We extend a warm greeting to you this week’s Information Technology Sunday, where we provide our subscribers with top-notch journalism from The Irish Times.
It’s a common belief that all political careers eventually crumble into defeat. This oft-repeated notion is succinct, trite and more importantly, incorrect, as exemplified by Eamon Ryan.
Our lead article this week focuses on the stepping down by the Green Party’s leader. We examine his three decades of national politics and how it portrays the potential for minor parties, as well as earnest and disciplined politicians, to be key agenda setters and make a significant mark during their tenure, however limited it may be.
In his farewell address, Ryan, the Green Party’s chief since 2011, stated that politics has become excessively onerous and increasingly “divisive”. He mentioned the “repugnant attacks” he’s been subjected to on social networking platforms. He grants Harry McGee an exclusive interview this weekend and elaborates on some vitriolic episodes, including an especially “heinous” incident following the demise of his father.
His successor, either Roderic O’Gorman or Pippa Hackett, will be chosen by party comrades over the course of the next three weeks. The challenges will remain regardless of who takes the helm, and they are far from being exclusive to the Green Party of Ireland. Harry shares a detailed account of the current status of green politics reminding us of the widespread setback experienced by the green cause across Europe, with the green faction losing 20 seats in the European Parliament.
A frequently asked question cropping up is the impact of Ryan’s resignation hot on the heels of Leo Varadkar’s exit on the Government as it starts its closing stage. An analysis by Pat Leahy lays out the future course for the Coalition.
In other breaking news, Aer Lingus had a challenging week as they started notifying passengers about a string of 215 impending cancellations in the wake of a simmering industrial dispute with its pilots scheduled to start on Wednesday, including an 8-hour strike on Saturday, June 29th.
Aer Lingus anticipates that the dispute will displace thousands of customers daily, affecting a total of 35,000 individuals. If you are among those inconvenienced, Conor Pope covers your rights and entitlements.
Hypothetically, Ryanair should capitalise on the challenges faced by Aer Lingus as this provides an opportunity to cater to inconvenienced Aer Lingus passengers. One might predict Michael O’Leary eagerly awaiting a substantial industrial action from Aer Lingus pilots during the essential summer season. Yet, John McManus highlighted earlier in the week that O’Leary isn’t keen on the idea of a strike at the competing airline. His motives, however, aren’t particularly enigmatic.
Regardless of the calming Hutch-Kinahan feud, its effects still linger. Recently, a High Court judge determined that a member of the Hutch gang, James ‘Mago’ Gately, and his partner funded their lavish lifestyle with ill-gotten gains. Our Security and Crime Editor, Conor Lally provided insights on Gately, the man the Kinahans failed to eliminate.
Even with the conclusion of the European elections, the topic remains intriguing to our readers. This week’s most read article by subscribers included Kathy Sherdian’s piece suggesting Nina Carberry’s sudden disappearance points to a casual disregard towards the European Parliament. She highlighted the importance of the parliament as a growing entity where a significant portion of our legislation originates, yet it’s seen by some as simply an extravagant stepping stone for budding politicians.
Irish football fans can savour the European Championships in Germany, free from the anxiety of supporting the Irish team. There are various aspects to appreciate in the tournament’s coverage. As per Ken Early’s observations on the condition of Germany’s rail system, you don’t need to be a soccer enthusiast to understand the ramifications of neoliberal capitalism slowly eroding its fundamental structures.
Many, including myself, have praised Joseph O’Neill’s critically acclaimed novel, Netherland, set in New York’s cricket scene. Keith Duggan met with O’Neill, marking the release of his first book in ten years, in Brooklyn to discuss his Irish origins, his passion for Manchester United, his concerns about the US under Trump and the dwindling status of novelists in the US culture.
In a widely appreciated article penned by Laura Slattery this week, a range of topics were dissected including terrestrial television, the AI upheaval and the forthcoming landscape of media. The amusing episode featuring a famished Paschal Sheehy, a reporter with RTÉ, standing at a seemingly never-ending election count also went viral. Laura astutely outlined the dramatic shift in how news is consumed today, a fact substantiated in the Reuters Digital News Report 2024, which was released during the week.
This report revealed a remarkable change: that a larger fraction of people (33 per cent) are now sourcing their news from digital platforms (excluding social media) as opposed to television (31 per cent).
It was also noted that while confidence in some news agencies has taken a knock, the opposite has been true for RTÉ, with it recording an increase of one point over the year. More intriguingly, there has been a marked rise in the percentage of individuals paying for online news (17 per cent), with a noticeable seven-point uptick in the 18 to 24-year-old demographic patronising digital journalism.
Best wishes for the weekend,
Ruadhán Mac Cormaic
Editor