Brendan O'Connor The Newspaper Panel
Mar 8, 2026
Declan Power, security and defence analyst with military and UN experience, joins by phone. Dan Mulhall, former Irish ambassador to Washington, offers diplomatic perspective. Gerard Howlin, ex‑government adviser, brings political and economic commentary. Ellen Coyne, political correspondent at The Irish Times, provides policy analysis. They discuss regional security, Gulf war impacts, diplomatic strategy, risks to peacekeepers, energy costs and domestic political fallout.
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Energy Price Shock Risks Political Turbulence
- Gerard Howlin warns rising fuel costs can trigger inflation then interest rate hikes, creating intense domestic political pressure.
- He notes Ireland's revenue reliance on corporation tax and a 7% surge in public spending leaves little headroom for large new subsidies.
Consider Targeted Energy Support Not Universal Credits
- Ellen Coyne outlines government leaning toward targeted rather than universal energy supports to avoid repeating 2022 blanket credits.
- She highlights the political risk: middle-income voters who felt squeezed then will demand help again if excluded.
Short Term Relief Fails If Long Term Efficiency Is Ignored
- Susanne Rogers stresses many households already face large arrears, so rising prices deepen entrenched debt traps.
- She argues past billions in relief went to bills not long-term measures like retrofitting to reduce usage.