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

IRELAND

People walking in the Phoenix Park today. Leon Farrell Leon Farrell

• Health officials confirmed a further 432 cases of Covid-19 in Ireland, with one new death reported.  
• Gardaí will not be given additional powers to enforce Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions across the country.  
• The Cabinet approved the drawdown of €1.5 billion from the State’s ‘rainy day’ fund for Budget 2021.
• A meeting between Chief Justice Frank Clarke and Supreme Court Justice Seamus Woulfe was pushed back until next Tuesday following a request for postponement on medical grounds by Woulfe. 
• A nursing home in Laois confirmed it is dealing with an outbreak of Covid-19, with 31 confirmed cases.
• NPHET members believe Level 5 advice ’should have been communicated more carefully to government’.
• Legal action from pubs against FBD insurance over Covid-19 cover started today. 
• The national minimum hourly wage will rise by 10c on 1 January 2021.
• A crew member from an Irish Ferries passenger ferry remains missing after a failed search attempt in the Irish Sea last night.    
• The HSE is starting a new study which will look at the rate of Covid-19 infection among healthcare workers. 

INTERNATIONAL 

Donald Trump removing his mask at a White House balcony. Pool / ABACA Pool / ABACA / ABACA

#ENGLAND: Police in London launched an investigation following the deaths of a man, a woman and a child. 

#POISON: A chemical watchdog group confirmed Germany and other countries’ findings that Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny was the victim of an attack with a Soviet-era nerve agent.

#TRUMP: Donald Trump compared Covid-19 to seasonal flu after his return from hospital. 

PARTING SHOT

Fiery words were exchanged in the Dáil earlier today between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae. 

Healy-Rae told Martin to “cop on a small bit” during angry scenes about cross-border cataract surgeries.  

Pointing in the direction of Independent TD Michael Collins and Healy-Rae, the Taoiseach said: “I was reliably informed that Deputy Healy-Rae approached people outside of Mass to say I can get you on the bus I can get you a cataract.” 

“You’re only in the bottom of the barrel coming out with that kind of a statement. Cop on a small bit Taoiseach,” Healy-Rae said later in the exchange. 

Catch up on all the shenanigans here.