Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · 2d

A terrific result for @dublincityuni.bsky.social 3rd ranked among the Irish universities, and top ranked in Ireland for Research Quality. We have increased our global position by more than 400 places since 2020. A great platform to have even greater impact, in transforming lives and socieites.

Dublin City University @dublincityuni.bsky.social · 2d

Great news! DCU is now ranked in the top 350 universities in the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings @timeshighered.bsky.social, its highest position ever.
DCU is 1st in Ireland for Research Quality.
Read more here: launch.dcu.ie/3L2XCIQ

1 2 4

Dublin City University @dublincityuni.bsky.social · 2d

Great news! DCU is now ranked in the top 350 universities in the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings @timeshighered.bsky.social, its highest position ever.
DCU is 1st in Ireland for Research Quality.
Read more here: launch.dcu.ie/3L2XCIQ

2 1 7

Euronews @euronews.com · 19d

According to a survey by the Elcano Royal Institute, 82% of Spaniards questioned believe that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

#EuropeNews

Why is the Palestinian issue so important across Spain?

According to a survey by the Elcano Royal Institute, 82% of Spaniards questioned believe that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

l.euronews.com

3 14 31

Lamhfada @lamhfada.bsky.social · 20d

Netanyahu: ‘These So-Called Genocide Experts Have Probably Never Committed A Genocide In Their Lives’ — theonion.com/netanyahu-th...

Netanyahu: ‘These So-Called Genocide Experts Have Probably Never Committed A Genocide In Their Lives’

JERUSALEM—In response to an independent United Nations inquiry concluding that Israel is committing an ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a defiant...

theonion.com

3 12 58

The Guardian @theguardian.com · Jul 26

Starmer says plan to airdrop Gaza aid and evacuate ill children will go ahead

Leaders of UK, France and Germany call for lifting of aid restrictions and immediate ceasefire after holding talks * Israel-Gaza war live – latest updates Keir Starmer has confirmed the government will be “taking forward” plans to airdrop aid into Gaza and evacuate children who need medical assistance in an effort to relieve what Downing Street called an appalling situation. Speaking to the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, on Saturday morning, the prime minister outlined the UK’s intentions to work with Jordan to carry out the plans. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

50 62 220

The New York Times @nytimes.com · Jul 25

Israel said Friday that it will allow other countries to drop aid from the air into the Gaza Strip, where children have died of malnutrition and nearly one in three people is coping with food insecurity, according to the UN's World Food Program.

Israel to Allow Aid Airdrops Over Gaza During Starvation Crisis

Jordan and the United Arab Emirates were expected to begin airdrops in the coming days, but experts warned that the bulk of necessary aid could come only by land.

trib.al

73 41 120

Ben Tonra @bentonra.bsky.social · Mar 8

Contemptible… lesson 19 in ‘strategic autonomy’ this week

Edward Hunter Christie @ehunterchristie.bsky.social · Mar 8

1-4
The U.S. has cut off support for the electronic countermeasures of Ukraine's F-16s.

Sadly predictable. I think many analysts were thinking it without saying it, for fear of appearing to suggest it.

Sorry, Lockheed Martin. I will henceforth have to recommend that nobody buys your aircraft.

Jay in Kyiv @jayinkyiv.bsky.social · Mar 8

Trump expands his war against Ukraine, remotely cutting off vital electronic interference equipment on Ukraine's F-16's.

Trump is merely Putin's whore.

news.online.ua/en/the-us-is...

1 4 11

Eugene McParland 🇺🇦 @eugenemcparland.bsky.social · Mar 23

Trump has announced that any new U.S. F-47 fighter jets sold to allied nations will be deliberately downgraded by 10%, citing potential future changes in alliances.

“It probably makes sense, because someday, maybe they’re not our allies” Trump said

ukdefencejournal.org.uk/u-s-to-reduc...

U.S. to reduce capabilities of new jet purchased by allies

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

20 12 42

The Journal @thejournal.ie · May 20

The EU Foreign Affairs Council is meeting today to discuss the possibility of suspending a major trade agreement with Israel
jrnl.ie/6709592

Growing call from European nations for review into EU-Israel trade agreement

The EU-Israel Association Agreement can be suspended by the EU if the bloc determines Israel is committing grave violations of human rights.

jrnl.ie

2 3 6

The Journal @thejournal.ie · May 29

Irish peacekeepers In Lebanon have come under fire from Israeli forces near a bombed out village at Yaroun.
Read more here:
http://jrnl.ie/6718727t

Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon fired at by Israeli troops while on patrol

The incident happened at around midday as the Irish soldiers of the 126th Infantry Battalion were patrolling with soldiers from the Lebanese Armed Forces.

jrnl.ie

3 27 27

Nicolai von Ondarza @nvondarza.bsky.social · Jun 23

Very good piece by Sven Biscop on the lack of strategic thinking in Europe - and why just trying to satisfy Trump with a fantasy number of defence spending will neither help defend Europe or solve the issues at the heart of transatlantic relationship:

Don’t Join the NATO Summit Without Knowing Who You Are - Egmont Institute

“The most loyal allies of the United States”. For decades, that is what most European political and military leaders understood Europe’s role on the world stage to be. In my […]

www.egmontinstitute.be

1 4 11

seamusmcguinness.bsky.social @seamusmcguinness.bsky.social · Jul 3

Extremely important study that adopts a dynamic approach to the question of constitutional change in Ireland. The study demonstrates that the subvention is not a fixed cost and can be eliminated, post unity, by policies that promote NI economic growth.

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

‘The Projected Public Finances of the Early Years of a United Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Subvention’ updated analysis with 2023 data, responding to debate & new info of recent years. Models public finances for the first 10 years of a united Ireland
all-islandeconomy.com/analysing-th...

The Journal @thejournal.ie · Jul 21

The Press Council upheld a previous decision from the Press Ombudsman regarding the Gript articles.
http://jrnl.ie/6769268

DCU welcomes decision by Press Council to uphold complaints about two SPHE articles

The complaint was in relation to two articles by Gript about a postgraduate diploma course.

jrnl.ie

13 27

Colin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · Jul 20

One does not simply... rewrite the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

😅😅😅😅😅...😭

82 180 890

Alan Gorman @alangorman.bsky.social · Jul 18

What shapes a mentor?
New open access article explores how cooperating teachers’ personal histories and identities impact how they support student teachers on placement.

Link below👇
www.tandfonline.com/doi/ref/10.1...

@dublincityuni.bsky.social @dcuresearch.bsky.social @dcucreate.bsky.social

9 13

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 4

13b gap between tax & spending includes NI share of spending that will stay in GB, nuclear weapons, debt, pro-rata share of pensions etc. €3b is the year one gap between tax & spending that would stay in NI plus a boost of €1b

1 1

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

Thanks Seamus

seamusmcguinness.bsky.social @seamusmcguinness.bsky.social · Jul 3

Extremely important study that adopts a dynamic approach to the question of constitutional change in Ireland. The study demonstrates that the subvention is not a fixed cost and can be eliminated, post unity, by policies that promote NI economic growth.

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

‘The Projected Public Finances of the Early Years of a United Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Subvention’ updated analysis with 2023 data, responding to debate & new info of recent years. Models public finances for the first 10 years of a united Ireland
all-islandeconomy.com/analysing-th...

1

Dublin City University @dublincityuni.bsky.social · Jul 3

United Ireland would cost Irish taxpayer €3bn in the first year, study finds.
“Much commentary on the Northern Ireland subvention fails to look at the detail of how it is constructed,” - Prof @johndoyle.bsky.social, VP for Research at DCU.
Read in @irishexaminer.bsky.social: launch.dcu.ie/3I95Uxz

Prof John Doyle, Vice President for Research at Dublin City University

2 1

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

‘The Projected Public Finances of the Early Years of a United Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Subvention’ updated analysis with 2023 data, responding to debate & new info of recent years. Models public finances for the first 10 years of a united Ireland
all-islandeconomy.com/analysing-th...

3 5 21

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

The costs associated with Unity have tended to be exaggerated and the benefits of an all-Ireland economy largely ignored. Without underestimating the difficulties, the aim of this report is to contribute to the discussion by demonstrating the range of possible costs and benefits

2

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

However, it is unlikely that the necessary policy change could be secured within the UK in the short-to-medium term political context. Some issues such as full access to EU services market

1

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

Some of the necessary policy changes to boost productivity and wages could be delivered in a stronger model of devolution to NI inside the UK, such as higher spending on education, infrastructure and on R&D, a competitive corporation tax policy, a more equitable tax policy.

1

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

In the worst case scenario where the UK refuses to any pensions whatsoever - even to retired public sector workers - the fiscal transition would still reach break even between 8 and 14 years.

1

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

The ‘deficit’ of just over €3b pa would be a ‘subvention’ from the ‘South’ funded by taxes or borrowing of less than three quarters of one per cent of GNI* in year one, (falling gradually as the economy grows) and reaching breakeven point within 5 to 9 years.

1

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

With NI achieving a growth rate of 2% above recent historic norms after unity (mid-level of Central European performance), the fiscal deficit would end by year 6, by year 10 NI would have an annual surplus of €3.6b pa , or more likely fund further improvements to public services

1 1

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

GDP convergence would happen but slowly, but public finances would improve more quickly. Report looks at 3 scenarios - reflecting the experience of Central Europe after they joined the EU, and at the mid range reflecting the South's performance.

1

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

Model based on an assumption that with the same set of policies on education, infrastructure, tax and Foreign Direct Investment, there is no reason why Northern Ireland would remain so much poorer and so much less economically productive than other parts of the island.

2

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

NI economy grew (real terms) by just over 30%, between 2000 and 2024, average of 1.3% pa. Using modified Gross National Income GNI* to exclude the distortions from multinational operations, the Republic’s economy grew by 71% over the same period, an average of just over 3.2% pa.

1

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

Model in the report increases public exp by one billion euros pa - maintained for the ten years - to deal with health, education, infrastructure. Public sector wages increased by 48% to bring in line with South over 15 years (as an example). Starting deficit is therefore €3b

1

John Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · Jul 3

At present the full cost of UK central state agencies is allocated to each region based on population, but tax paid by employees (and VAT) is credited to the region when that central office is based (mostly London). This increases the subvention artificially.

1 1