LAST UPDATE | 1 Nov 2021

GOOD MORNING.

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

1. Supply chain disruption

In our lead story this morning Ian Curran explains the “concertina effect” which means supply chain problems could persist for many months to come.

Major congestion at the main European feeder ports serving Ireland continues to delay the flow of goods from Asia to Irish ports. 

Once the goods have arrived in Ireland, a long-flagged shortage of truck drivers — exacerbated by Brexit and the pandemic — is causing further delays.

In the run-up to Christmas, Irish haulage infrastructure is only getting “tighter” with delays of up to a week for deliveries.

2. Climate change

As world leaders flock to Glasgow for the COP26 summit, a new poll has found that the vast majority of people in Ireland have made personal changes in their lives for environmental reasons in recent years – but only half feel that they are doing enough. 

As part of a detailed climate poll by The Good Information Project/Ireland Thinks, we asked people around Ireland for their personal perspectives – whether they’ve made changes for the environment, who’s most responsible for addressing the climate crisis, and how large a problem they understand it to be.

Slightly fewer people again think that enough is being done overall to tackle the climate crisis. The Journal’s Lauren Boland has the full details here.

3. U2-backed music programme

Bono and U2 could be among those quizzed as part of a review of the public funding provided to an Irish music-making programme backed by the band.

As well as receiving millions of euros in funding from U2 since launching in 2010, the Music Generation programme – which teaches children how to perform and play musical instruments – has also received more than €15 million from the Government in the last five years.

A review is expected to begin shortly into the use of public funding for the programme, with the Department of Education already seeking out a prospective independent reviewer.

4. Justice minister

Helen McEntee is to return as Minister of Justice today after six months maternity leave.

McEntee gave birth to a boy in April, becoming the first woman to have a baby while serving in Cabinet.

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys took over the role as Minister for Justice – in addition to her own portfolio – while McEntee was away. Hildegard Naughten, the super junior minister, also took on some justice duties as well as her existing junior responsibilities.

5. Drug treatment 

Housing supports provided during the pandemic allowed drug users to engage better with treatment programmes, a charity has said.

The Ana Liffey Drug Project’s 2020 annual report details its work during the height of the pandemic, when people sleeping rough or those with underlying conditions already engaged with homeless services were provided with single-room accommodation.

6. Janet Yellen

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is in Dublin today for a series of engagements with political and business leaders expected to focus on the OECD global tax deal.

Yellen is to meet with Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe this morning for a bilateral meeting at Government Buildings. They are expected to hold a press conference following the meeting.

7. Japan train attack

At least 17 people have been injured after a man dressed in a Joker costume and brandishing a knife stabbed at least one passenger on a Tokyo commuter train before starting a fire.

The incident sparked a panic, with people scrambling to escape and jumping from windows, according to police and witnesses.

Three people were seriously injured. Not all of them were stabbed and most of the other injuries were not serious, the fire department said.

The attacker, identified by police as 24-year-old Kyota Hattori, was arrested on the spot after yesterday’s attack and is being investigated on suspicion of attempted murder.

8. Brexit

UK Brexit Minister David Frost has condemned the European Union for behaving “without regard to the huge political, economic and identity sensitivities” in Northern Ireland.

Frost also said the EU had “destroyed cross-community consent” with an “overly strict” enforcement of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The attack came after the UK and the EU put forward proposals to address the dispute over the protocol, which was negotiated by Frost.

9. Australia reopening

Sydney’s international airport came alive with tears, embraces and laughter today as Australia’s border opened for the first time in 20 months, with some arriving travellers tearing away mandatory masks to see the faces of long-missed loved ones.

Australia is betting that vaccination rates are now high enough to mitigate the danger of allowing international visitors again after maintaining some of the lengthiest and strictest border controls anywhere during the coronavirus pandemic.

Before the pandemic, Sydney was Australia’s busiest international airport but until today it had been almost deserted.