Statement by President Higgins on the death of Sinéad O’Connor

“May I send my deepest condolences to Sinéad O’Connor’s father John, the members of her family and to all those with whom she shared her life.

My first reaction on hearing the news of Sinéad’s loss was to remember her extraordinarily beautiful, unique voice. What was striking in all of the recordings she made and in all of her appearances was the authenticity of the performance, while her commitment to the delivery of the song and its meaning was total.

To those of us who had the privilege of knowing her, one couldn’t but always be struck by the depth of her fearless commitment to the important issues which she brought to public attention, no matter how uncomfortable those truths may have been.

What Ireland has lost at such a relatively young age is one of our greatest and most gifted composers, songwriters and performers of recent decades, one who had a unique talent and extraordinary connection with her audience, all of whom held such love and warmth for her.

The way in which she was able to move across the different forms of the arts was a singular achievement, as was the way her voice went around the world and how it was received. Her accomplishments included a body of work for film through the production of perfectly chosen and widely acclaimed lyrics.

Sinéad O’Connor’s voice and delivery was in so many different ways original, extraordinary and left one with a deep impression that to have accomplished all she did while carrying the burden which she did was a powerful achievement in its own way.

Her contribution joins those great achievements of Irish women who contributed to our lives, its culture and its history in their own unique but unforgettable ways. May her spirit find the peace she sought in so many different ways.”

Almost 60% of local authority home loans rejected

The Government-backed scheme was established to help people secure a mortgage if they are struggling to get one from a bank.

However, figures provided by the Department of Housing to the Social Democrats show that out of a total of 870 applications up to the end of June, 515 were unsuccessful.

The Local Authority Home Loan scheme allows people to borrow up to €324,000, depending on what part of the country they live in.

Applications are sent to the Housing Agency for assessment who then make recommendations to local authorities to approve or refuse the loan application. In 2022 of the 2,168 applications made under the scheme, 1,247 were turned down.