NEED TO CATCH up? TheJournal.ie brings you a round-up of today’s news.

IRELAND

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with Minister for Health Simon Harris speaking to media about the first phase of the Governments roadmap.

• Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has announced that Phase One of lifting Covid-19 restrictions will begin on Monday.
• Varadkar has also defended reopening the horse racing industry saying the industry is worth nearly half a billion euro to the Irish economy and needed to be aligned with scheduling of meetings in the UK and France.
• The Government has advised members of the public to wear face coverings in some public spaces such as public transport and in supermarkets.
• Labour Party leader Alan Kelly has written to the leaders of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael today saying that at this time the Labour Party would not take part in formal discussions on a Programme for Government.
• A number of special needs children and their mother have launched a High Court action claiming that the laws governing disabled parking permit entitlements breaches their constitutional rights.
• New data shows that the overwhelming majority of suspects in cases of violent crime reported in 2018 were men.
• The Mater Hospital has said it is working with the HSE to understand why data on 244 positive cases of Covid-19 at the hospital “may not have been accurately captured”.

WORLD

Hong Kong chief executive speaks after a watchdog report claims police mostly behaved appropriately during pro-democracy protests last year. SIPA USA / PA Images SIPA USA / PA Images / PA Images

#DOWN UNDER Sparks will continue to fly on Australian soap opera Neighbours even though the stars must keep their distance, the show’s creators promised after production resumed following a virus hiatus.

#PHILIPPINES Tens of thousands of people were forced into cramped shelters by a powerful storm pounding the Philippines, making social distancing nearly impossible as the nation battles the coronavirus pandemic.

#EUROPE EU negotiator Michel Barnier has said that no progress has been made between the EU and UK on the issue of the level playing field provision, and fisheries also remains a major stumbling block to a post-Brexit trade deal.

PARTING SHOT

Hollywood actor Matt Damon has been hiding out in Dalkey, South Dublin during the global Covid-19 pandemic and earlier this week broke cover for an interview on Spin 1038. 

Today, he once again broke cover – this time to deliver a special message for the students at the local Loreto Abbey secondary school on their graduation day.

At this stage we can surely claim him as one of our own, right?