Minister McEntee welcomes Budget 2027 funding for Irish Aid, market diversification and passport services

• Irish Aid Budget to increase to €855 million, a €14 million increase on funding announced in Budget 2026;
• €3 million in funding to support women and girls in Afghanistan;
• Reconciliation Fund to increase to more than €11 million in 2027, including to support cross-community initiatives in Northern Ireland;
• Increased allocation for Passport Service to meet expected growth in the volume of passport renewals next year;
• Additional €1.25 million to support international market diversification and sports diplomacy;
• Funding of €19.5 million for Emigrant Support Programme in 2027, the highest funding under the programme to date.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee TD, the Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne TD, and the Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD, have welcomed support for Ireland’s global engagement and Irish diaspora in Budget 2027.

In 2027, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will continue to invest in

Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on the anniversary of the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks

Today marks three years since the horrific and indiscriminate terror attacks by Hamas and other groups on Israel on 7 October 2023.

We recall the horror and brutality of these shocking attacks and the unimaginable terror and panic that they inflicted.

Over a thousand people were massacred. The largest loss of life and the deadliest single day

Ministers Naughton and Murnane O’Connor encourage schools to take part in new Active School Flag ‘Run Around the EU’ Challenge

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton and Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor have encouraged all primary and special schools to take part in an exciting new Active School Flag three-week running challenge.

From September 28 to October 16, the ‘Run Around the EU’ challenge is asking pupils and

Speech by Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the Irish Funds Annual Global Funds Conference 2026

1 October 2026, check against delivery

Good afternoon - it is a pleasure to address you all here at the Irish Funds Annual Global Funds Conference 2026.

I would like to start by thanking Pat Lardner for organising today’s event, which I understand will be his last Global Conference, after 14 years as CEO.

It’s fair to say that those 14 years have been a time of significant change, disruption and transformation, including for your sector, and navigating those many challenges as CEO is no small feat.

You have navigated it all with skill and grace, and I wish you the very best of luck in your

National Broadband Plan reaches major county completion milestones with October events

Completion milestones to be celebrated in four counties

The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, has today praised the progress of the National Broadband Plan, as October will see county completion milestones achieved in the counties of Roscommon, Wexford, Louth and Cavan. The rollout

Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy announces funding to support the English language needs of Third Country Nationals

• A total of €2million available under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) from Ireland’s AMIF 2021-2027 National Programme.
• Funding to help Third Country Nationals improve their English language skills, and support wider integration into Irish society.

The Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy today announced funding of up to €2 million for projects that aim to enhance the English language skills of people who have moved here as migrants. Funding is being made available under the Asylum, Migration and

Evaluation highlights impact of Traveller Apprenticeship Incentivisation Programme, say Ministers Harkin and Lawless

Minister of State for Further Education, Apprenticeship, Construction and Climate Skills, Marian Harkin TD and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD have today published an evaluation of the Traveller Apprenticeship Incentivisation Programme (TAIP).

The Traveller Apprenticeship Incentivisation Programme is a pilot programme which

Minister Browne welcomes new energy supports for Dublin RAS scheme to reduce bills for tenants and encourage landlord participation

Supports aim to tackle fuel poverty and ease pressure on household budgets while making participation in social housing schemes more attractive

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, has welcomed the new initiative announced by the Department of Climate, Energy and Environment to support energy improvements in homes participating in the Dublin Rental Accommodation Scheme Pilot (RASP), alongside enhanced insulation supports for homes under RAS and the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

The new SEAI supports could provide combined grants of up to €13,800 for an eligible

Minister Kevin “Boxer” Moran announces funding approval for Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection for Inver, Co. Donegal.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) has announced the approval of Donegal County Council’s application for funding under the Office of Public Works’ Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme.

Under the scheme, the OPW has approved funding of €12,668 to construct a row of rock armour along the line of the existing gabions in order to protect these gabions from further damage.

For further information, please contact pressoffice@opw.ie

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New Ambassadors present Credentials, 1 October 2026

Her Excellency Kairi Saar-Isop, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia, Her Excellency Agnese Saliņa, Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia, and Her Excellency Inger Buxton, Ambassador of Sweden, presented their Letters of Credence to President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin today.

Her Excellency Kairi Saar-Isop, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia, was accompanied

Minister Burke seeks new applications for €40 million disruptive technologies funding

The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, today, announced that his department’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) is open for new applications, with €40 million in competitive funding available.

DTIF is designed to advance the commercial development and deployment of disruptive

Minister Kevin “Boxer” Moran announces additional €1.1m funding for East Cork under a €14m package of funding for measures to mitigate flooding, since Storm Babet.

Mr. Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran TD, today announced the allocation of €1.077m funding for studies and works to introduce interim and flood mitigation measures in Mogeely, Castlemartyr, Rathcormac and Ballintubber. The funding is made available through the OPW’s revised Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme.

The Minister said

"the allocation today is an example of how the revised Minor Works Scheme, which I

Minister O’Sullivan confirms NPWS operation underway to locate Asian hornet nest in Cork

Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, today (1 October) confirmed that an intensive National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) operation is now underway to locate and remove an Asian hornet nest in the Ringaskiddy area of Co. Cork.

The operation was escalated following the successful capture of a second Asian hornet close

Minister Feighan welcomes new EU proposal to strengthen emergency communications

Minister of State for Digitalisation Frank Feighan has welcomed the European Commission’s proposal for a new EU Critical Communication System (EUCCS), which aims to provide secure and resilient communications for first responders across Europe.

The proposal, launched by the European Commission today, would enable emergency

Minister Moran announces location for 40 Pumps and Barriers to assist Local Authorities to manage response to localised flood events.

Mr. Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran TD, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, today announced that Sligo, Galway City, Mallow, Cavan, and Portlaoise have been designated as the five locations to receive 20 pumps and mobile water-filled flood barriers (aqua-dams) to supplement local authorities’ emergency equipment stocks.

The Minister said that these locations will make this new emergency response equipment

National Statement by Taoiseach Micheál Martin to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly 24th September 2026

Check against delivery

President of the General Assembly,

Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

Secretary-General,

Excellencies,

A chairde, friends,

The United Nations is entering its ninth decade at a moment of great uncertainty and challenge for the global community.

Conflicts are having devastating effects on the most vulnerable.

The impacts of the climate crisis are felt in every corner of our world.

Hard won rights are being rolled back.

Narrow self-interest is breaking the bonds of solidarity which have so often lifted us to meaningful progress.

The international legal order is under tremendous strain.

New and emerging technologies that offer unlimited potential could also, without human

Community Sport Facilities Fund 2026

• New grant management system, SPRAOI, goes live on Monday 28 September
  

The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD and the Minister for State for Sport and Postal Policy, Charlie McConalogue TD today announced that a new grant management system for the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF), SPRAOI, will go live on Monday 28 September.

Clubs and organisations not previously registered with the Department can register on

Ministers host the Launch of the European Week of Sport

Today (23rd September 2026), Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy, Charlie McConalogue TD, have hosted the launch of the European Week of Sport at the Sport Ireland Campus. This official opening ceremony at the National Indoor Arena was held in cooperation with the European Commission and Sport Ireland.

The ceremony included contributions from Minister O’Donovan, Minister of State