GOOD MORNING. Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
People who aren’t fully vaccinated and are travelling from Britain to Ireland will have to self-quarantine for 14 days after they arrive as of last night.
Cabinet signed off on the move yesterday, and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly released the full details of the arrangements last night. The 14-day self-quarantine is a legal requirement, even if the person has travelled into Ireland via Northern Ireland.
The Journal‘s Gráinne Ní Aodha breaks down how it’s all supposed to work here.
Around 450,000 people who are awaiting a second dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will receive it within the next five weeks, the HSE chief executive confirmed yesterday evening.
Paul Reid confirmed that the wait time for a second AstraZeneca dose is being gradually reduced from 12 weeks to eight following advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC).
The HSE chief also said the rollout of the second dose of AstraZeneca will not delay the vaccination rollout for those in younger age cohorts.
There could be double the number of homes affected by mica according to Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien.
Defective building blocks containing mica have caused cracks and fissures to open up in an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 homes primarily in Mayo and Donegal but Minister O’Brien told Prime Time last night that four other local authority areas currently carrying out testing to make “detailed submissions” to the Department of Housing.
Given the Department doesn’t have a definitive figure for those affected, O’Brien estimates that the cost of the redress scheme could be higher than €1.5 billion.
Israel carried out air strikes on the Gaza Strip early today after militants in the Palestinian territory sent incendiary balloons into the south of the country.
It’s the first flareup between the two sides since a major conflict in May in which hundreds were killed.
The strikes were the first under the new Israeli coalition government headed by Naftali Bennett, who took over on Sunday after ousting former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Our breaking story will be updated throughout the day.
Staying with international news, New York state is officially opening up.
More than 70 percent of adults have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, meaning the last of the state’s restrictions can now be lifted, Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced.
And on the subject of US leaders – Joe Biden is still in Europe, ahead of his summit meeting with Vladimir Putin this afternoon.
It’s all set to get under way around midday Irish time.
But don’t expect any post-match joint press conferences – in fact, the pair won’t even be sharing lunch together.
Closer to home, Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland Secretary, has said he will explore “all the options available” to introduce Irish language laws.
It comes amid tensions over the issue between Sinn Féin and the DUP that potentially threatens the future of powersharing.
Following meetings with the main parties, Lewis said it was “vital” that cross-community commitments to culture and language made in the New Decade New Approach deal are honoured.
There’s plenty of reaction around this morning to Leo Varadkar’s comments on the North, made to his party ard fheis yesterday evening.
“I believe in the unification of our island and I believe it can happen in my lifetime,” Varadkar said.
Speaking to Morning Ireland, UUP leader Doug Beattie didn’t sound too concerned – conceding that the Fine Gael leader was entitled to say whatever he wanted, and pointing out that as Varadkar was a relatively young man, within his lifetime could mean up to half a century.
What’s the weather looking like today, you ask.
Cloudy with a chance of drizzle at first. Brighter later. Temperatures of up to 17 degrees.
For more detail we’ll direct you to the experts in Glasnevin.
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