Portfolio – Ken Foxe

A small sample of my work from over the years.

Newspaper Work (Recent)

Irish Member of Parliament said he would “sooner go to jail” than wear a mask when at work – in the Sunday Independent.
Taoiseach [Ireland’s Prime Minister] left stranded in Brussels after government jet broke down – in the Irish Independent.
Irish government considered use of social distance index to track movement of citizens during Covid-19 pandemic – from the Irish Mail on Sunday.
Toll of stress and anxiety on Irish police led to the loss of at least 11,176 working days in 2020 – from the Irish Times.
‘Rogue fox’ urinated in Department of the Taoiseach, and dead rats found in Leinster House car park – read in the Irish Independent.

Newspaper Work (Older)

A series of stories on expenses and overseas travel by the former Ceann Comhairle [Speaker of Parliament] John O’Donoghue, which subsequently led to his resignation. You can read a selection of that work here, here, and here.
How the former Taoiseach [Prime Minister] Enda Kenny intervened to break a salary cap by €35,000 for a friend and former advisor – read the story in the Irish Mail on Sunday.
How an Irish government minister claimed mileage expenses for trips to and from his holiday home because he was working in his car – read the story from the Irish Mail on Sunday.
A series of stories that culminated in the repayment of more than €3,000 by the Fine Gael TD [Member of Parliament] Michelle Mulherin for phone calls made to a friend in Kenya. Read the final report here.
How a former government minister John Perry hired his wife to work as his €38,000-a-year parliamentary assistant. And his explanation afterwards.
Reporting on a prank painting of ex-Taoiseach Brian Cowen that was hung in the National Gallery, and the government’s ill-judged over-reaction.

Television Work (Historic links may no longer work)

Duty of Care – an in-depth report into the abject failings of a health board to act on repeated allegations of sexual and physical abuse in a foster care home.
Working on the workhouse – a written report on the controversial redevelopment of an old workhouse that cost €4 million and was never finished. A link to the documentary itself.

Data Journalism:

‘No Expenses Spared’ – two databases covering expenses paid to TDs & Senators and to government ministers, which were prepared for the website of the RTÉ Investigations Unit. These were published alongside a series of reports on loopholes and grey areas in the Irish political expenses system. Also, a third database of political pensions.
Seeking Asylum in Ireland: an in-depth look at statistics on those who seek refugee status in Ireland, their chances of success, and the conditions that they live in.
Suicide: The Figures – a detailed analysis of fourteen years of official figures on one of Ireland’s most intractable problems.

Travel News Writing:

New online sharing site offers language lessons for a bed in 114 countries – article here.
Experts discover how the Leaning Tower of Pisa has survived major earthquakes – for Lonely Planet.
Stairway to the heavens: astro-tourism on the rise worldwide – read the piece here.
US company offers ‘on demand’ air travel – available at Lonely Planet.
If you go down to the woods this summer, be sure of a big surprise – article available here.

Business Reporting:

Short Stories