EU Industrial Policy Clash: Germany and Spain are split over how “Made in Europe” should work for public procurement, with Germany backing a broad “Made with Europe” model while France pushes tighter support for production inside the bloc. Irish Planning Reform: The Government is set to scrap Environmental Impact Assessments for housing developments of 250 units or less, aiming to cut red tape and speed infrastructure delivery. Competition Watchdog Action: The CCPC has carried out dawn raids on solar panel businesses over suspected bid-rigging, urging anyone with information to come forward via its whistleblower channels. Data Protection Shockwave: Ireland’s DPC fined Google €403m over GDPR failures tied to location data use, retention and transparency. Energy & Housing Costs: Budget 2027 talks include extending petrol/diesel excise cuts into early spring and raising Fuel Allowance payments, as energy poverty remains a major concern. Renewables Deal: Dublin-headquartered Erova Energy signed a 15-year PPA for a 107MW UK solar portfolio, providing optimisation services to unlock market opportunities. Tech & Connectivity: Meta is planning a major US–France subsea cable project, Petal, to boost transatlantic capacity. Local Business Sustainability: An Athy Gala shop won a Greener Grant to cut energy use via new refrigeration and air-conditioning upgrades.