Paul O’Brien
@paulgobrien.bsky.social
In a world of Paul O’Briens I’m the one that once worked for a Taoiseach. Into Irish and EU public affairs, and parquet flooring.
“It would be very difficult for Russia to sever all the data flows into the UK because there are so many of them from so many directions. It’d be a lot easier to cut Ireland off… Without taking the risk of directly targeting Britain, a Nato member.”
FT Investigation: Using radar data collected by European Space Agency satellites, the FT was able to locate the spy ship hovering over critical cables in the middle of the Irish Sea in November, at a point in the voyage when the ship was seeking to hide its activities. on.ft.com/46JjsIJ
September 26, 2025 at 3:34 PM
“It would be very difficult for Russia to sever all the data flows into the UK because there are so many of them from so many directions. It’d be a lot easier to cut Ireland off… Without taking the risk of directly targeting Britain, a Nato member.”
I put together a short piece on LinkedIn about the short leap between current deep fakes of Irish politicians for financial scams to wider political disinformation risks. It includes some examples of the latest very convincing deep fakes.
www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest...
www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest...
Latest ‘deep fakes’ of Irish politicians present new political disinformation risks
This week Bank of Ireland issued a media alert following the circulation on social media of a ‘deep fake’ video of Presidential candidate Heather Humphreys promoting a fake investment platform. These ...
www.linkedin.com
September 14, 2025 at 4:10 PM
I put together a short piece on LinkedIn about the short leap between current deep fakes of Irish politicians for financial scams to wider political disinformation risks. It includes some examples of the latest very convincing deep fakes.
www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest...
www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest...
Interesting perspectives from Nick Clegg post Meta.
“If you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“If you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘If I felt Zuckerberg and Sandberg were monsters, I wouldn’t have worked at Meta’: Nick Clegg on tech bros, AI and Starmer’s half measures
When Britain’s former deputy PM took a job at Meta, nothing could have prepared him for the ‘cloying conformity’ of the tech world. So why does he still think social media is a force for good?
www.theguardian.com
August 25, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Interesting perspectives from Nick Clegg post Meta.
“If you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“If you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
@hlinehan.bsky.social you and Pat should have had a PTSD warning at the start of the podcast for those who worked in politics during the crash.
August 18, 2025 at 4:07 PM
@hlinehan.bsky.social you and Pat should have had a PTSD warning at the start of the podcast for those who worked in politics during the crash.
on.ft.com/4o9VLBi The coming crypto crisis
The coming crypto crisis
Bipartisan backing of stablecoins will hurt America’s economy and its politics
on.ft.com
July 27, 2025 at 6:29 PM
on.ft.com/4o9VLBi The coming crypto crisis
The new Comreg text checker only screens the SenderID but fraudsters just use random mobile numbers to get around it. The only solution is a scam filter to scan all text messages as has been deployed in other English speaking and EU countries.
July 8, 2025 at 9:54 PM
The new Comreg text checker only screens the SenderID but fraudsters just use random mobile numbers to get around it. The only solution is a scam filter to scan all text messages as has been deployed in other English speaking and EU countries.
Reposted by Paul O’Brien
Marlay Park is just the Southside revenge for gigs at Malahide Castle.
Olivia Rodrigo at Marlay Park: Pop star surprises fans with Fontaines DC cover during a brilliantly energetic show
www.irishtimes.com/culture/musi...
Olivia Rodrigo at Marlay Park: Pop star surprises fans with Fontaines DC cover during a brilliantly energetic show
www.irishtimes.com/culture/musi...
Olivia Rodrigo at Marlay Park: Pop star surprises fans with Fontaines DC cover during a brilliantly energetic show
Rodrigo is not just another Disney-approved star but a Gen Zer with a deep headbanging spirit
www.irishtimes.com
June 25, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Marlay Park is just the Southside revenge for gigs at Malahide Castle.
Olivia Rodrigo at Marlay Park: Pop star surprises fans with Fontaines DC cover during a brilliantly energetic show
www.irishtimes.com/culture/musi...
Olivia Rodrigo at Marlay Park: Pop star surprises fans with Fontaines DC cover during a brilliantly energetic show
www.irishtimes.com/culture/musi...
Reposted by Paul O’Brien
Yesterday afternoon two ships, a helicopter and a maritime surveillance aircraft of Estonian forces ordered shadow tanker JAGUAR towards EE national waters, north of Tallin.
The attempt attracted a Russian fighter jet but the EE navy pursuit continued 4h to just 7 miles from Russia.
Baltic hot.
The attempt attracted a Russian fighter jet but the EE navy pursuit continued 4h to just 7 miles from Russia.
Baltic hot.
May 14, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Yesterday afternoon two ships, a helicopter and a maritime surveillance aircraft of Estonian forces ordered shadow tanker JAGUAR towards EE national waters, north of Tallin.
The attempt attracted a Russian fighter jet but the EE navy pursuit continued 4h to just 7 miles from Russia.
Baltic hot.
The attempt attracted a Russian fighter jet but the EE navy pursuit continued 4h to just 7 miles from Russia.
Baltic hot.
Great piece!
Enda Kenny’s life and times offer five lessons for today’s politicians
www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
Enda Kenny’s life and times offer five lessons for today’s politicians
www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
Pat Leahy: Enda Kenny offers five lessons for today’s politicians
A perennial rule of politics comes to mind for former Fine Gael leader
www.irishtimes.com
May 3, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Great piece!
Enda Kenny’s life and times offer five lessons for today’s politicians
www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
Enda Kenny’s life and times offer five lessons for today’s politicians
www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
What a great quote:
As Walter Wriston, the late Citicorp boss who was one of the titans of American banking, once observed: “Capital goes where it is welcome and stays where it is well treated.”
on.ft.com/44ruItE Is the world losing faith in the almighty US dollar?
As Walter Wriston, the late Citicorp boss who was one of the titans of American banking, once observed: “Capital goes where it is welcome and stays where it is well treated.”
on.ft.com/44ruItE Is the world losing faith in the almighty US dollar?
Is the world losing faith in the almighty US dollar?
Donald Trump’s trade war is forcing investors to confront the possibility that the dominance of the US currency might fade — or even end
on.ft.com
April 17, 2025 at 5:54 PM
What a great quote:
As Walter Wriston, the late Citicorp boss who was one of the titans of American banking, once observed: “Capital goes where it is welcome and stays where it is well treated.”
on.ft.com/44ruItE Is the world losing faith in the almighty US dollar?
As Walter Wriston, the late Citicorp boss who was one of the titans of American banking, once observed: “Capital goes where it is welcome and stays where it is well treated.”
on.ft.com/44ruItE Is the world losing faith in the almighty US dollar?
🇪🇺
The thing about Europe: it’s the actual land of the free now
economist.com/europe/2025/...
from The Economist
The thing about Europe: it’s the actual land of the free now
economist.com/europe/2025/...
from The Economist
The thing about Europe: it’s the actual land of the free now
Europe’s very real problems don’t look so bad by comparison
economist.com
April 12, 2025 at 8:27 PM
🇪🇺
The thing about Europe: it’s the actual land of the free now
economist.com/europe/2025/...
from The Economist
The thing about Europe: it’s the actual land of the free now
economist.com/europe/2025/...
from The Economist
Essential reading from @tconnellyrte.bsky.social . Great overview of the unfolding geopolitical lurch from an Irish and EU perspective.
www.rte.ie/news/analysi...
www.rte.ie/news/analysi...
EU defence: Paying the price of the Russian threat
Europe is embarking on a grand spending programme akin to the near trillion euro response to the Covid pandemic in the face of aggression from Russia and the increasing unreliability of the US under P...
www.rte.ie
March 22, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Essential reading from @tconnellyrte.bsky.social . Great overview of the unfolding geopolitical lurch from an Irish and EU perspective.
www.rte.ie/news/analysi...
www.rte.ie/news/analysi...
While in Brussels during the week I came across a senior diplomat from a large influential country and a banker who both learned English in Ireland as a teenager and had a very positive view of the country as a result. #softpower #packedlunch
March 7, 2025 at 9:43 AM
While in Brussels during the week I came across a senior diplomat from a large influential country and a banker who both learned English in Ireland as a teenager and had a very positive view of the country as a result. #softpower #packedlunch
Reposted by Paul O’Brien
‘The tide is turning’: why more parents are delaying access to smartphones for children starting secondary school
‘The tide is turning’: why more parents are delaying access to smartphones for children starting secondary school
Mounting concern over role of social media algorithms in pushing inappropriate content to young people
www.irishtimes.com
February 14, 2025 at 9:29 AM
‘The tide is turning’: why more parents are delaying access to smartphones for children starting secondary school
Interesting development suggesting that AI technology won’t have much of a competitive moat. Possible that not everyone investing billions now will see that money come back.
How small Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek shocked Silicon Valley on.ft.com/4jA8WJB
How small Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek shocked Silicon Valley on.ft.com/4jA8WJB
How small Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek shocked Silicon Valley
Hedge fund billionaire Liang Wenfeng builds model on tight budget despite US attempt to halt China’s high-tech ambitions
on.ft.com
January 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Interesting development suggesting that AI technology won’t have much of a competitive moat. Possible that not everyone investing billions now will see that money come back.
How small Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek shocked Silicon Valley on.ft.com/4jA8WJB
How small Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek shocked Silicon Valley on.ft.com/4jA8WJB
This EPP statement from the weekend is a sign of shifting political sands in the EU on regulatory burden. Lots of robust language on existing (and recently passed) legislation such as CSRD and CSDDD.
www.epp.eu/papers/europ...
www.epp.eu/papers/europ...
EPP - European People's Party
The EPP is centre-right, pro-European political party which gathers over 82 parties from 43 countries.
www.epp.eu
January 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM
This EPP statement from the weekend is a sign of shifting political sands in the EU on regulatory burden. Lots of robust language on existing (and recently passed) legislation such as CSRD and CSDDD.
www.epp.eu/papers/europ...
www.epp.eu/papers/europ...
I don’t know how people of yesteryear painted walls without the company of podcasts.
January 12, 2025 at 7:26 PM
I don’t know how people of yesteryear painted walls without the company of podcasts.
Good insight here on the intellectual influence behind the US push for tariffs. One question raised is if the US opts for a tariff wall, will the rest of the world simply trade around it? Big decisions ahead for the EU
‘That is Maganomics’: where Trump is taking America on trade on.ft.com/4h1VwnC
‘That is Maganomics’: where Trump is taking America on trade on.ft.com/4h1VwnC
‘That is Maganomics’: where Trump is taking America on trade
Maverick economist turned presidential adviser Peter Navarro has helped bring back a world in which power takes precedence over economic exchange. Will he prove his critics wrong?
on.ft.com
January 4, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Good insight here on the intellectual influence behind the US push for tariffs. One question raised is if the US opts for a tariff wall, will the rest of the world simply trade around it? Big decisions ahead for the EU
‘That is Maganomics’: where Trump is taking America on trade on.ft.com/4h1VwnC
‘That is Maganomics’: where Trump is taking America on trade on.ft.com/4h1VwnC
I sat down with Ibec’s @nichola10.bsky.social to talk about how a Programme for Government is put together and why the process is important to future Gov stability. And it’s only a breezy 15 minutes!
open.spotify.com/episode/5oiT...
open.spotify.com/episode/5oiT...
Negotiating a new Programme for Government
Ibec Podcasts · Episode
open.spotify.com
December 18, 2024 at 5:05 PM
I sat down with Ibec’s @nichola10.bsky.social to talk about how a Programme for Government is put together and why the process is important to future Gov stability. And it’s only a breezy 15 minutes!
open.spotify.com/episode/5oiT...
open.spotify.com/episode/5oiT...
Reposted by Paul O’Brien
Today is 2024-12-14, the sun sets at 16:05:46 and the grand auld stretch tonight was 00 mins and 03 secs. #GrandStretch #TheGrandStretchIsBack
December 14, 2024 at 4:05 PM
Today is 2024-12-14, the sun sets at 16:05:46 and the grand auld stretch tonight was 00 mins and 03 secs. #GrandStretch #TheGrandStretchIsBack
Visiting the UCD Belfield campus today and I’m struck by its recent and ongoing development. It’s a world class campus.
December 4, 2024 at 11:49 AM
Visiting the UCD Belfield campus today and I’m struck by its recent and ongoing development. It’s a world class campus.
Reposted by Paul O’Brien
“The combination of a declining currency and a ballooning budget deficit has led to talk of a hard landing for the Russian economy in 2025…the pace of expansion will slow sharply. The economic bill for the war is at last coming due. It could be a big one” www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Russia’s plunging currency spells trouble for its war effort
Supplies from China are about to become more expensive
www.economist.com
December 1, 2024 at 9:23 PM
“The combination of a declining currency and a ballooning budget deficit has led to talk of a hard landing for the Russian economy in 2025…the pace of expansion will slow sharply. The economic bill for the war is at last coming due. It could be a big one” www.economist.com/finance-and-...
The fourth seat in Dublin Rathdown will come down to whether if Lettie McCarthy’s transfers are more centre left focused (which would suit Gibney) or if they are Stepaside focused (which would suit Fleming). #GE24
December 1, 2024 at 2:46 PM
The fourth seat in Dublin Rathdown will come down to whether if Lettie McCarthy’s transfers are more centre left focused (which would suit Gibney) or if they are Stepaside focused (which would suit Fleming). #GE24