Cannabis grow houses were illegally hooked up to electricity supplies 24 times over past two years at a cost of at least half a million euro. Criminals tapped into ESB Networks to cultivate drugs 18 times in 2024, burning through around 1.8 million kWh. www.thestory.ie/2026/03/13/c...

Cannabis grow houses tapped illegal electricity supplies worth more than half a million euro. Our latest set of FOI records: www.thestory.ie/2026/03/13/c...

Over €600,000 a year in old pound banknotes and coins still being swapped decades after introduction of euro. Latest set of FOI records online at: www.thestory.ie/2026/03/10/o...

Portuguese granite, underground utilities, and hopelessly optimistic cost projections on park entrance project which quadrupled in cost to over €800,000. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/03/06/p...

Minister Jack Chambers suggested legal firms be banned from taking environmental cases on a ‘no foal, no fee’ basis. Mr Chambers said “radical options” needed to be considered to cut down legal challenges even as number of judicial reviews was falling: www.thestory.ie/2026/03/04/m...

Minister wanted ban on ‘no foal, no fee’ legal work that could limit the right of ordinary citizens to take environmental cases to court. Our latest FOI records now online at: www.thestory.ie/2026/03/04/m...

Asylum-related judicial reviews triple amid increased deportations and faster decisions in international protection applications. Our latest set of FOI records available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/24/a...

Judicial reviews in international protection cases have tripled in three years, new data released under FOI shows. Legal costs have also risen sharply amid faster decision-making and an increasing number of deportations: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/24/a...

Chances of being granted an Irish visa below 10 percent for some countries as 63,000 refused over past two years. Our latest records online at: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/20/c...

Nearly 63,000 people were refused visas for travel to Ireland over past two years with citizens of some countries facing rejection rates above 90%. More than 321,000 visa applications were granted in 2024 and 2025, according to figures released after an FOI appeal: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/20/c...

Irish jails were so overcrowded that management warned they mightn't be able to take anyone else or produce people at court. Irish Prison Service said country’s main remand prison was at 125% capacity with room for three more people - on mattresses: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/17/t...

Three mattresses left at country’s main remand jail as record overcrowding left prisons operating at 120% capacity. Our latest set of records now available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/17/t...

Confidential demographic paper warns Ireland faces labour “conundrum” as workforce ages and migration pressures grow. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/13/c...

Confidential government paper says Ireland may require significantly higher migration levels in coming decades to sustain its workforce and public services. Warns of importance of maintaining "social licence" as population ages and needs support: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/13/c...

Over €14.5 million in severance, redundancy, and pension lump sums for TDs, Senators, and their staff following elections. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/10/o...

More than €14.5m paid out to former TDs, Senators and their staff since the last set of elections. Severance, redundancy and pension lump sums all detailed - but no names, as these are now withheld under FOI on privacy grounds: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/10/o...

FOI documents show officials warned of imminent humanitarian crisis in asylum accommodation, with costs that could spiral to €1.5 billion per year. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/04/f...

Confidential documents show how government officials warned of an “imminent humanitarian crisis” in asylum accommodation. Internal records said costs could rise towards €1.5 billion a year under EU Migration Pact: www.thestory.ie/2026/02/04/f...

More than €110,000 was paid out to members of the public who inadvertently unearthed or stumbled across items of archaeological significance. Finds included old coins, bog butter, crucifixes, and swords: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/29/c...

Coins, swords, crucifixes and bog butter: State paid €110,000 in rewards to public for archaeological finds. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/29/c...

New edition of Right to Know's newsletter goes out on Friday. This month: – a €14m Dublin Airport funding dispute. – a tax loophole quietly closed by Revenue. – and why The Traitors couldn’t film at the Hill of Tara. Sign up: www.thestory.ie/stay-in-touch/

New edition of Right to Know's newsletter goes out on Friday. This month: – a €14m Dublin Airport funding dispute. – a tax loophole quietly closed by Revenue. – and why The Traitors couldn’t film at the Hill of Tara. Sign up: www.thestory.ie/stay-in-touch/

Ferret on passenger’s shoulder and dangerous unmuzzled dogs among complaints about animals on public transport services. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/27/f...

A man travelling with a ferret perched on his shoulder and repeated complaints about unmuzzled dangerous dogs were among a stream of reports sent about animals on public transport. Latest set of records from Right to Know: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/27/f...

OPW refused request for The Traitors to be filmed at Hill of Tara saying the ancient site was “exceptionally sensitive” and not suitable for use in a TV show. Our latest set of FOI records online now at: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/20/o...

The OPW refused to allow hit TV show the Traitors film at the Hill of Tara last year. They said they declined because the site was such an "exceptionally sensitive archaeological landscape" but did allow shooting at other nearby heritage sites instead: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/20/o...

How Revenue quietly shut a loophole that allowed life assurance policies to escape inheritance tax. Our latest set of FOI records now online: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/16/h...

Records show how government quietly closed loophole that allowed high-value life assurance policies to pass between family members without triggering inheritance tax. Officials warned against publicising the issue over fears of aggressive tax planning. www.thestory.ie/2026/01/16/h...

Billions in data protection fines imposed, just €20 million collected: DPC says vast majority of penalties remain stuck in legal limbo. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/13/b...

Over the past six years, Ireland's Data Protection Commission has levied €4.04 billion in fines, mostly on Big Tech. Just €20 million has been collected, with most cases still tied up in legal appeals. www.thestory.ie/2026/01/13/b...

State paid €1.375m for forestry land to expand Glen of the Downs nature reserve despite valuations putting an average price on the site of €1.16m. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/09/s...

Government paid nearly €1.4 million for a 40-hectare tract of land to expand the Glen of the Downs nature reserve. Three independent valuations had given average value for the site of around €1.16 million but a higher price was ultimately agreed. www.thestory.ie/2026/01/09/s...

Blaze warped steel and compromised concrete as Luas bridge damage made €7 million rebuild likely cheaper than repair. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/07/b...

Metal girders warped and deformed in fire that reached temperatures of 1000°C and destroyed Luas bridge in Dublin. The extent of the damage was so severe that the €7 million rebuild was likely cheaper than repair: www.thestory.ie/2026/01/07/b...

New ‘state-of-the-art’ Central Mental Hospital still dealing with serious failures a year on from watchdog intervention. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/30/n...

Dept of Justice looked for €15 million war chest to fight legal challenges next year from failed asylum seekers and those facing deportation. They said “exceptionally high levels of litigation” were expected as they sped up application process times: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/23/f...

Faster asylum decisions, more court challenges and why the Department of Justice wanted a €15 million war chest to fight judicial reviews. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/23/f...

Department of Justice records show 119 gardaí escorted 52 deportees, including children, on €188,000 Georgia charter flight in November. The records themselves were redacted based on misapplication of personal information provisions in the FOI Act: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/19/d...

The National Gallery warned the OPW that diesel fumes from Leinster House’s emergency generator were billowing into its building, leading to health and safety complaints from staff. Latest set of FOI records available at: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/16/n...

National Gallery forced to close rooms after diesel fumes from Leinster House emergency generator trigger staff health and safety complaints. Our latest set of records: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/16/n...

Half-empty charter flight to Pakistan used 79 gardaí and cost €474,000 to deport just 24 people. Our latest set of records available online at: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/12/h...

Transport agency warned infrastructure system is paralysed by government policy conflicts, short-term budgets and judicial reviews. Full story and a copy of the Transport Infrastructure Ireland presentation are available at: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/10/t...

Data Protection Commission sought a €10 million hike in its budget as it looked to combat the “unfair narrative” that it was soft on Big Tech. In pre-budget submission, the DPC said it was looking to increase annual spending to €39.8 million in 2026. www.thestory.ie/2025/12/05/d...

DPC looked for extra €10 million in funding as it faced EU scrutiny and fought against an “unfair narrative” about its regulation of Big Tech. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/05/d...

Government was warned it faced a potential farmer revolt over climate policy, with grassroots resistance and distrust spreading. The details were contained in an unpublished paper on challenges of communicating climate change: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/03/u...

Government was warned it faced a potential farmer revolt over climate policy, with grassroots resistance and distrust spreading. The details were contained in an unpublished paper on challenges of communicating climate change: www.thestory.ie/2025/12/03/u...

Salary of €250,000 per year with company car and 25% private pension plan was “wholly unfair” for chief executive of An Post. Our latest set of records available at: www.thestory.ie/2025/11/28/s...

Salary of €250,000 per year with company car and 25% private pension plan was “wholly unfair” for chief executive of An Post. Our latest set of records, released under FOI. The new salary for the job remains a mystery: www.thestory.ie/2025/11/28/s...

Briefings on Irish ‘red tape’ and EU regulation for Taoiseach ahead of ‘fireside chat’ with Stripe co-founder John Collison. Our latest set of records now available online at: www.thestory.ie/2025/11/25/b...

Briefing for Taoiseach for “fireside chat” with Stripe billionaire John Collison said criticism of bureaucracy and over-regulation was likely. It said Mr Collison was on record condemning “red tape” in Ireland. www.thestory.ie/2025/11/25/b...