LAST UPDATE | 21 Feb 2023

GOOD MORNING.

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

Cost of living package

1. A once-off €100 child benefit payment and a €200 lump sum for social welfare recipients will be paid out as part of the cost of living measures agreed by coalition leaders yesterday evening.

Similar to the Christmas bonus payment, pensioners, carers, those on disability and working family payments, lone parents, and those on the widow’s pension will receive the €200.

In addition, those in receipt of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance will receive €100 extra. It is understood Social Protection Minister Humphreys has also secured agreement for an expansion of the Hot School Meals Programme in Primary Schools, costing €27 million. 

Garda hit by missile

2. A garda was struck by a missile in Ballyfermot yesterday while policing a large funeral in the area. 

Videos widely circulated on social media today show incidents of scrambler bikes blocking Gardaí cars and objects being hurled at them in the Ballyfermot area. One clip showed a bike being thrown in the direction of a standing garda, which hit a nearby car.  

Northern Ireland Protocol

3. The UK and EU have appeared to inch closer to a deal over the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol after “productive” talks were held during an “intensive” phase of negotiations.

It comes after the DUP attempted to dampen hopes that it will support any deal on the Protocol, despite Downing Street raising hopes of an imminent announcement of a deal. 

Downing Street earlier insisted a “final deal” had not been struck as they seek an agreement that will satisfy the demands of the DUP. 

Mater Hospital

4. The Mater Hospital in Dublin has appealed to the public to avoid its Emergency Department “where possible”.

The hospital said its “services are under extreme pressure due to the large volume of patients” and that patients who are presenting at the ED with non-urgent care are “experiencing lengthy waiting times to be seen”. 

Nicola Bulley

5. Lancashire Police confirmed that Nicola Bulley’s body has been found in the River Wyre and that the case is now being handled by the coroner. 

A police spokesperson said that they recognise the “huge impact” that Nicola’s disappearance had on her family and friends, and they thanked everyone who was involved in the “hugely complex and highly emotional investigation”.

SNP election

6. A candidate in the race to be the next leader of the Scottish National Party has said she would have voted against gay marriage in Scotland at the time it was made legal almost a decade ago.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, one of the two frontrunners to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland, said in an interview that she would not have backed the legislation but would have “respected and defended the democratic choice that was made”.

Equal marriage was made legal in Scotland in 2014 with an overwhelming majority of 105 votes to 18. Forbes was not elected until 2016.

Disinformation

7. A new working group has been established to counter disinformation and develop a National Counter Disinformation Strategy for Ireland.

The multi-sectoral group will aim to combat disinformation and reduce the creation and spread of “false and harmful material”.

It comes amid an increase in anti-refugee protests taking place around the country and false claims being spread online.

Cyber attack

8. Virgin Media Television has said that it won’t be able to air some pre-recorded shows as it is dealing with an “unauthorised attempt’ to access its systems. 

Programming on Virgin Media Three, Four, More and VMTV Player is set to be temporarily disrupted as the company has had to disconnect some technologies to “ensure ongoing maximum security”. 

The attempted hack was identified by the company’s security team.

Planning reform

9. New legislation to reform the planning system could “unnecessarily restrict” the importance of county and city councillors in the creation of development plans, TDs will be told at an Oireachtas Committtee today.

The Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) is expected to raise concerns about the Planning and Development Bill 2023 and is due to tell TDs that it will diminish the “primacy” of councillors in the planning process.