LAST UPDATE | 8 Feb

GOOD MORNING.

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

Climate change

1. January 2024 was the warmest January in decades — and the eighth month in a row to break temperature records.

The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service has confirmed that last month was the warmest January globally of modern records, following a pattern set by each month before it for a consecutive eight months in total.

It was wetter than average in parts of Europe, with storms impacting north and southwestern countries, but drier than average in other areas, including parts of Spain, Ireland, southern UK, eastern Ireland, and most of Scandinavia.

Rent rates

2. The latest Rent Index Report shows that rents for new tenancies are almost 18% higher than for existing tenancies.

The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) today launched its Report for Quarter 3 of last year, covering July to September 2023.

It found that the national standardised average rent for existing tenancies of at least one year in duration was €1,357 per month.

Referendum

3. It’s now one month until Irish citizens vote in the first referendums to be held here in almost five years.

There has been a lot of speculation about the possible impact of both amendments and misinformation about the possible or likely impacts of the two referendums has started to circulate.

The Journal has taken a look at the false narratives and claims that have emerged so far.

Arson attack

4. Detectives are investigating an arson attack on a vacant house in Leixlip. 

The building, gardaí say, has been subject “of a significant volume of misinformation, disinformation and rumour in relation to the use or proposed use of the building”.

It is understood that protests have taken place at the house on the Celbridge Road, Leixlip, Co Kildare in recent weeks. 

Measles

5. An adult has died in hospital with a confirmed case of measles.

A HSE spokesperson said public health teams, along with the HSE Measles National Incident Management Team (IMT), are taking all necessary public health actions in relation to the case. Measles are on the rise in Europe and the UK.

There were four measles cases reported in Ireland in 2023, two cases reported in 2022, no cases were reported in 2021, and five cases were reported in 2020. There were no deaths reported in any of those years.

Brianna Ghey

6. The father of Brianna Ghey, the 16-year-old who was murdered in the UK, has called on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to apologise after he made a “dehumanising” transgender joke in the House of Commons while Brianna’s mother visited the UK Parliament.

Peter Spooner said he was “shocked” by the remark made during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), in which Sunak accused Labour leader Keir Starmer of having difficulty in “defining a woman”.

The remarks have prompted an immediate backlash, but Sunak has refused to apologise, with Downing Street later insisting the comments were “totally legitimate” and denying they were transphobic.

Murder investigation

7. A murder investigation has been launched into the death of 61-year-old Michael Foley in Macroom. 

The man’s body was discovered in suspicious circumstances this week at a house in Annville in Barrett’s Place in the west Cork town shortly after 1pm.

Gardaí said a post-mortem on his body was completed this evening by State Pathologist Dr. Margot Bolster at Cork University Hospital.

Drone strike

8. A US drone strike has hit a car in the Iraqi capital, killing three members of the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia including a high-ranking commander.

The strike occurred on a main road in the Mashtal neighbourhood in eastern Baghdad. A crowd gathered as emergency response teams searched through the wreckage.

Weather warning

9. Status Yellow weather warnings have been issued for 22 counties.

The national outlook today is cold and blustery with widespread rain, turning to sleet and snow in parts.