Brendan K O'Rourke
@brendankorourke.bsky.social
Critical business academic into discourse analysis, economics, enterprise, strategy, progress & equality
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
oh my god we are cooked
“Govt considering using artificial intelligence to draft planning applications to speed up approval for infrastructure projects”
“AI & digital tools can identify risk & additional cost points for future project planning”
..oh boy! the tech bro hubris is strong www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
“AI & digital tools can identify risk & additional cost points for future project planning”
..oh boy! the tech bro hubris is strong www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
People objecting to infrastructure projects could be offered damages to avoid delays
Proposed reform of judicial reviews could see ‘flaws addressed retrospectively’
www.irishtimes.com
December 4, 2025 at 5:37 PM
oh my god we are cooked
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
Really fascinating which one of these the media has seized upon
November 29, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Really fascinating which one of these the media has seized upon
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
The United Nations has said that the killing of two Palestinians, shot dead in the West Bank while seemingly surrendering to Israeli forces, was an "apparent summary execution"
UN decries 'apparent summary execution' in West Bank
The United Nations has said that the killing of two Palestinians, shot dead in the West Bank while seemingly surrendering to Israeli forces, was an "apparent summary execution".
www.rte.ie
November 28, 2025 at 11:52 AM
The United Nations has said that the killing of two Palestinians, shot dead in the West Bank while seemingly surrendering to Israeli forces, was an "apparent summary execution"
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
This is an absolute disaster. Taking away money from ready-to-go public transport projects so that they can chuck more cash at new roads.
The exact opposite direction we should be going.
(Plus: the more you delay projects, the more they cost. Every time.)
The exact opposite direction we should be going.
(Plus: the more you delay projects, the more they cost. Every time.)
DART+ South West is shelved until 2030. It has full planning approval since 2024, no judicial reviews and is ready to go but construction won't start until after 2030. A lot of housing around Adamstown and Clonburris built in anticipation of this upgrade.
November 26, 2025 at 3:15 PM
This is an absolute disaster. Taking away money from ready-to-go public transport projects so that they can chuck more cash at new roads.
The exact opposite direction we should be going.
(Plus: the more you delay projects, the more they cost. Every time.)
The exact opposite direction we should be going.
(Plus: the more you delay projects, the more they cost. Every time.)
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
The EPA will approve two new pesticides containing “forever chemicals” and relax a reporting rule for companies who make products with forever chemicals.
The moves come after a $60 million lobbying blitz from the forever chemical industry.
Where is the MAHA outcry?
The moves come after a $60 million lobbying blitz from the forever chemical industry.
Where is the MAHA outcry?
November 24, 2025 at 5:19 PM
The EPA will approve two new pesticides containing “forever chemicals” and relax a reporting rule for companies who make products with forever chemicals.
The moves come after a $60 million lobbying blitz from the forever chemical industry.
Where is the MAHA outcry?
The moves come after a $60 million lobbying blitz from the forever chemical industry.
Where is the MAHA outcry?
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
Trump bought Boeing bonds while rewarding the company billions in federal contracts.
He bought Intel bonds after directing the government to acquire a stake in the company.
He bought Meta bonds while pushing AI-friendly policy.
Trump isn’t governing — he’s cashing in.
He bought Intel bonds after directing the government to acquire a stake in the company.
He bought Meta bonds while pushing AI-friendly policy.
Trump isn’t governing — he’s cashing in.
November 21, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Trump bought Boeing bonds while rewarding the company billions in federal contracts.
He bought Intel bonds after directing the government to acquire a stake in the company.
He bought Meta bonds while pushing AI-friendly policy.
Trump isn’t governing — he’s cashing in.
He bought Intel bonds after directing the government to acquire a stake in the company.
He bought Meta bonds while pushing AI-friendly policy.
Trump isn’t governing — he’s cashing in.
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
Faculty senates are under attack from new legislation that sidelines faculty voices and undermines academic freedom. The latest AAUP report defends independent, representative governance as essential to higher ed’s integrity. @aaup.org academeblog.org/2025/11/18/i...
In Defense of an Independent and Representative Faculty Voice: The Case of Faculty Senates
BY AFSHAN JAFAR We have recently seen accelerating legislative and political attacks on faculty governing bodies at state institutions, including legislation recently enacted in Indiana, Ohio, Utah…
academeblog.org
November 21, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Faculty senates are under attack from new legislation that sidelines faculty voices and undermines academic freedom. The latest AAUP report defends independent, representative governance as essential to higher ed’s integrity. @aaup.org academeblog.org/2025/11/18/i...
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
Thrilled to see our latest paper published in @iojournal.bsky.social! 🥳
"Dollar Diminished: The Unmaking of US Financial Hegemony Under Trump" co-authored with Tobias Pforr (@eui-eu.bsky.social) and @fabianpape.bsky.social 🙂
doi.org/10.1017/S002...
"Dollar Diminished: The Unmaking of US Financial Hegemony Under Trump" co-authored with Tobias Pforr (@eui-eu.bsky.social) and @fabianpape.bsky.social 🙂
doi.org/10.1017/S002...
November 20, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Thrilled to see our latest paper published in @iojournal.bsky.social! 🥳
"Dollar Diminished: The Unmaking of US Financial Hegemony Under Trump" co-authored with Tobias Pforr (@eui-eu.bsky.social) and @fabianpape.bsky.social 🙂
doi.org/10.1017/S002...
"Dollar Diminished: The Unmaking of US Financial Hegemony Under Trump" co-authored with Tobias Pforr (@eui-eu.bsky.social) and @fabianpape.bsky.social 🙂
doi.org/10.1017/S002...
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
Martyn Turner
Martyn Turner
November 5th, 2025
www.irishtimes.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Martyn Turner
Jan Zielonka is Emeritus Professor of European Politics www.socialeurope.eu/sovereignism...
Sovereignism: Europe's Most Dangerous Political Plague
The transnational crises of our era demand European solutions, yet national leaders cling to sovereignty games that leave citizens vulnerable and searching for scapegoats.
www.socialeurope.eu
October 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Jan Zielonka is Emeritus Professor of European Politics www.socialeurope.eu/sovereignism...
Journalists should not be the story: @news.rte.ie SixOne show us the questions asked by its Morning Ireland colleague BUTNOT the answers of the candidates themselves. #Aras25
October 17, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Journalists should not be the story: @news.rte.ie SixOne show us the questions asked by its Morning Ireland colleague BUTNOT the answers of the candidates themselves. #Aras25
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
It’s an extremely serious threat, if not *the* biggest threat that impacts us all. Not good enough for the govt to throw up their hands and say it’s too hard and divisive. Some still do need to be convinced, but it’s a leaders job to lead!
“I don’t think we can mitigate for climate change.”
- Mícheál Martin, Taoiseach.
www.independent.ie/business/tec...
- Mícheál Martin, Taoiseach.
www.independent.ie/business/tec...
Taoiseach says some climate projects will not be fulfilled because they risk polarising society
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has rowed back on climate change commitments, saying Ireland may not be able fulfil all current initiatives due to the polarising effect it could have on society.
www.independent.ie
October 10, 2025 at 3:11 PM
It’s an extremely serious threat, if not *the* biggest threat that impacts us all. Not good enough for the govt to throw up their hands and say it’s too hard and divisive. Some still do need to be convinced, but it’s a leaders job to lead!
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
“Israel demands the rejection of a Palestinian state - which is why we must stand for it & lead international isolation of Israel until that happens.”
Europe must fight for a two state solution that ends apartheid & genocide in Palestine.
#freepalestine #gaza #sanctionisraelnow #ceasefirenow 🇵🇸
Europe must fight for a two state solution that ends apartheid & genocide in Palestine.
#freepalestine #gaza #sanctionisraelnow #ceasefirenow 🇵🇸
October 7, 2025 at 3:10 PM
“Israel demands the rejection of a Palestinian state - which is why we must stand for it & lead international isolation of Israel until that happens.”
Europe must fight for a two state solution that ends apartheid & genocide in Palestine.
#freepalestine #gaza #sanctionisraelnow #ceasefirenow 🇵🇸
Europe must fight for a two state solution that ends apartheid & genocide in Palestine.
#freepalestine #gaza #sanctionisraelnow #ceasefirenow 🇵🇸
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
Kroger will lay off ~1,000 employees.
In December, it announced $7.5B in stock buybacks – which juice stock prices, enriching shareholders and boosting CEO pay.
Just so happens that Kroger's last CEO was paid 457x its typical employee in 2024.
Textbook corporate greed.
In December, it announced $7.5B in stock buybacks – which juice stock prices, enriching shareholders and boosting CEO pay.
Just so happens that Kroger's last CEO was paid 457x its typical employee in 2024.
Textbook corporate greed.
September 16, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Kroger will lay off ~1,000 employees.
In December, it announced $7.5B in stock buybacks – which juice stock prices, enriching shareholders and boosting CEO pay.
Just so happens that Kroger's last CEO was paid 457x its typical employee in 2024.
Textbook corporate greed.
In December, it announced $7.5B in stock buybacks – which juice stock prices, enriching shareholders and boosting CEO pay.
Just so happens that Kroger's last CEO was paid 457x its typical employee in 2024.
Textbook corporate greed.
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
👇
Butler and others targeted were given no info about the nature of the claims against them and the university suspended normal processes for reviewing complaints, they said: "That means allegations sent to the administration, even anonymous ones, were simply forwarded without having been adjudicated
UC Berkeley shares 160 names with Trump administration in ‘McCarthy era’ move
Prominent professor Judith Butler among students and faculty investigated for ‘alleged antisemitic incidents’
www.theguardian.com
September 14, 2025 at 12:51 AM
👇
EPP/FG power in the Europe means our rigths are under threat corporateeurope.org/en/2025/07/c...
A crash course on the EU’s deregulation wave | Corporate Europe Observatory
The European Commission’s deregulation wave means attacks on labour rights, climate policies, nature protection, public health, and more. We explain the basic scheme behind this wave of destruction – ...
corporateeurope.org
September 12, 2025 at 11:48 AM
EPP/FG power in the Europe means our rigths are under threat corporateeurope.org/en/2025/07/c...
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
This is true.
As a PhD-holder myself, I feel obligated to make it abundantly clear that people with PhDs are not necessarily smart. They're experts in a small niche of their incredibly niche field, sure, but sometimes that is all. A PhD is a test of resilience and stubbornness, not cleverness.
September 10, 2025 at 5:29 PM
This is true.
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
This is utterly insane! International law & diplomacy is dead. Trying to kill the ppl you are negotiating with, to get hostages back, doesn’t suggest you particularly want them back, to me. So we can now add Qatar to Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria & Yemen to places that Israel has attacked:
Israel carries out strike on senior Hamas leaders in Qatari capital
Qatar says the strike is a
www.bbc.com
September 9, 2025 at 4:47 PM
This is utterly insane! International law & diplomacy is dead. Trying to kill the ppl you are negotiating with, to get hostages back, doesn’t suggest you particularly want them back, to me. So we can now add Qatar to Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria & Yemen to places that Israel has attacked:
I see @dubcitycouncil.bsky.social are revising parking permits for residents - hopefully they'll reward those with smaller cars & free up some space dermotlacey.bsky.social @feljin.ie @dublininquirer.com
September 4, 2025 at 8:26 PM
I see @dubcitycouncil.bsky.social are revising parking permits for residents - hopefully they'll reward those with smaller cars & free up some space dermotlacey.bsky.social @feljin.ie @dublininquirer.com
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
'EPA tests on wastewater at the North Cork Co-Op Creamery Plant adjacent to site of a large Blackwater River fish kill two weeks ago found Co-Op not compliant with its discharge licences ... ammonia levels in discharge were 52 times over permitted limit' www.rte.ie/news/regiona...
Tests find firm near fish kill exceeded discharge limits
Tests conducted by the EPA on wastewater at the North Cork Co-Op Creamery Plant adjacent to the site of a large Blackwater River fish kill two weeks ago found the Co-Op was not compliant with its disc...
www.rte.ie
September 2, 2025 at 10:16 AM
'EPA tests on wastewater at the North Cork Co-Op Creamery Plant adjacent to site of a large Blackwater River fish kill two weeks ago found Co-Op not compliant with its discharge licences ... ammonia levels in discharge were 52 times over permitted limit' www.rte.ie/news/regiona...
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
River Blackwater crisis:
'It's baffling': Anglers criticise watchdog over 24-hour-wait to sample scene of major fish kill.
No sampling took place until a full 24 hours after the first of thousands of fish were found dead on Monday 11 August.
jrnl.ie/6800777
#BlackwaterFishKill
'It's baffling': Anglers criticise watchdog over 24-hour-wait to sample scene of major fish kill.
No sampling took place until a full 24 hours after the first of thousands of fish were found dead on Monday 11 August.
jrnl.ie/6800777
#BlackwaterFishKill
'It's baffling': Anglers criticise watchdog over 24-hour-wait to sample scene of major fish kill
The Journal has confirmed that no sampling took place until a full 24 hours after the first of thousands of fish were found dead.
jrnl.ie
August 29, 2025 at 8:23 AM
River Blackwater crisis:
'It's baffling': Anglers criticise watchdog over 24-hour-wait to sample scene of major fish kill.
No sampling took place until a full 24 hours after the first of thousands of fish were found dead on Monday 11 August.
jrnl.ie/6800777
#BlackwaterFishKill
'It's baffling': Anglers criticise watchdog over 24-hour-wait to sample scene of major fish kill.
No sampling took place until a full 24 hours after the first of thousands of fish were found dead on Monday 11 August.
jrnl.ie/6800777
#BlackwaterFishKill
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
I can't quite believe it, but, it appears that the person responsible for this at the University of Warwick has had a Vogue photoshoot about the rebrand, explaining his 'journey from the world of luxury [goods marketing] into higher education' vogue.sg/university-o...
July 22, 2025 at 5:16 PM
I can't quite believe it, but, it appears that the person responsible for this at the University of Warwick has had a Vogue photoshoot about the rebrand, explaining his 'journey from the world of luxury [goods marketing] into higher education' vogue.sg/university-o...
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
Nitrate pollution in Ireland
An Taisce's Head of Advocacy, Dr Elaine McGoff: 'Half of our lakes and two-thirds of our estuaries are polluted ... time for the Government to step up and put in place a well-thought through and adequately resourced plan’
@elainemcgoff.bsky.social
#WaterQualityMatters
An Taisce's Head of Advocacy, Dr Elaine McGoff: 'Half of our lakes and two-thirds of our estuaries are polluted ... time for the Government to step up and put in place a well-thought through and adequately resourced plan’
@elainemcgoff.bsky.social
#WaterQualityMatters
July 8, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Nitrate pollution in Ireland
An Taisce's Head of Advocacy, Dr Elaine McGoff: 'Half of our lakes and two-thirds of our estuaries are polluted ... time for the Government to step up and put in place a well-thought through and adequately resourced plan’
@elainemcgoff.bsky.social
#WaterQualityMatters
An Taisce's Head of Advocacy, Dr Elaine McGoff: 'Half of our lakes and two-thirds of our estuaries are polluted ... time for the Government to step up and put in place a well-thought through and adequately resourced plan’
@elainemcgoff.bsky.social
#WaterQualityMatters
Reposted by Brendan K O'Rourke
Respectfully High Representative Kallas, I think you should study up on Irish history before lecturing us on our experience of oppression.
I rose today in the European Parliament chamber to explain to her why that experience has led to our solidarity with Palestine.
Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸
I rose today in the European Parliament chamber to explain to her why that experience has led to our solidarity with Palestine.
Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸
July 8, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Respectfully High Representative Kallas, I think you should study up on Irish history before lecturing us on our experience of oppression.
I rose today in the European Parliament chamber to explain to her why that experience has led to our solidarity with Palestine.
Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸
I rose today in the European Parliament chamber to explain to her why that experience has led to our solidarity with Palestine.
Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸