LAST UPDATE | 22 Nov 2022

GOOD MORNING.

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

Bleached river

1. In our lead story today, Eoghan Dalton reports that Waterford council will stop bleaching its rivers following heavy criticism.

The council said it has been bleaching the Dunmore East river since 1988, in response to an “unidentified” source of pollution upstream.

The use of the chemical can be controversial, as it is considered harmful to flora and fauna by a number of groups.

Fact Check

2. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said a number of times that the state is “the biggest player in housing”, but it has never been clear what exactly this means.

Shane Raymond reports that, no matter how you interpret it, Martin’s claim doesn’t bear much weight.

Ukraine

3. Ukrainian authorities have told civilians in the recently liberated regions of Kherson and Mykolaiv to evacuate, following fears that the winter will be too harsh for them.

Both areas have seen heavy shelling by Russia over the nine-month war, which has severely damaged infrastructure.

Ukraine is known for its brutal winter weather, and residents are now at risk of going without heat, power or water.

Housing

4. The Irish rental market has seen record levels of rent inflation in the last 12 months, as there continues to be an “extreme” shortage of properties available to rent according to the latest Daft.ie report.

Their latest report found that market rents have jumped by 14.1% in the third quarter of 2022, compared with the same period last year.

Windfall tax

5. The government is expected to introduce a windfall tax on profits generated by electricity companies.

A memo will be brought to Cabinet tomorrow seeking to introduce a cap on market revenue on non-gas electricity generators in an effort to lower the cost of energy for households and businesses.

Irish Water

6. Today marks a much-anticipated development in Irish Water’s first-ever plan to provide a more sustainable and reliable public water supply in Ireland over the next 25 years.

The national plan aims to identify the pressures and challenges that climate change, population growth and economic development will pose to the countries’ water supply.

Vaping advertisements

7. The advertisement of vaping products on public transport is set to be banned under legislation set to be approved by Cabinet today.

The sale of e-cigarettes from self-service vending machines or at events where children are present is also expected to restricted.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is to seek Cabinet approval for legislation surrounding nicotine inhaling products, which will seek to restrict the types of retailers that can sell vaping products.

Ballyfermot attack

Two men have been charged following an assault on two Gardaí in the Ballyfermot area of Dublin.

The men, aged in their 50s and 30, are due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin this morning.

The assault has been heavily condemned by the Taoiseach, Justice Minister and Garda management and representatives.

Colorado shooting

9. Hundreds of people have gathered at a vigil for the five victims of a mass shooting at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado.

Many gave testimony about how they had found the loving support they needed to become comfortable with their identity through the tight-knit LGBTQ community in the city of Colorado Springs, and particularly at Club Q.