What to expect from Aughinish Alumina report and the call to ban e-scooters

What to expect from Aughinish Alumina report and the call to ban e-scooters

From Irish Times Inside Politics by The Irish Times

July 17, 2026 · 40 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the Aughinish Alumina report, the call to ban e-scooters, and various political issues in Ireland.

Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: The Government’s report into Aughinish Alumina is expected to say that material produced there may or may not have been used in Russia’s war machine, citing a lack of evidence either way. Half of the alumina produced in the plant in the first quarter of this year went to Russia, up from 43 per cent last year. Will the Limerick plant’s days be numbered eventually? The calls to ban e-scooters grew louder this week with Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly saying society would be “better off” without them. On Tuesday Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he is “leaning towards” a total ban on e-scooters as the Dáil discussed the issue following incidents resulting in deaths and serious injuries.   The high cost of deportation flights was laid out in figures supplied by the Department of Justice to the Public Accounts Committee. They showed that the State paid more than €1 million for a single deportation flight when returning 42 adults and children from Ireland to South Africa in June. Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan shows no sign of backing down in the row over legal aid solicitor fees. Now more…

People in this episode

Host: Hugh Linehan

Guests: Harry McGee, Cormac McQuinn

Topics covered

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Garda, Department of Justice, Public Accounts Committee, Ireland, South Africa

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