🇮🇪 Ireland
01
Banking
State sells PTSB to Austrian bank BAWAG for €1.62bn
Austria's BAWAG Group agreed to buy PTSB at €2.97 per share, returning €931m to the State — ending 17 years of crisis-era public ownership. BAWAG pledges to maintain PTSB's 98 branches for at least 24 months.
RTÉ News · Irish Times · The Journal
02
Politics · Immigration
President refers asylum bill to Council of State
President Catherine Connolly convened the Council of State under Article 26 to consider the constitutionality of the International Protection Bill 2026. The bill passed the Dáil 86–62 on Wednesday. She may refer it to the Supreme Court — only the 5th invocation of this power.
RTÉ News · Irish Times · President.ie
03
Energy · Cost of Living
Electricity bills set to rise within weeks
Senior energy industry sources warn household electricity prices will increase soon, regardless of Iran war negotiations. Gas prices nearly doubled in March after the Strait of Hormuz closed. Ireland has no LNG terminal and imports 80% of its gas via the UK.
Irish Times · RTÉ
🌍 World
04
Middle East · Energy
Europe has 6 weeks' jet fuel supply left — IEA
IEA head Fatih Birol warned Europe has approximately six weeks of jet fuel reserves remaining. Ryanair CEO O'Leary warned 5–10% of May–July flights may be cancelled. Jet fuel averaged $195/barrel — more than double last year's average.
CNBC · Fortune · IEA
😊 Good News
05
Ireland · Sport
Rory McIlroy wins back-to-back Masters — on track to be Ireland's first sporting billionaire
McIlroy won his second consecutive US Masters at Augusta on 13 April, joining Nicklaus, Faldo and Woods as the only back-to-back winners. Biographer Alan Shipnuck called his path to becoming Ireland's first sporting billionaire "a mathematical certainty."
Irish Times · ESPN · RTÉ