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LAST UPDATE | 18 May 2023
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
1. A 17-year-old has been hospitalised with serious head injuries in an assault in Dublin.
Gardaí said he was attacked by “a group of males” on La Touche Road in Bluebell yesterday evening.
2. As Stormont remains in a deadlock, weary voters are heading to the polls in the first local elections since 2019.
The election is likely to see the Sinn Fein become the biggest party at local government level, and the Alliance party emerge as the third biggest.
One hopeful candidate, John Hyland from Liverpool, who moved to the Ballymena area in the last few years, speaks about his experience on the doorsteps: “One woman asked me ‘Are you the gay fella?’ when she opened the door, but she ended up saying ‘Good for you, we need that here’.”
3. Minister Roderic O’ Gorman has confirmed that three new accommodation centres for asylum seekers are to open in Dublin, as the Government has been scrambling to house international protection applicants sleeping rough.
The centres will located at the Airways Industrial Estate in Santry, the former Senior College on Eblana Avenue in Dún Laoghaire, and Dolcain House in Clondalkin.
4. The Tánaiste is expected to confirm that Ireland is seeking greater co-operation with NATO later today, while also questioning whether the country’s current security and neutrality arrangements are fit for purpose in 2023.
5. Ukraine said “unprecedented” air attacks had rocked its capital and other areas early this morning, a day after it reached an agreement with Russia to extend a deal allowing grain exports across the Black Sea.
In the port city of Odessa, one person was killed and two were wounded after a missile hit industrial infrastructure, the military said.
6. British music retailer HMV is set to open its first store in Ireland since it closed its’ doors almost seven years ago.
It’s five remaining stores in Ireland closed in 2016 after the company entered administration.
7. A group that has been protesting the housing of refugees in Co Clare, has said it is “disappointed and let down” by Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s response to their objections.
8. Almost half of the obese adolescents given a new treatment lost enough weight to drop below the clinical cut-off for obesity, new research presented in Dublin has found.
9. Five Germans went on trial today over a far-right plot to kidnap the country’s health minister and overthrow the government in protest against Covid-19 restrictions.
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He didn’t take part in Eoghan Murphy no-confidence vote, despite saying he would defy his own party’s abstention line. All talk, no action. Hope people remember that on Election Day!
@nothing witty: you should look at his record relating To ex The Garda Commissioner first berfe you throw stones
@pat seery: Exactly. A very decent man by all accounts.
@Padro Touche: Disagree. Another TD who employed his own children as parliamentary assistants despite them having no qualifications for the job. Also, openly offered to pay for people objections to a mosque out of his own pocket.
Despite what views anyone has on a mosque or its proposed location, to have an elected representative trying to drum up planning objections by offering to pay the fees himself is not a good thing.
McGuinness says and does only what he thinks will get him elected – always has, always will.
@Dara O’Brien: all politicians do the same……. Keep up
Not a word from them since going in with Finegael..sure they are all the one arty now..
@Marianne: Why didn’t he vote during the last few no confidence motions? Why does he come out with it now before their month off? The whole thing is a scam. There won’t be another opportunity to have a no confidence vote between here and the election.
@Marianne: mc Guinness…the man who met the Garda Commissioner in a car park..then chaired a committee about Garda behaviour and didn’t disclose said meeting. A paragon of virtue and leading by example.
But he may not be present on the day.
https://kilkennynow.ie/revealed-number-of-days-kilkenny-tds-missed-a-vote-while-present-in-the-dail/
@sean de paore: he was in a corridor outside the chamber undertaking important constituency business and the only TD remaining in the chamber when the vote was taken ran out of time after pressing the 58th voting button.
@sean de paore: well you know Seán, that says it all.
Mmmm. Turkeys voting for Christmas springs to mind.
@Nigel Barlow: So outraged he could almost vote.
Getting well and truly fed up with these pair of a holes FF and FG now.They are in government together in all but name.Confidence and supply doesn’t work,end it now as it isn’t giving either a functioning government or functioning opposition.Im sure the people of Ireland have no interest in listening to Leo and Micheal bickering over when the election should be.All parties are ready for a GE anyway so why not just go for it and be done with it.
@Terry Cunningham: You may not have to wait too long. Late March is the favorite for an election. Could be earlier if FF decide to pull the rug out.
@Pete Gilmartin: A no confidence motion in Simon Harris is most likely as the annual health crisis will show its head again in the near future, a couple of votes from FF will mean FG throw their toys out of the pram and call a GE while blaming FF.
Won’t last till may, despite Leo’s bleating.
There must be an election coming sooner rather than later, FG and FF are attacking eachother at every chance and the shinners are starting to chirp as well considering they had a bad Westminster election and now the nurses in NI are striking and others will too
@Patrick O Connell: SF had a good UK election though
They said a vote of no confidence in Mr Murphy was a vote of no confidence in this government, so Mr McGuinness has no excuse next time.
I’m sure this manoeuvring to bring down the government has nothing to do with distracting attention away from an upcoming case against him in the High Court being brought by the former head of Rehab.
Have dealt with the man on a number of occasions. As decent as you’ll find. A man of principle. Wish he wasn’t with FF.
@Kian David Griffin: I’m sure Micheal Martin would agree with you on your latter point.
Says the man who voted confidence in Eoghan Murphy
They are all getting a conscience now there’s an election on the way.
John McGuinness the next leader of
Fianna Fáil
@Vinny O Brien: He’d be lucky to even get his own vote.
You should also vote for no confidence in your party leader as he is the weakest party leader FF have had in years. I can’t see the party doing well in a general election with him in charge.
have your say