Brown O’Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead – Ireland Wednesday 16 November

Forward Look

  • The Government is set to publish its Gambling Regulation Bill which implements an advertising blackout between 5.30am and 9pm for gambling products and services. A new Gambling Regulator Authority will enforce new advertising and sponsorship rules across all media and overhaul licensing laws for the gambling industry.

  • A white paper regarding revisions to the State’s enterprise policy could be brought forward as soon as next month following considerable job losses in the Irish Technology Sector.

  • The Irish Examiner is reporting that Fine Gael wants current Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney TD to take the ministerial post in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

  • It is also reported that Fianna Fáil is seeking the Department of Justice and will demote Stephen Donnelly out of the Department of Health.

  • Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said he would be in favour of a transfer pact with Fianna Fáil at the next general election.

  • Bank of Ireland’s net interest income has risen by 3% and is expected to rise further to between 6-7% by the end of the year.

  • An Bord Pleanála’s board will increase to 15 members under new draft legislation to reform the planning appeals body.

  • The Department of Justice have opened a stakeholder consultation on the Review of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme. The link to read more is here.

  • An election to fill a place on the Fianna Fáil Ard Comhairle must be held before the end of the month.

  • The High Court has ruled that the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement with Canada is unconstitutional. Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD has expressed Fine Gael's determination to ratify the convention without a referendum and will instead seek to amend domestic legislation.

  • The Central Statistics Office will publish its updated house price data today. Tomorrow, the CSO will release a breakdown of inflation by household type.

  • The Credit Guarantee Bill is expected to pass the Dáil today and the Incitement to Violence bill will also reach its second stage.

  • The Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment will discuss the issues facing small businesses today.

  • The Committee on Budgetary oversight will also meet with representatives of OECD and Irish Tax Institute to discuss the Commission on Taxation and Welfare Report today.

Other Stories this week

  • Over 430 organisations have been awarded a total of €4 million in funding from the Night-Time Economy Support Scheme.

  • A planned investigation of Tánaiste Leo Varadkar by the Standards in Public Office regarding a breach in the Standards in Public Office or Ethics Acts will not take place.

  • A total of 62,425 thousand Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Ireland since the Russian invasion.

  • Bank of Ireland has named its former Chief Financial Officer, Myles O’Grady, as the organisation’s new CEO.

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 16 – 17 November, Data Centres Ireland Conference, RDS, Dublin

  • 18 November, IBEC Technology Ireland Industry Awards, The Mansion House, Dublin

  • 7-8 December, Dublin Chamber London Trade Mission.

  • 17 December, Leo Varadkar TD becomes Taoiseach.

Consultations