-
Department of Social Protection Becomes JAM Card Friendly with 2,900 Staff Trained
The Department of Social Protection has achieved JAM Card friendly status, training nearly 3,000 staff members to better support people with invisible disabilities and communication barriers, Minister Dara Calleary announced today. The nationwide rollout means all public offices and phone lines across the department now recognise the JAM (Just a Minute) Card, a simple tool…
-
Cork Airport Hits Two Million Passengers a Month Earlier Than Last Year
Cork Airport celebrated its two millionth passenger of 2025 yesterday, marking the milestone a full month earlier than in 2024 as Ireland’s fastest-growing airport prepares for its busiest year in 64 years. Benvon Deasy from Rochestown became the lucky two millionth traveller as she departed for Cape Town via London Heathrow with her husband Killian…
-
HSE Offers Free Support as HHC Becomes Illegal
Cork families concerned about HHC use can access immediate help through new HSE support services launched today, as the synthetic cannabis-like drug officially becomes illegal under Irish law. From today, 29 July 2025, Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) joins the list of controlled drugs, making possession, sale, or supply illegal. The semi-synthetic cannabinoid, which had been sold legally…
-
OPW Announces August Bank Holiday Events Across Ireland with Free Entry for Under-18s
The Office of Public Works has unveiled a diverse programme of events for the August Bank Holiday weekend, featuring everything from farmers’ markets to fairy trails, with heritage sites offering free admission to all visitors under 18 throughout August. The nationwide programme spans multiple OPW locations and promises activities to suit all ages and interests.…
-
Bandon Water Network Upgrade to Tackle Leakage Issues
Uisce Éireann is set to begin major infrastructure works next week on Bandon’s Dunmanway Road, replacing over 500 metres of aged water mains in a bid to significantly reduce water loss and improve supply reliability for the west Cork town. The essential upgrade forms part of the National Leakage Reduction Programme and will see contractors…
-
Michael Collins Diaries Return to Clonakilty with Rare Italian Correspondence
For the fourth consecutive year, the personal diaries of Michael Collins have returned to his home county, bringing with them previously unseen letters that reveal the revolutionary leader’s international diplomatic efforts during Ireland’s fight for independence. The annual exhibition at Michael Collins House Museum in Clonakilty, which opened on 28 July and runs until 31…
-
New Legislation to Protect Electricity Grid from Storm Damage Approved by Cabinet
The Government has approved priority drafting of new legislation that will create protected zones around electricity lines to prevent the devastating power outages experienced during Storm Éowyn, which left over three-quarters of a million customers without electricity at its peak. Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien brought the Heads of the Electricity…
-
HHC Vapes and Edibles Now Illegal as Government Classifies Drug as Schedule 1 Substance
The synthetic cannabis-like drug HHC, commonly sold in vapes and edible jellies across Cork, has been banned by the Irish government after studies linked it to a surge in psychosis cases, with health ministers warning parents about the drug’s deceptive marketing to young people. The announcement from Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, alongside Ministers Jennifer…
-
Clonakilty’s Chateaulin Orchard Park Receives €54,000 Transformation
Cork County Council has completed a major upgrade of Chateaulin Orchard Town Park in Clonakilty, investing €54,000 to revitalise this popular green space on the eastern side of the town. The transformation of Chateaulin Orchard Park addresses concerns raised in the 2022 Tidy Towns adjudication report, which identified the space as requiring urgent attention. The…
-
National Trolley Crisis Sees 485 Patients Waiting for Beds as Cork Hospitals Face Continued Pressure
Nearly 500 patients are waiting for hospital beds across Ireland this morning, with Cork University Hospital among the worst affected, according to the latest INMO Trolley Watch figures. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) reports that 485 admitted patients were waiting for beds on 29 July 2025, with 321 stuck in emergency departments and…