusingly similar name
AlphaSights Ltd, which is registered in England and Wales, is suing AlphaSense Inc and its Waterford-based subsidiary Tegus Ltd over its use of an allegedly confusingly similar name. Photograph: Getty ImagesAn Irish registered company and its US parent are being sued in the Commercial Court for infringement of its trademark logo. AlphaSights Ltd, which is registered in England and Wales and provides expert network services for a variety of businesses, is suing AlphaSense Inc and its Waterford-based subsidiary Tegus Ltd over its use of an allegedly confusingly similar name. AlphaSense and AlphaSights are currently involved in pending litigation in the US and England, he said. In its Irish proceedings, AlphaSense is also seeking damages and an injunction prohibiting the defendant from passing off its trademark.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 05:05 UTC
Social justice campaigner and Focus Ireland founder Sister Stanislaus Kennedy dies aged 86
The death has been announced of social justice campaigner and homelessness advocate Sister Stanislaus Kennedy, known to many as Sr Stan. Sr Stan died on Monday morning after a short time at the St Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown. She went on to earn a bachelor of social sciences and a master’s in social policy from University College Dublin, graduating in 1969 and 1980 respectively. “People thought at that stage that there weren’t women homeless, because they were invisible, there were only men,” she said. Focus Ireland head of communications Roughan Mac Namara remembered Sr Stan as “a lively spirit” who was “years ahead of her time”.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 03:02 UTC
Former Fine Gael minister Ivan Yates no stranger to controversy
Ivan Yates’s exhortation to Fine Gael during a Newstalk podcast to “smear the bejaysus” out of Catherine Connolly in the presidential campaign was true to form for the broadcaster and former politician. Since arriving in the media industry in 2010, Yates’s trademark approach has been to stir controversy with colourful language. The 66-year-old Wexford man has made a career out of seizing opportunities that benefit himself and making no excuses for it. Because he was a free marketeer and from a Church of Ireland background, he gravitated towards Fine Gael. His Dáil career lasted 20 years, much of which was spent on the Fine Gael front bench, often as spokesman on agriculture.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 02:42 UTC
Government’s new housing plan will affect property valuations for years, auctioneers say
The political decisions the Government is going to make in its imminent new housing plan will impact property valuations, residential and commercial, for years to come, auctioneers and valuers have said. Ms McGuirk, a former head of education at IPAV, said property valuations are a “critical element” of a properly functioning economy, with “much to be learned from the financial crash in advance of which property valuations were not taken seriously enough by lenders”. Sinn Féin spokesman on housing Eoin Ó Broin has said that the Government’s new housing plan, due to be launched in November, must prioritise ending homelessness by 2030. “The Minister for Housing James Browne is due to publish his new housing plan in the coming weeks,” he said. “To achieve this the plan must include a dramatic increase in funding for and targets for social and affordable housing.
Source:The Irish Times
November 03, 2025 22:58 UTC
The ethos of the Dublin Six: ‘Classic, timeless pieces that are not going to date’
Duke and Grant had worked together at John Rocha. The venue became a showcase “for our vision and shared ethos”, Grant says, “a one-stop shop where customers could buy”. “It’s the person who loves to support Irish design and who takes her time to choose,” Grant says. “She’s not into trends, preferring classic, timeless pieces that are not going to date, but is still interested in fashion. Photographer Aoife Louise Walsh; MUA Amanda Ribeiro; models Bláthnaid McKenna, Mary McHale, Perrin Winders, Nikki Bonass and Maria Oxley Boardman
Source:The Irish Times
November 03, 2025 22:54 UTC
Ivan Yates gave media coaching to Taoiseach, Jim Gavin and five other Fianna Fáil ministers
Six senior Fianna Fáil politicians, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, were also given media training by Mr Yates. “In relation to the general election, he did one session with Micheál Martin during the general election campaign. Mr Yates also provided training to Minsters Darragh O’Brien and James Browne during the same campaign,” Fianna Fáil said in a statement. Controversy has surrounded Mr Yates since it emerged he provided coaching to Mr Gavin before the candidate ended his presidential bid. In a statement on Monday morning, Fianna Fáil said Mr Yates had not worked with the party beyond September 29th.
Source:The Irish Times
November 03, 2025 22:51 UTC
I started strength training in my 60s - here are the seven things I learned in one year
At least, that’s my rationale for why everywhere I looked online last year, the merits of strength training “for the older woman” were being flagged. But through one year of doing small group training sessions three times a week, here are seven things I’ve learned:1. Her study, High Intensity Strength Training in Nonagenarians, which showed how in just eight weeks they became stronger and more mobile, began to change the medical view of older people’s frailty. However, being unable to think of anything else except keeping going during strength and conditioning sessions was a novelty. The circumstances that drove me to start strength training in small group classes were changed utterly by the death of my husband, Philip, in June.
Source:The Irish Times
November 03, 2025 22:33 UTC
Ryan Baird, combative and inventive, was a ray of light on a gloomy day for Ireland
Peter O’Mahony’s retirement invited Baird to make a down payment on the Ireland number six jersey during the summer. Baird was one of the few Ireland players who could reflect on their 80-minute performance with a degree of personal satisfaction, despite the disappointing nature of a 26-13 defeat. Ryan Baird of Ireland knocks the ball away from Josh Lord of the All Blacks during a lineout in Saturday's Test match at Soldier Field, Chicago. Photograph: Michael Reaves/Getty ImagesBeirne’s ejection meant Baird had to run a lineout without a secondrow for 20 minutes. He also came up with a couple of vital steals on New Zealand throws five metres from the Irish line.
Source:The Irish Times
November 03, 2025 22:32 UTC
Drogheda arson attack: ‘The house is on fire. Please answer’
CCTV shows the moment a fire is started on the stairs of the International Protection Accommodation Service centre, Drogheda. Three women say they and their children have been left traumatised by a suspected arson attack at an International Protection accommodation centre in Drogheda, Co Louth. The women, who have been moved 12km away to the Mosney accommodation centre, on Sunday said they had hardly slept since the incident. She showed missed WhatsApp calls and messages from her older child from 8.11pm onwards pleading with her to answer. Photograph: Bryan MeadeThe families were brought to a large house near Termonfeckin on Friday and moved to Mosney on Saturday.
Source:The Irish Times
November 03, 2025 22:31 UTC
‘I think life is too short not to spend your money; I mean, you can’t take it with you’
I’ll save up money, be delighted with myself, then find something to blow it all on, like a holiday! Is there anything you regret spending money on? I see money as something that goes into your account and back out, then back in and back out. Life is too short to think about that particular kind of regret, and I also think life is too short not to spend your money. I lost nearly €30,000’Opens in new window ]What is your best habit when it comes to money?
Source:The Irish Times
November 03, 2025 22:30 UTC
Owen Doyle: Unwarranted Tadhg Beirne dismissal highlighted a problem in rugby officiating
Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne after his yellow card was upgraded to a red card during Saturday's Test match against New Zealand at Soldier Field. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/InphoThe relatively new 20-minute red card and bunker system were severely tested in Soldier Field last Saturday. His upgrading of Tadhg Beirne’s yellow to a red card was wrong – plain and simple. A huge amount of preparatory work is done by elite match officials in the area of in-game sanctions. Photograph: Gary Carr/InphoThere were other things in the performances of the match officials which should have been picked up.
Source:The Irish Times
November 03, 2025 22:18 UTC
Finland’s aurora borealis, husky mushing and wintry wilderness bring a dream to life
I consider baling, but then I remind myself that I chose to do this – that it has been my dream for years to see the Northern Lights (aurora borealis), go husky mushing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and – yes – snowmobiling across a pristine wintry wilderness. (The Finnish word for the Northern Lights, “revontulet”, translates as “fire fox”.) Day two, and we’re off to spend the morning with fourth-generation Sámi reindeer herder Juha West and his octogenarian dad, Sulo. Getting there: The Aurora ZoneAurora borealis over Menesjärvi, Inari, FinlandBeing complete Lapland novices, we enlisted the help of Allan Cooper of specialist Northern Lights tour operator The Aurora Zone. We chose the Menesjärvi – Wilderness Auroras trip: three days, four nights.
Source:The Irish Times
November 03, 2025 22:10 UTC