LAST UPDATE | 31 May 2022

GOOD MORNING. 

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

Energy 

1. EU leaders have agreed to ban more than two-thirds of Russian oil imports, tightening economic screws on the country even as Moscow’s forces press their offensive in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.

The compromise deal reached last night, meant to punish Russia for its invasion, cuts “a huge source of financing for its war machine,” European Council chief Charles Michel said. 

Speaking in Brussels yesterday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it would be a significant move by the EU when added to other sanctions in the proposed package.

Donbas advances 

2. The development comes as Russian forces make incremental gains in the Donbas region, including the industrial city of Severodonetsk, where they are edging closer to the city centre.

“The situation in Severodonetsk is as complicated as possible,” Lugansk regional governor Sergiy Gaiday said on Telegram.

He added that the entire region was under continuous bombardment – “air bombs, and artillery, and tanks. Everything”.

Airport woes 

3. Here at home, Dublin Airport bosses have been given until later this morning to come up with solutions to resolve the lengthy delays faced by passengers.

Officials were yesterday told of government ministers’ “immense disappointment and frustration” at the scenes over the weekend which led to more than 1,000 passengers missing their flights.

The Taoiseach said the situation was “unacceptable and not good enough”. It’s hoped a solution can be found before the busy bank holiday weekend. 

Monkeypox

4. A second case of monkeypox has been reported by the HSE. 

“This was not unexpected following the presence of monkeypox cases in the UK and many European countries,” a spokesperson said last night.

Our reporter Orla Dwyer has been speaking with Trinity virologist Kim Roberts about the recent outbreak. 

“This shouldn’t be a virus that affects lots of people,” Roberts said. “We should be able to get it under control relatively easily.”

FactCheck

5. In our latest FactCheck, Brianna Parkins investigates claims that a Dublin centre segregated asylum seekers in an “apartheid system” based on skin colour with Ukrainian refugees given preferential treatment.

The claim was made by an activist group, self-described as a “voluntary group led by the victims of Direct Provision in Ireland”. The group called on Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman to resign. 

You can read about the veracity of the claims here.

Pandemic payments

6. Finance minister Paschal Donohoe announced that the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme has ceased for every business in the country.

The subsidy, which was in place for the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was mostly wound down in late April but was extended for some businesses due to public health restrictions being implemented in December 2021.

Spending watchdog report

7. A new report warned the government that it must carefully balance the cost of living crisis with following through on policies in the face of global challenges.

Analysing Ireland’s economy and public finances, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) urged the government to properly factor in the cost of major health, climate and defence plans to its budget forecasts.

Supporting Ukrainian arrivals 

8. A €10.5 million financial package to support the community response for people arriving from Ukraine is to be approved by Cabinet today.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys will tell Cabinet that our communities are playing a central role in helping people arriving from Ukraine – but that additional funding is now required to continue to support these efforts.

Gun ban 

9. Finally, across the Atlantic, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has proposed a ban on the sale and importation of handguns in the country following the recent mass shootings in the US.