LAST UPDATE | 23 Oct 2023

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

Gaza

1. The US has vowed a continued flow of aid to the Gaza Strip, as a new convoy of 14 trucks entered the besieged and bombarded Palestinian enclave.

With the first of two convoys of humanitarian assistance now inside Gaza, the White House said Israel had agreed “there will now be continued flow of this critical assistance”.

The United Nations estimates Gaza needs about 100 trucks a day to meet the needs of its 2.4 million residents, almost half of whom are believed to have been displaced by Israel’s bombing campaign.

Complaints to councils

2. People across the country have raised concerns with councils about dogs running off leash in their local parks, streets, playgrounds and beaches.

A litany of complaints to local authorities in the past three years included numerous incidents in which members of the public were met with aggression when asking dog owners to control their dogs.

People wrote to their local councils to complain about off-lead dogs fouling parks, beaches and even in a cemetery with no owners in sight. Many complaints referred to restricted breeds.

Weather warning

3. A Status Orange rain warning is in effect for counties Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford.

A Status Yellow alert for rain is also in place across 14 other counties.

In Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford, Met Éireann says heavy and persistent rain with thundery downpours are possible.

TV licences

4. Income from the TV licence is down €14.2 million to date this year arising from the RTÉ payment scandal as growing numbers of people are opting not to renew their licence, new figures show.

According to figures provided by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sports and Media, Catherine Martin, revenues from the €160 TV licence are down 31% from 1 July to 16 October compared with the corresponding period for last year.

RTÉ was plunged into crisis in June when the State broadcaster revealed it under-declared fees to its then-highest-paid earner Ryan Tubridy. The scandal widened as a series of other financial and governance issues emerged.

RTÉ funding

5. On the same theme, Minister for Media Catherine Martin has said that any decision on interim funding for national broadcaster RTÉ will depend on it being able to show increased transparency and accountability.

Speaking over the weekend during the Green Party’s annual convention, Martin said that “trust has been shattered” in the broadcaster, following the payments scandal.

“Unfortunately, the recent controversy in RTÉ has undermined the crucial role our public service broadcaster plays. Trust has been shattered. It is vital that that trust is restored,” Martin said.

Violence against women

6. There is a lack of urgency from governments to tackle violence against women across Europe, an Irish MEP has said.

Frances Fitzgerald said that hesitation towards introducing an EU-wide consent-based definition of rape, based on a legal argument that it does not fall under the banner of sexual exploitation, was “not acceptable”.

Fitzgerald and Swedish socialist MEP Evin Incir are leading the process to introduce EU-wide laws tackling domestic violence and violence against women.

Fatal collision

7. A woman in her 80s has died after she was struck by a car yesterday morning in Clare.

Gardaí are investigating the fatal road traffic collision that happened in Knockaveen, Co. Clare.

The woman was fatally injured in the incident. Her body was brought to University Hospital Limerick for a post-mortem examination.

Flooding

8. The government will consider increasing the level of funding available to businesses affected by severe flooding during Storm Babet last week, Eamon Ryan has said.

The Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment said the government needs to be “flexible” as it assesses the “scale of damage” in towns such as Midleton in county Cork.

Under a current scheme, businesses affected by flooding can avail of up to €20,000 for damage to their premises – but many incurred losses greater than this figure.

Blood donations

9. An urgent appeal has been made for more regular donors to give blood.

It comes as stocks – particularly of O negative, A negative and B negative – are running low.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) said stocks of those blood types have fallen to just three days’ supply in recent weeks – it aims to have seven days of stock at all times.