LAST UPDATE | 7 Oct 2022

GOOD MORNING.

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

Defence 

1. In The Morning Lead our reporter Niall O’Connor takes a look at a defence sector business conference at which Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney spoke yesterday. 

Coveney wants to see greater involvement by Irish companies in the global military industry.

Coveney was speaking at an event in Dublin yesterday in which companies in the Irish defence sector met to discuss growth possibilities. 

He also called for an ‘honest discussion’ around Ireland’s defence capabilities, telling the audience that a collective EU response is required because of the current threats to national security. 

Nuclear Putin warning

2. US President Joe Biden has said his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is “not joking” about tactical nuclear weapons and the “Armageddon” risk is at its highest level since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

Russian officials have spoken of the possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons after suffering massive setbacks in the eight-month invasion of Ukraine.

Irish Water and lead pipes

3. The Environmental Protection Agency has criticised Irish Water for being too slow to replace lead pipes.

The environmental group said that it will be 24 years before the lead pipes under Irish Water’s control are replaced, based on the current rate.

High Court concerns

4. The ramifications of a High Court ruling stating that therapists must always notify Tusla where they are informed of historical sexual abuse has been flagged by experts working in the area, out of concern it could “put unnecessary pressure” on survivors to relive traumatic incidents.

The fresh interpretation of the Children’s First Act, which was introduced in 2015, has found that therapists are always required to send a report to Tusla when an adult client makes a disclosure of historic child abuse.

Alex Jones and Sandy Hook

5. A lawyer for families of eight people killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre told a jury yesterday that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones started lying about the shooting the day it happened and provided the machinery that allowed that lie to spread.

Jones’ attorney countered by telling the jury his client did not “invent the Internet” and argued jurors should not award excessive damages just because they are angry about the harassment the families went through at the hands of others who also believed the lie that the shooting was a hoax.

Carlow refugee investigation

6. The Department of Children has carried out an investigation following complaints over conditions at a building that is being used to accommodate 140 Ukrainian refugees in County Carlow. 

Allegations over overcrowding and cold conditions were made after refugees were housed in the premises on Dublin Road, some 9km outside of Carlow town. 

The building, which previously served as a venue called Tougher’s Restaurant, has been subject to an investigation after complaints were made about “cramped” conditions. 

Hijacking witness appeal

7. Gardaí are appealing for witnesses after a woman was threatened with a suspected gun during a car hijacking in Dublin.

The incident occurred at around 3.10pm this afternoon on Park West Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 12.

The owner of the vehicle was getting into her car when a man approached her. He threatened the woman with a suspected black handgun and demanded she get out of the car.

Tom Crean

8. Ireland’s newest marine research vessel, the RV Tom Crean, was commissioned today at a ceremony at Dingle Harbour in Co Kerry.

The research vessel is named after the Irish explorer, a native of Kerry, who undertook three ground-breaking expeditions to the Antarctic in the early 20th Century.

Leaving appeals

9. Almost 8,500 students made appeals against close to 19,000 individual results in this year’s Leaving Cert exams, with more than one in five being upheld.

The results of these appeals will be available to candidates from 11 am this morning.

The State Examinations Commission says this issue date of the appeal results ensures that it integrates with the process for entry to higher education through the Central Applications Office (CAO).