LAST UPDATE | 28 Sep 2023

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

Cargo ship

1. Gardaí made three further arrests as part of their investigations following a multi-agency operation that led to the seizure of €157 million worth of cocaine from a cargo ship after it was boarded by Army Rangers yesterday.

“Gardaí investigating the detention of the Panamanian registered bulk cargo vessel, MV Matthew and associated events have this evening arrested three men for alleged organised crime offences contrary to the Criminal Justice Act, 2006,” a garda spokesperson said.

“All three are detained under section 50 Criminal Justice Act 2007 at Garda stations in the Southern Region.”

Prison staff under investigation

2. Multiple staff members in the Irish Prison Service are under investigation amid allegations they used fuel cards registered to State vehicles for their own cars.

The cards, which are used to buy fuel for vehicles transporting prisoners to and from prison, were used a number of times on vehicles that were not part of the service’s fleet.

It’s believed that approximately €3,000 worth of fuel was paid for using the cards.

Republican debate

3. Seven US presidential hopefuls tussled over immigration, China and the economy last night at the second Republican primary debate.

However, frontrunner Donald Trump, who is battling multiple criminal cases, decided to skip the debate, and instead met auto industry workers in the battleground state of Michigan.

Trump’s no-show prompted former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie — the ex-president’s biggest antagonist among the candidates — to accuse the 77-year-old tycoon of hiding “behind the walls of his golf clubs.”

Sarah Mescall

4. Tributes have been paid following the tragic death of Clare teenager Sarah Mescall.

The 14-year old from Kilnamona passed away peacefully in Crumlin Hospital on Monday.

Sarah was a second year student in Coláiste Muire in Ennis. In a statement, the school described Sarah’s death as a terrible tragedy for her family, school and community, adding that she will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Ballina

5. Gardaí arrested a man in his thirties after he barricaded himself inside a business in the town and threatened to injure himself with a knife.

“Gardaí in Ballina responded to reports of a male brandishing a knife in a threatening manner in the Market Square area of Ballina, Co Mayo this evening at approximately 6pm,” a garda spokesperson said.

Gardaí said they had brought the incident to a conclusion and the man has been arrested and taken to a Garda Station in County Mayo.

Canada

6. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered an “unreserved” apology in parliament after the legislature publicly but mistakenly celebrated a Ukrainian World War II veteran who fought alongside the Nazis.

“I would like to present unreserved apologies for what took place on Friday and to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation for the position they were put in, for all of us who were present,” Trudeau told lawmakers.

“To have unknowingly recognised this individual was a terrible mistake and a violation of the memory of those who suffered grievously at the hands of the Nazi regime.”

Stardust

7. Former Stardust Manager Eamon Butterly has told an inquest that the locking and unlocking of exit doors at the nightclub was his joint policy with door staff.

Butterly said the policy was the head doorman’s initiative and could not say how much of the policy he was “willing to own”.

He accepted that the evidence he has now given to the Dublin District Coroner’s Court is “contradictory” to evidence he gave to an original tribunal into the fatal fire that killed 48 people.

Storm Agnes

8. More than 2,000 thousand homes and businesses have been left without power this morning in the aftermath of Storm Agnes.

The southern and southeastern parts of the country, where the storm was strongest, see the most outages.

Arklow in Co Wicklow is among the worst affected areas, with around 2,000 customers experiencing outages.

Ryanair

9. Ryanair is cancelling a number of flights from the end of October as a scheduled delivery of aircraft has fallen short.

The airline has confirmed that it expected to receive 27 aircraft from Boeing between September and December.

However, due to delays in production, repairs and deliveries, it now expects to only receive 14 aircraft between October and December.