LAST UPDATE | 6 Jul 2022

GOOD MORNING.

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

Falsified letters

1. In today’s lead story, Noteworthy investigative reporter Niall Sargent writes that an investigation is ongoing into the suspected use of “falsified” records in some planning applications for poultry farms in Northern Ireland.

Records reveal that a Teagasc investigation in early 2021 found suspected “falsified” or “altered” Teagasc letters were used to support 23 applications for poultry farms in Northern Ireland since 2015.

A 2021 report found 60% of 38 letters examined that were claimed to be from the agency were suspected to be either “falsified” (15) or “amended” (8), with only 15 verified as being “legitimate”. 

Showing the door 

2.  The end may be nigh for Boris Johnson as a slew of Conservatives resign from their positions.

Many have called on Johnson to resign as prime minister, outlining that they do not believe he can continue to run the UK.

Here’s what the UK papers look like this morning.

Ukraine

3. The Taoiseach arrived in Kyiv this morning on a visit to discuss how Ireland and the EU can support Ukraine.

Micheál Martin has travelled to the Ukrainian capital to meet authorities and witness sites that have been devastated by the Russian army.

He is expected to communicate Irish people’s solidarity with Ukraine and express  Ireland’s support for continuing sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s regime and Ukraine’s path to becoming an EU member.

Mica

4. Back home, five action groups campaigning for remedies to defective construction blocks have started to set up a political party to represent their case.

Donegal Mica Action Group, Mayo Pyrite Action Group, Clare Pyrite Action Group, Limerick Pyrite Action Group and Sligo Pyrite Action Group intend to run candidates in local and general elections in counties affected by the problem.

Retirement

5. An ESRI report has warned that one-third of people currently aged 35 to 44 won’t own a home by the time that they retire.

The research suggests those future retirees are likely to have “substantially” lower rates of homeownership than current ones.

It’s an even bleaker picture for the 25-34 age cohort, with only half of households likely to become homeowners by the time they reach retirement age in most of the models the research explores.

Cost of living

6. The government announced a set of measures yesterday aimed at reducing the strain of back-to-school costs.

School transport fees are set to be scrapped for the 2022-2023 year and an additional €100 will be added to the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, while the hot school meals programme will be expanded to include an additional 60,000 children.

Collision

7. A man in his 70s has died following a three-car collision in Donegal last night on the N13 Newtowncunningham to Letterkenny Road.

A second man in his 40s was taken to Letterkenny Hospital to be treated for injuries believed to be non-life threatening.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to the collision to come forward.

Covid-19 and the courts

8. At least three courts at the Criminal Courts of Justice were not able to sit this week due to parties involved in cases needing to isolate due to Covid-19. 

A murder trial at the Special Criminal Court has been delayed since last week because one of the sitting judges needed to isolate, while the sentencing of a violent domestic assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court did not go ahead with a judge absent.

Yesterday, the sentence hearing of a convicted rapist for a separate random street attack could not proceed because some parties in the case are isolating. 

Copenhagen shooting

9. Thousands gathered in Copenhagen yesterday to pay tribute to the victims of a weekend shopping centre shooting.

The shooting killed three people, including two teenagers.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it a “cruel, unjust and senseless” attack.