Michael Smith

Timeline of planning applications at once-wild Aghadachor, County Donegal, for a holiday resort, now tellingly marketed as “Donegal Boardwalk” The scam: how it happened that almost 200 acres on the wild t of Donegal is being debased into a sprawling hous idyllic coas- ing estate, hotel and the usual leisure stuff – in breach of Irish law, European Law, the ruling Donegal County Development Plan, elementary planning norms and the public interest.

John McClean O n 15 November 2017, I received an email from Gemma O’Doherty, former features tor of the ediIrish Independent who had run several popular stories in this magazine. She said she was “wondering if you might be interested in a piece about Terenure College and a sexual abuse scandal that has secretly marred the school for fifty years…I am aware of a number of settlements made. I think this has the potential to be explosive”.

s Ireland’Budget 2025, presented by Finance Minister Jack Chambers (33) on 1 October. Key components included tax cuts, social welfare increases, and significant investments in housing and businesses, all aimed at supporting individuals and stimulating economic growth. The budget delivers on income tax changes by increasing the threshold for the higher 40% rate by €2,000 to €44,000 and cutting the Universal Social Charge (USC) from 4% to 3%.