GOOD MORNING.

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

Referendum Q&A

1. Irish citizens will next week be asked to vote in two referendums to change the Constitution.

The votes, dubbed the Family Amendment and the Care Amendment, will take place on Friday 8 March.

As we move closer to that date, we’re taking a look at exactly what people are being asked to vote on and why. Many readers have sent in questions and we’re going to answer the most common ones here.

Icy weather

2. A Status Yellow ice warning remains in place for the whole country this morning following a day of snowy conditions in many areas yesterday. 

Met Éireann nationwide weather warning will remain in place until 9am. 

Sudden snowfall over much of the country yesterday morning caused disruption for roads, schools and public transport. 

Boxing incident

3. A man has been seriously injured following a violent incident which occurred at the National Boy 4 Boxing Championships in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, yesterday.

The Irish Athletic Boxing Association has condemned the incident as “abhorrent” and suspended the remainder of the U14 national championships which were due to conclude over the weekend.

Several males, at least three of whom wielded sharp instruments, entered Castlerea Boxing Club during yesterday’s quarter-finals. It is believed they were looking for another male.

President in hospital

4. President Michael D Higgins will remain in hospital over the weekend to monitor his blood pressure. 

The President, aged 82, was admitted toi St James’s Hospital on Thursday night after being admitted for precautionary tests after feeling unwell.

The decision to admit him was taken on the back of advice from professionals who saw him at his home in the Phoenix Park.

Gaza probe

5. World leaders are calling for an investigation and a ceasefire nearly five months into the Gaza conflict after dozens of desperate Palestinians were killed rushing an aid convoy.

Vowing to “do more” to address the worsening humanitarian situation, President Joe Biden said yesterday that the United States would start delivering relief supplies into Gaza via air drops – as some of its allies have already – in a bid to get aid into hard-to-reach areas.

On Thursday, Israeli troops opened fire as Palestinian civilians as a crowd rushed towards aid trucks in Gaza City. The territory’s health ministry said more than 100 people were killed.

Baby formula

6. Managers in Dunnes Stores supermarkets across Ireland have been informed of their responsibilities under a new ‘baby formula date check’ policy, which has been in effect since Tuesday. 

The new policy comes after the HSE and the FSAI launched an investigation into how expired baby formula came to be sold in a branch of Dunnes Stores. 

The FSAI is investigating complaints related to consumption of out-of-date baby formula by infants. It has stated that it is aware of a complaint related to one identified Dunnes Stores were out-of-date formula was purchased. An infant who consumed it subsequently fell ill.

Stormont reform

7. Tánaiste Micheál Martin has backed calls for a debate on reforming Northern Ireland’s powersharing institutions.

The Fianna Fáil leader said young adults have had “very little opportunity” to see politics deliver for them and the public has “zero tolerance for another cycle of suspension, disenfranchisement and political torpor”.

The DUP exercised its veto under powersharing at Stormont to blockade the institutions for two years in protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements. The party ended its boycott last month, allowing for devolution to return.

Secretarial allowance

8. Ministers and TDs paid out more than €186,000 last year through a little-known allowance to cover the cost of public relations, communications, and digital marketing.

Payments under the Special Secretarial Allowance included a sum of €15,375 to Prize Nerd Limited, the company of the well-known writer and actress Stefanie Preissner.

She was contracted by Anne Rabbitte, a Minister of State at the Department of Health with five separate payments of €3,075 made to Preissner’s firm through the scheme in 2023.

Driving licence 

9. A proposal from the European Commission that would see mandatory health checks for driving licence renewals has been rejected by the European Parliament this week. 

The European Commission proposal centred around some motorists having to undergo regular medical tests and refresher courses to renew their driving licence, which critics said would impact older drivers disportionately.

While the proposals did not mention age-related assessments, it did suggest a “more targeted assessment of medical fitness, taking into account advances in medical treatment for diseases such as diabetes”.