Politics guy @virginmedianews.bsky.social; host of Monday with Gavan Reilly (10pm, Virgin Media One); weekly columnist @thejournal.ie; bestselling author of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞: linktr.ee/gavreillyhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mrag2tsn7c2b"Absolutely it's the case that there will be fewer new measures than in recent years" - Jack Chambers on how a lot of next year's €7bn in 'new' spending is already accounted for22 Jul 2026 13:20 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrag2tsn7c2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mr7xwo3utc2fExpect to hear a lot today about a budget day package of €8.5 billion - €1.5bn in new tax measures and €7bn in spending - but it’s important to distinguish between ‘total spending’ and *what’s available for new measures*. Demographics and inflation already account for two-thirds of the €7bn22 Jul 2026 09:07 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr7xwo3utc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mr3b3u2okk2tLow bar and a superficial edifice, but you so rarely see politicians in the Anglophone world speaking at length, with tangible clarity, and no notes, about the agenda they’re going to pursue. Burnham immediately putting clear blue water between him and his predecessor about clarity of purpose20 Jul 2026 12:08 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr3b3u2okk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mr37657sa226Question for @cathhaddon.bsky.social or others in the internal know: when all ministerial appointments are technically made by the Crown, how in/formal is the technical process of doing so? Does some footman stick his head in the door and go, “Mahmoud for Chancellor?”, and Charles goes “Very well”?20 Jul 2026 11:33 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr37657sa226https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mr36c7qfgc2520 Jul 2026 11:18 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr36c7qfgc25https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mr33lrqwac25 [contains quote post or other embedded content]20 Jul 2026 10:30 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr33lrqwac25https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqzvbqfk6k24Farewell, Jane from number 43. We hardly knew ye, nor your inexplicable legions of fellow visitors.19 Jul 2026 23:04 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqzvbqfk6k24https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqyyq2uonc2dBritish followers: BBC Two right now; thank me later19 Jul 2026 14:33 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqyyq2uonc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqx5cq747c2e“Bronze final”18 Jul 2026 20:50 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqx5cq747c2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqugzvvppk2vAt a loose end on the southern Bank Holiday? Come north for a chinwag 👇🏻 [contains quote post or other embedded content]17 Jul 2026 19:06 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqugzvvppk2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqr6vmtkxs2sAstonishing stuff at PAC as Irish Rail says it’s paying €3m a year - including in 2026 - to software providers Indra to “service a contract” for a €50m software project it wrote off in its 2025 accounts16 Jul 2026 12:02 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqr6vmtkxs2shttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqr2qclyyk2uIn a pretty rare move, the National Lottery are making the main draw *easier* to win: the number of balls in the drum is falling from 47 to 45, meaning the odds of choosing six correct numbers fall from 1-in-10.7 million to one-in-8.2million16 Jul 2026 10:48 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqr2qclyyk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqpngeuwfc2f[follows and turns on notifications for Jude Bellingham’s Instagram]15 Jul 2026 21:17 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqpngeuwfc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqpmmxraj22fThere won’t be a rug woven in Foxford for a week.15 Jul 2026 21:02 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqpmmxraj22fhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqpml22bc22fAn all-timer of a mentality meltdown. The game was under control, England had the measure of the world champions, and they invited *this* Argentina team to lay siege to them. Come in Agent Tuchel, mission abgeschlossen.15 Jul 2026 21:01 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqpml22bc22fhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqpkxiyw5k2fIn the flood of legislation being passed on the Dáil’s last nighttime sitting of the term: Jennie’s Law, for a public register of domestic violence offenders, and Valerie’s Law which removes guardianship rights from parents who kill their child’s other parent. @virginmedianews.bsky.social15 Jul 2026 20:33 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqpkxiyw5k2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqoqk3o3yc2qOn his final afternoon in the chamber this term, with another dry day outside, Micheál Martin is questioned at length about whether Ireland can learn anything from… Spain, given he met with Pedro Sanchez recently. The Taoiseach spent last night at the French embassy where his hosts felt les bleus.15 Jul 2026 12:40 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqoqk3o3yc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqmgs6pshs2nTaoiseach Micheál Martin tells the Dáil he is "profoundly sorry" that two TDs from his party - Billy Kenneally snr, and Brendan Kenneally, failed to act to stop the sexual abuse perpetrated by Billy's nephew Bill Kenneally. Some of his abuse victims are in the distinguished visitors' gallery today.14 Jul 2026 14:40 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqmgs6pshs2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqkdksxmmc2zAnd, as always, we want you to get in touch: wa.me/353896074218 for your WhatsApp messages! [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Jul 2026 18:37 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqkdksxmmc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqf2rbq7dc2vThere won’t be an açai bowl eaten in Greystones tonight11 Jul 2026 16:16 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqf2rbq7dc2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqcvcs26rs2mThis week’s @thejournal.ie column: for a government so zealous about value-for-money and targeted measures, a new analysis of its fuel supports should make for dismal reading. jrnl.ie/7096234 [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Jul 2026 19:33 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqcvcs26rs2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mqa2pwmkqc2kThe communications minister Patrick O’Donovan is “under close medical observation” in hospital in Brussels after becoming unwell during an event to mark the beginning of Ireland’s EU presidency on Tuesday evening.09 Jul 2026 16:32 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqa2pwmkqc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mq4wvit4l22mThe European Parliament has voted in favour of recommending a full ban on the sale of alumina to Russia. The vote, which was taken by show of hands and not by roll call, will see the call for a ban included in an omnibus response from MEPs to the situation in Ukraine. @virginmedianews.bsky.social08 Jul 2026 10:46 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq4wvit4l22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mq36zgta2k2cImagine not loving sport? Imagine?!07 Jul 2026 18:06 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq36zgta2k2c