LAST UPDATE | 14 Jun 2022

SGOOD MORNING. 

Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.

Calls for social welfare reform

1. In our top story this morning, reporter Lauren Boland details how a carer whose teenage son passed away last month is calling on the Government to close a gap within the social welfare system upon the death of a disabled child aged 16 and up.

Tracy McGinnis, who lost her son Brendan Bjorn, aged 17, has proposed a reform to prevent family carers of children over 16 from being immediately cut off from supports.

Mica redress scheme

2. The Cabinet is today set to sign off on an expanded mica redress scheme, which will now include both Limerick and Clare and increase the overall cost of the scheme to €2.7 billion.

The Cabinet memo seeks to give operational effect to the enhancements to the scheme which were first announced by the Government in November 2021.

Under the scheme, grants will be capped at €420,000 and a sliding scale method will be applied to each individual property.

Drug intimidation 

3. Addiction support experts are set to tell the Oireachtas Mental Health Committee that greater resources are needed to be put into the health aspect of drug addiction.

The Family Addiction Support Network (FASN) commissioned a report to look at substance misuse in the North East and the issues caused by drug addiction on families and friends.

Northern Ireland Protocol

4. Yesterday, the British Government introduced a new bill to unilaterally override multiple aspects of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Both the Irish Government and the EU have said that this represents a breach of international law, with the EU now unfreezing its legal action against the UK due to the override.

We go through the detail of the plan in yesterday’s liveblog.

War in Ukraine

5. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pleaded with western countries for more arms as Russian forces continue to lay siege to the eastern city of Severodonetsk.

The last bridges within Severodonetsk have been destroyed by Russian forces, being targeted alongside Lysychansk as the last Ukrainian controlled cities in the Donbas region.

Britney Spears

6. A man who was briefly married to Britney Spears has been charged with stalking after showing up at the pop star’s wedding to her long-time boyfriend Sam Asghari.

Jason Alexander was also charged with trespassing, vandalism and battery, Ventura County court records show.

He has yet to enter a plea, and is set to appear in court for arraignment.

Philip Baker Hall

7. The US sitcom Seinfeld has paid tribute to actor Philip Baker Hall, who passed away on Sunday according to his family.

Hall enjoyed a prolific career which spanned over 40 years in both film and theatre, and included starring in director Paul Thomas Anderson’s first movies.

He was also known for playing librarian Mr Bookman in Seinfeld.

Rwanda deportation

8. The UK are set to go ahead with flights taking asylum seekers to Rwanda today, after a last ditch court case to halt the policy failed.

A Government spokesman however insisted the policy was compliant with Britain’s national and international obligations and was necessary to combat the activities of the human trafficking gangs.

Skellig Michael

9. Skellig Michael is currently closed to visitors for further notice due to a rockfall event on the Co Kerry island.

There were no casualties as a result of the incident, which took place yesterday afternoon.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) announced that the island has been closed to allow for a full examination of the site and to clear debris.