GOOD MORNING AND happy Sunday.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
New troop carrier
1. New documents have detailed how the Department of Defence have begun an exploratory process to buy or lease a specialist troop carrying cargo aircraft for the Irish Air Corps, Niall O’Connor reports this morning in our top story.
The lack of a large military transport vehicle was first highlighted following a mission to rescue Irish citizens in Kabul last August.
The documents, obtained by The Journal show that Department have entered discussions on the matter with international aircraft consultancy firm Altea.
EU spending rules
2. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has said it is “exceptionally unlikely” that Ireland could bend EU rules on government spending in order to put more money into building houses.
Donohoe said it was unlikely Ireland would be granted an exemption to state aid rules to allow more houses to be built, citing the size and scale of NAMA, and the role they play in delivering new homes.
US travel restrictions
3. Passengers travelling to the US will no longer have to present a negative Covid-19 test before flying out, as the US government ends one of its key mandates to prevent transmission of the virus.
According to a US official, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention deemed that the testing measure was no longer necessary.
French parliamentary elections
4. French citizens are today voting in the first round of parliamentary elections, with a resurgent left-wing coalition seeking to thwart French President Emmanuel Macron’s plans for a parliamentary majority.
The voting process, which takes place over two days, will see the 577 seats of the National Assembly filled, however the final shape of the parliament will only be determined after 19 June.
Ukraine’s EU bid
5. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that the bloc will deliver their opinion on Ukraine’s bid to join next week.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy began the push for EU accession in the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
March for our Lives
The high-profile effort to change the laws follow recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York that activists say should compel US congress to act.
Freedom of Dublin
7. Olympian Kellie Harrington, campaigner Ailbhe Smyth and cyberpsychology expert Professor Mary Aiken have received the Freedom of Dublin.
Yesterday evening, Lord Mayor of Dublin Alison Gilliland conferred the Honorary Freedom of the City of Dublin on the three women for their work in their respective fields.
Soc Dems party conference
8. Yesterday, the Social Democrats co-leaders labelled housing as the biggest failure of the Government at their national conference.
Addressing the conference, party leaders’ Catherine Murphy and Roísín Shortall said that “things like housing; healthcare and childcare should never be mere commodities only available to those on highest incomes”.
Weather
9. This morning it is set to be mixed, with bright and sunny spells breaking out alongside some scattered showers moving in across the country.
Heavier showers are possible, particularly across Ulster according to Met Éireann.
Temperatures today are set to be between 14 and 19 degrees.
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