Elaine Byrne | Business Post

Elaine Byrne

elainebyrne

Elaine Byrne: Micheál Martin was a good Taoiseach, but not a great Taoiseach

The outgoing Taoiseach kept a historic coalition together and oversaw one of the best vaccine rollouts in the world, but the pandemic stalled his focus on the major priority policy areas

Elaine Byrne: A reimagined Seanad may be the most judicious route to a shared island

In the steps towards greater union on the island of Ireland, we would do well to remember the remarkable democratic accomplishment of the first senate in 1922

Elaine Byrne: We need to talk about cannabis, and about legalising it in Ireland

Gino Kenny’s bill to legalise cannabis for personal use presents a timely opportunity to discuss the realities around cannabis and its use today

Elaine Byrne: Leo Varadkar may regret playing it safe with his cabinet reshuffle

FF, FG and the Greens’ reshuffle is a purposely conservative one, but the same old faces may not inspire an electorate with a growing appetite for change

Elaine Byrne: Does the truth matter to Musk – or is it up to Europe’s watchman now?

In a world where facts are increasingly seen as irrelevant and lies usurp reality, the Data Protection Commission must step up to the plate

Elaine Byrne: Why we should be concerned about Chinese covert activity in Ireland

A small sign on a Dublin street may seem far removed from the world of international spies, but as the European base for US tech and pharma, Ireland is a target for espionage operations

Elaine Byrne: GAA needs to take a long, hard look at this growing culture of violence

The sports body must address frequent violent incidents at matches – including children’s games – and the use of language which downplays the behaviour

Elaine Byrne: In the face of litigious figures, RTÉ too often errs on the side of caution

The Shane Ross incident is only the most recent example of the national broadcaster’s habit of shying away from legally perilous public-interest reporting

Elaine Byrne: Qatar’s appalling record corrupts joy and celebration of World Cup

From the thousands of migrant workers who have died to the second-class status of women, the host country is so problematic it will be almost impossible to watch the football tournament

Elaine Byrne: United Ireland civic group raises questions worth answering

Ireland’s Future has not yet captured the public imagination, but the complexity of a possible future unity does need to be debated and examined

Elaine Byrne: Rise of far right across Europe creates perfect storm for Putin

Italy, which today is likely to elect its first far-right government since the rule of Mussolini, is only one of several EU states where nationalist parties are gaining ground

Elaine Byrne: Queen Elizabeth II’s reign was a study in quietly effective leadership

Once seen as a symbol of imperial oppression, the British monarch earned many Irish people’s affection with her actions over time

Elaine Byrne: Property-owning politicians should prepare for a winter of discontent

The Robert Troy controversy was just the start: the next few months will be all about the denizens of the Oireachtas and their property market interests

Elaine Byrne: Public is no longer willing to put up with a watchdog that does not bite

It is now seven years and three governments since the Standards Bill was published, and it has died a death of wilful disregard, leaving Sipo as an observer in ethical controversies

Elaine Byrne: FF and FG’s veneration of Collins is also an attack against a shared enemy

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste’s joint oration on Sunday is the first time in history that the leaders of the Civil War parties have come together to acknowledge Michael Collins’ legacy but another factor in their united stand is the electoral threat posed by Sinn Féin

Elaine Byrne: Bad news for Ireland as Truss and Sunak don the Thatcherite mantle

A dirty and derisory Tory leadership contest has seen both candidates summoning up the spirit of the Iron Lady, which spells even more polarised politics ahead

Elaine Byrne: The Russian invasion exposes the Irish left’s problem with moral inconsistency

The controversy over Sabina Higgins’s letter introduced shades of grey to a situation in Ukraine which is very much black and white

Elaine Byrne: Who profits from our ‘industrial’ education system? Not students or parents

Allowing publishers to largely dictate what goes into textbooks is short-changing young people and their parents

Elaine Byrne: Anti-cannabis group has its say, but minister needs to listen to the other side

Frank Feighan, the minister in charge of the National Drugs Strategy, does not envisage legalising cannabis, but a legally regulated market would control what goes into cannabis, as well as generating revenue from taxes

Elaine Byrne: Multicultural Tory leadership contest shows up ‘shocking’ Rwanda refugee plan

Although six of the ten original candidates for the leadership of the Conservative Party are of an ethnic minority, it seems the emphasis on mobility does not extend to those seeking refuge in Britain today