In world news, French far right leader Marine le Pen is now legally barred from standing in France’s next presidential election. Continuing the trend of belligerent denial that characterises the far right, she has vowed to appeal the “politically” motivated court sentence. 

Tánaiste Simon Harris is bringing a memo to Cabinet this morning detailing the potential economic impact of the anticipated US tariffs. This includes the possibility of Irish pharmaceutical exports to the US dropping by half over the next five years.

Elsewhere, third-level registration fees look set to return to the level they were at before cost-of-living measures were introduced.

Meanwhile, the ESRI (enjoying a very busy season of new published research) has found that more than half of low-income households have engaged in “risky” financial behaviour in order to cope with the cost-of-living crisis. These include entering arrears, increasing debt, cutting back on health spending, taking a mortgage or loan payment break, and cutting back on savings or a pension. The ESRI classify such actions as “risky” due to their potential for long-term negative consequences.

The Irish Times reports that some €295 billion in wealth accumulated by “retired households” here is set to be transferred to family and others over the next couple of decades, according to a new report on inheritance and estate planning in Ireland by stockbroker Goodbody. Meanwhile, Finance minister Paschal Donohoe will seek Cabinet approval for changes to the Local Property Tax (LPT) which will seek to ensure that seven in ten properties do not move up to a higher rate later this year.  

Zen 

Seeing as yesterday's Zen came from the White House I thought some jokes from Vance might work this morning. Oh, don't worry, not JD Vance. I can't imagine that clown could ever be funny on purpose.

No, I meant Deborah Vance (not related), one of the main characters in HBO comedy Hacks, about the professional relationship between a millennial comedy writer and a boomer stand-up comedian with all of the tension that combination suggests. 

Jean Smart is acerbic and funny as Deborah Vance, while Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels is serious, complicated and a great foil to Vance. There's three seasons of it to enjoy, and a fourth in the pipe. 

Have a lovely day. 

Niall Shanahan