LAST UPDATE | 31 Aug 2022
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
1. Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union who produced extraordinary reforms that led to the end of the Cold War, died yesterday aged 91.
Tributes have been paid by world leaders since his death was announced last night.
Gorbachev changed the course of modern history by triggering the demise of the USSR and allowing Eastern Europe to free itself from Soviet rule, earning him accolades in the West but the scorn of many Russians.
By championing reforms to achieve “glasnost” (openness) and “perestroika” (restructuring), Gorbachev inadvertently unleashed forces that led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
2. In the past year, thousands of Irish cattle were sent from Spain aboard ageing livestock vessels where animals have been found to often suffer from heat, dehydration, and illness, Noteworthy has revealed.
Official export data shows these livestock vessels – long criticised by welfare groups – are below standards required under Irish animal welfare laws.
Vessels have also been criticised by the EU for the high rate of deficiencies found during inspection, including fire safety and navigation safety issues that put the lives of cattle and crew at risk, Niall Sargent writes in today’s lead story.
3. The Government has been warned that Budget 2023 should be a “delicate balancing act” between protecting people who are most vulnerable to rising living costs and fuelling further inflation.
The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council’s latest pre-Budget statement outlines the potential pitfalls the Department of Finance faces as it creates spending plans for the year ahead.
Ifac says the global economic recovery has been hindered by sharp increases in the cost of living amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the lingering impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
4. Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said that Ireland is supportive of the EU’s plan to train more Ukrainian troops “in principle”, but is in “an unusual space” in the debate over whether to ban Russian tourists from the Schengen area.
Coveney is joining his EU counterparts in Prague for an informal two-day meeting to discuss the war in Ukraine.
The ministers are set to discuss the proposal to make it harder for Russians to travel to the bloc by suspending a deal that eases their visa applications which could come into force in October if approved by member states.
5. Gardaí are advising people to be wary of rental scams, particularly at this time of year when students are returning to college.
There has been an increase of 30% in accommodation fraud this year in comparison with 2019, with €1,300 the median amount stolen.
The return to college timeframe from August to October shows a spike in accommodation fraud. Around 50% of these incidents occur in Dublin, gardaí said.
6. Gardaí are investigating a shooting incident that occurred in the John Carew Park area of Limerick last night.
The incident happened at approximately 10.30pm yesterday when a man, aged in his 20s, received a number of apparent pellet wounds.
The man was later taken to University Hospital Limerick to receive treatment for non-life threatening injuries.
No arrests have been made to date but enquiries are ongoing.
7. Ireland may need rules to ensure that mortgage holders are not at a disadvantage if they stay with the same bank after a fixed rate expires, according to the consumer watchdog.
Mortgage holders could save thousands of euro by deciding to change to a different product or bank but many find switching to be a difficult process.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has told the Department of Finance that it is concerned by the “impending increase” in the concentration of Ireland’s retail banking sector as two banks prepare to withdraw from the country.
8. Over the past few months our investigative platform Noteworthy has examined the companies associated with religious congregations and found that those involved in historic abuse have sold over 75 properties worth a total of over €90 million since 2016.
Though most religious congregations have paid redress offered for institutional child abuse, there is still a shortfall of around €105 million, with over 90% of this from the Sisters of Mercy who are in the middle of transferring two further properties.
This week, as a bonus episode of The Explainer podcast, Noteworthy editor Maria Delaney talks about the investigation’s findings.
9. And finally, the weather.
Met Éireann says any mist patches will clear this morning. Today will be mostly dry with sunny spells, although some isolated showers are possible. Highest temperatures will range from 17 to 22 degrees Celsius.
Tonight will be dry and clear with patches of mist and fog. Lowest temperatures will range from eight to 12 degrees.
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