Calleary, Stephenson, McDonald, Higgins Win; Glennon, O’Callaghan, Burke, Browne Lose This Week

Minister Dara Calleary and Senator Patricia Stephenson are winners this week for their teamwork on a free travel scheme for domestic violence survivors and their dependents, launching next week. Calleary brought the plans to cabinet on Tuesday, six months after Stephenson introduced a private members’ bill on the issue. He thanked Stephenson for highlighting the need, agreeing legislation was unnecessary.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald is also a winner, having successfully countered suggestions her leadership was in trouble. Reports ahead of the Ard Fheis in Belfast claimed she would be replaced if Sinn Féin lost the Dublin Central by-election. McDonald stated her leadership was not in doubt and decisions are made by membership. She also gained attention for using the phrase «sweet feck all» in the Dáil, highlighting that nearly 320,000 households were behind on electricity bills in February. Former President Michael D Higgins returned €2.6 million to the State since the start of his fourteen-year presidency, comprising Oireachtas and ministerial pensions, presidential pay, and unspent allowances.

Former Fianna Fáil TD Jim Glennon is a loser, having revealed he provided a character reference for sex offender Daniel Ramamoorthy. Glennon, a former Irish international rugby player and TD for Dublin North (2002-2007), admitted he was «extremely naive» and that it was an «error of judgement», deeply regretting contributing to the victim’s suffering.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan faces backlash for plans to cut supports for Ukrainian refugees in Ireland. The policy change will remove State-contracted commercial accommodation for many of the 16,000 Ukrainian refugees who arrived before March 2024, except for the «highly vulnerable». Labour TD Ged Nash called the plans «immoral» and «unethical», while the Irish Refugee Council CEO Nick Henderson deemed the move «really, really problematic». Tourism Minister Peter Burke and Housing Minister James Browne are also losers for failing to implement promised regulations for short-term lets, with a key part of the plans pulled from cabinet due to departmental disagreement.