Politics
1. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Makes First Official Visit to Dublin
On September 7, 2024, Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met in Dublin. This marked the first official visit by a British Prime Minister to Ireland since 2019. The two leaders announced that the countries would begin holding an annual summit starting in March 2025 to deepen cooperation.
The meeting underscored the shared responsibility of both countries in maintaining the Northern Ireland peace process, and discussions also covered pressing international issues, including the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. Harris described the meeting as an important milestone in the "reset" of Anglo-Irish relations, signaling that despite post-Brexit tensions, both sides are moving towards peace and prosperity.
2. Changes in the leadership of political parties in Northern Ireland
In August 2024, Northern Ireland's political scene has witnessed a wave of leadership resignations. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Doug Beattie announced his resignation due to "irreconcilable differences" with senior party officials. Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Colum Eastwood also announced that he would step down at the party conference after nine years as the party leader. In September 2024, South Belfast MP Claire Hanna of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) was nominated to succeed Colum Eastwood as the party's new leader. The resignations of these two leaders will not only impact Northern Ireland's internal political dynamics but could also have broader implications for the political environment across the UK and Ireland.
Economics
1. 80% of Irish companies plan to increase employee wages in 2025
Recently, the Irish Business Employers Confederation (Ibec) released the results of a survey of 400 senior human resources professionals, revealing the future trends of Irish companies in terms of employee remuneration. The survey shows that the vast majority of Irish companies plan to increase their employees' wages in 2025. Specifically, as many as 84% of employers expressed their intention to increase employee wages in the next year, with the expected average salary increase of about 3.4%. In addition, the survey also showed that 85% of companies have increased their basic wages this year, with an average increase of 4.1%. This significant increase was affected by changes in the national minimum wage standard, especially in the tourism and retail industries, where wage increases are particularly prominent.
Ibec's executive director Maeve McElwee said that despite the current easing of inflation, wages in Irish companies are expected to continue to grow, driven by the adjustment of the minimum wage standard and the intensification of talent competition. At the same time, about 41% of the companies surveyed said that they plan to increase the number of employees next year, driven by increased production, increased market demand and business expansion. This program will not only help companies cope with growing business needs, but also inject new vitality into the Irish labor market.
2. New observations on Ireland's green energy sector: progress and challenges in parallel
In September 2024, Ireland's green energy industry showed a booming trend, and a series of important investments and initiatives highlighted that the industry is making progress while also facing many challenges.
Recently, Vodafone and its partners Vantage Towers and Flogas announced a landmark corporate power purchase agreement. Under the agreement, Vodafone will purchase renewable energy from the Derrynadivva wind farm in County Mayo to support its mobile and fixed-line service network in Ireland. The €6 million deal marks a solid step for Vodafone in achieving its 2040 net zero emissions target. Vodafone CEO Amanda Nelson stressed that the partnership demonstrates the company's firm commitment to Ireland's renewable energy industry.
However, compared with the smooth progress of onshore green energy projects, the offshore renewable energy industry has encountered more obstacles. Kevin Lynch, CEO of Source Galileo, pointed out that due to the uncertainty of the Irish government on relevant policies, investors' willingness to invest in offshore wind power projects has been seriously affected. Although the government has announced plans to achieve 5GW of offshore wind power capacity by 2030, Ireland still lags behind other European countries in this field. Lynch called on the Irish government to make full use of the supply potential of the offshore wind power sector and learn from countries such as Norway that have been active in this regard to take more proactive and effective measures.
Society
Irish employment hits 2.75m with record female participation
According to a report of The Irish Times on August 22, in Ireland, employment has surged to a record high of 2.75 million, driven by increased immigrant workers and higher female participation. The latest Labour Force Survey reveals that employment grew by 71,500, or 2.7%, in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the previous year. This rise is largely attributed to demographic shifts, including a significant impact from immigration. Additionally, female labor force participation reached a historic peak of 61.4% in the second quarter, spurred by flexible work arrangements during the pandemic. This trend reverses the decline seen after the Celtic Tiger boom, highlighting how female empowerment can boost economic productivity.
Culture
1. Spraoi International Street Arts Festival held in Waterford
The Spraoi International Street Art Festival was successfully held in the city center of Ireland from August 1 to 3 this year. Since its establishment in 1993, the Spraoi (which means "play" in Irish) International Street Art Festival has been committed to promoting the development of street art and showcasing the essence of street art at home and abroad. During the three-day festival, the audience enjoyed street drama, dance, performance, contemporary circus and music performances on multiple outdoor stages such as Apple Market, Baileys New Street, Bank Lane, Mall Lane and O'Connell Street. As the finale of the festival, the Spraoi Grand Parade brought together more than 250 artists, who presented a visual feast for the audience with their unique creativity and superb skills. The spectacular scene of the grand parade attracted thousands of spectators to stop and watch, pushing the atmosphere of the festival to a climax and also drawing a successful conclusion to the entire event.
2. Puck Fair in Ireland
The Puck Fair, one of Ireland's oldest festivals, takes place annually in Killorglin, County Kerry, typically from August 10th to 12th. The origins of this unique event are steeped in both history and legend. The most popular story traces back to the 17th century when a wild goat, or "puck," supposedly warned the town of Killorglin about an impending attack by English forces. The goat's timely arrival allowed the townspeople to prepare and defend themselves, leading to the annual celebration in his honor. Another theory suggests that the festival has roots in ancient pagan rituals, where the goat symbolized fertility and was celebrated during harvest times.
Regardless of its true origins, the Puck Fair today involves the crowning of a wild goat as "King Puck," who is paraded through the town and placed on a high platform to oversee the festivities. The celebration events of this year involved a horse fair, live music, street food, firework display.
3. Dublin Theatre Festival held from September 26 to October 13
Established in 1957, Dublin Theatre Festival is Europe’s longest-running specialist theatre festival. This year, it was held from September 26 to October 13, which presents over 30 productions, blending new voices with familiar names, and covering themes like family, identity, migration, and climate change.
Among the standout Irish productions is Reunion by Mark O’Rowe, a powerful play about family dynamics. Shades Through a Shade, inspired by Beckett, explores time and human journey. Pan Pan Theatre’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, titled Exit, Pursued by a Bear, also promises a fresh perspective on the classic tale.
4. Irish Culture Night returns on September 20, 2024
The 19th annual Irish Culture Night took place on Friday, September 20, 2024. This event aims to celebrate culture, creativity, and arts, as well as to encourage people to appreciate rich and varied culture in their everyday life. All activities were offered free of charge. This year, approximately 1.2 million participants from around the globe engaged in the festivities.
This annual all-island cultural celebration garnered support from thousands of individuals, organizations, venues, and institutions, facilitating numerous events in cities such as Dublin, Cork, and Galway. Highlights included Culture Night on Moore Street, Culture Night at the Irish Institute of Music & Song etc.
Gaeilge
1. The government approved an additional €900,000 to fund post-primary school students to attend the Irish language summer college
The Irish government has approved an additional €900,000 to fund secondary school students and above to attend the Irish language summer college (Coláistí Samhraidh) in the Gaeltacht in 2025. The Deis Gaeltachta program will provide more than 800 scholarships for students from poor families, giving them the opportunity to improve their Irish language skills and get close to Irish culture at the summer college. Applications for the 2025 scholarship will open in October.
When Deis Gaeltachta started in 2019, there were only 50 places. In recent years, not only has the number of scholarships been greatly expanded, but the amount of funding has also increased, now covering up to 85% of the course fees. Minister Catherine Martin stressed that this move will help promote social inclusion and allow more young people to participate in summer language courses. The Irish language summer college has about 26,000 students each year, contributing about €50 million to the language community, benefiting local communities and host families.
2.Irish-Language Filmmaker Daniel de Buitléir Awarded Clannad Grant
In commemoration of the renowned Irish band Clannad and their contributions to the promotion of the Irish Language and Gaeltacht culture, Údarás na Gaeltachta has established the "Clannad - 50 Years in Bloom" bursary program. The program will provide €10,000 per year for the next three years to help Gaeltacht artists develop new works in Irish.
Irish language film producer Daniel De Buitléir received the bursary and expressed his feeling of honor, hoping to use it to develop his art and contribute to the inheritance of the rich heritage of the Irish language. De Buitléir’s works include short films such as “Bean Feasa” and “Leave the Road Behind You,” and he has also produced videos for the well-known hip-hop group Kneecap.
Ireland and China
1. Arrival of Dr.Nicholas O’Brien, Ireland's new Ambassador to China
Dr. Nicholas O’Brien, the new Ambassador of Ireland to China, presented a copy of his credentials to Hong Lei, Director-General of the Protocol Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on 23 August 2024. This isDr. O’Brien’s second posting to China - from 2004 to 2008, he served as the Consul General of Ireland in Shanghai. Additionally, in 2011, Dr O’Brien published a book titled Irish Investment in China: Setting New Patterns.
2. Ireland Expresses Strong Concern Over China's countervailing duty investigation on EU Dairy Products
On August 21, 2024, China’s Ministry of Commerce officially launched a countervailing duty investigation into dairy products imported from the European Union. This action was initiated in response to a petition from the China Dairy Industry Association and the China National Dairy Industry Association, aiming to address various subsidies provided by the EU and its member states to their dairy industries. The investigation will cover subsidy activities from April 2023 to March 2024, as well as industrial damage from January 2020 to March 2024. Ireland is particularly noteworthy in this investigation. Although only a few EU member states are listed in the subsidy programs, Ireland faces significant challenges. Out of the 20 subsidy programs under investigation, one involves Ireland, primarily concerning the export of cheese, butter, and other dairy products. The Irish agricultural sector has expressed deep concern over these developments. Tadhg Buckley, Policy Director and Chief Economist of the Irish Farmers’ Association, highlighted that this investigation directly affects €45 million worth of Irish exports to China, particularly cheese and butter products. He warned that if the scope of the investigation expands, it could have even more severe consequences for Ireland's dairy exports. The association's president, Francie Gorman, further urged the EU to protect Irish farmers, stressing that they should not become scapegoats in any trade disputes. He called on the EU to take measures to safeguard Ireland's agricultural interests.
