LAST UPDATE | 12 May 2023
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
1. Gardaí are appealing for witnesses after a man presented at a Cork hospital with gunshot wounds earlier today.
The man attended Cork University Hospital with the injuries shortly after 5am.
He remains in a stable condition.
2. Ireland’s largest trade union for civil and public sector workers has warned that its members will support a ballot for industrial action if pay talks this year don’t result in wage increases being matched to inflation.
Fórsa today said that the results of a survey of more than 20,000 of its members has revealed that over 80% believe that it is important that pay negotiations to take place later this year secure inflation-matching increases.
3. Water quality at the majority of Ireland’s bathing waters is at a high standard and has improved year-on-year according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Bathing Water Quality report for 2022.
However, the number of beaches with poor bathing water quality has increased from two in 2021, to three, with one senior EPA official telling The Journal that the country’s wastewater infrastructure “isn’t up to the standard” needed.
4. Finance Minister Michael McGrath has said that any changes to the tax treatment of landlords in Budget 2024 must be “approached with caution”.
Both Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien have signalled their willingness to examine changes to the tax treatment of landlords in recent months.
5. Dentists have passed a vote of no confidence in Health Minister Stephen Donnelly as one in six people are now waiting over three months for an appointment.
A survey from the Irish Dental Association also shows that more than half of patients are being forced to wait longer than three months for specialist care for their teeth, such as orthodontic and oral surgery.
6. Former RTÉ Director General Noel Curran has described Patrick Kielty – who is expected to be confirmed as the next host of the Late Late – as a “brilliant choice” for the show.
Curran – who held a number of senior roles at the national broadcaster before serving as Director General between 2011 and 2016 – had a lead role in the process that resulted in Ryan Tubridy becoming Late Late host.
7. Elon Musk says he has found a new CEO for Twitter.
Tweeting this evening, Musk did not name his replacement but said that she will be starting in about six weeks.
8. Leo Varadkar said he does not take responsibility for the influx in Fine Gael TDs announcing their retirement from politics, instead categorising their departures as a “natural turnover of people” before the next general election.
The Taoiseach also maintains that support for his party is “at or above” what it was in 2020.
9. Reports of a Ukrainian breakthrough on the front line have been denied by Russia.
Russia’s defence ministry said: “The individual declarations on Telegram about a ‘breakthrough’ on several points on the frontline do not correspond to reality.”
“The general situation in the special military operation zone is under control,” it added, using its term for the invasion.
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