LAST UPDATE | 6 Apr 2022

GOOD MORNING.

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

Zelenskyy speaking to the Oireachtas

1. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address the Dáil and the Seanad today as he continues his tour of world parliaments, rallying support for Ukraine as it faces Russia’s invasion.

Ukraine’s charismatic leader will address both houses of the Oireachtas at 10am after accepting an invitation from the Ceann Comhairle in recent weeks.

New sanctions

2. The United States and the EU are soon expected to announce tough new sanctions on Russia.

The sanctions come after an outcry over the discovery of dozens of bodies in civilian clothing in areas from which Russian troops have withdrawn around Ukraine’s capital, including the town of Bucha.

Second booster dose 

3. People aged 65 and older and those who are immunocompromised should receive a second mRNA Covid-19 booster dose, NIAC has recommended. 

The Department of Health and the HSE will now work to put this advice into action.

Inflation

4. Careful management of Ireland’s public finances will be required over the coming months as the economy deals with spillover from the war in Ukraine and soaring prices, the Central Bank of Ireland has said.

Wages are set to grow in 2022 as the unemployment rate continues to decline following the pandemic.

Fair Deal

5. Changes to the Fair Deal rules that could free up to 8,000 homes for rental are under consideration as part of the Government’s response to house Ukrainian refugees.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien told Cabinet today that he plans to accelerate the reform of the Nursing Home Support Scheme known as the Fair Deal Scheme, so that people can rent their unused, vacant homes without facing a financial penalty.

Irish billionaires

6. There are nine Irish people included on the Forbes Billionaire’s List 2022, with a combined net worth of approximately $54.8 billion (€50.4 billion).

The Irish list is topped by billionaire Pallonji Mistry, the head of the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, a 156-year-old construction and engineering giant that is based in Mumbai.

Cryptosporidium outbreak

7. Public health chiefs have urged people to be vigilant around washing their hands with soap and water to try to offset the risk of contracting the parasitic disease Cryptosporidium following a recent outbreak in the mid-west region.

The announcement by the Department of Public Health Mid-West comes after it managed a recent outbreak on a farm.

Kinder egg recall expanded

8. More Kinder products have been recalled due to a salmonella outbreak that has affected Ireland and other European countries.

On Sunday, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland recalled all 20g eggs and three-packs of Kinder Surprise eggs with a best before date between 11 July and 7 October 2022.

The recall has been extended to include other Kinder products due to a link with an ongoing food poisoning outbreak of salmonella.

Mayo

9. Active decisions by medical staff at Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar resulted in the “death of a perfectly healthy baby to a perfectly healthy mother,” who had already suffered two stillbirths, an inquest has heard.

Lawyers for the parents of a baby boy who died three days after suffering complications at his birth at MUH in 2018 claimed his death was avoidable if he had been delivered as originally planned at 36 weeks gestation.