GOOD MORNING. 

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

Crime in Dublin city centre

1. Business owners and publicans along a busy city centre street in Dublin have spoken of staff being attacked, threatened and intimidated due to a surge in drug use and drug-related violence in the area. 

The influx in drug use and dealing of crack-cocaine around the Liffey Street/North Lotts areas on the northside of the city has resulted in a drop in footfall from tourists and other customers, the business owners said. 

Homeless figures heap pressure on government

2. Recommendations on whether the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) rate should increase are due to go to Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien next month.

It comes as the latest figures from the Department of Housing show that the number of people who were homeless nationwide in the last week of April was 10,049.

The figures represent a 24% increase in homelessness year-on-year. 

Taoiseach visits Lebanon

3. Taoiseach Micheál Martin is visiting Irish troops in Lebanon today to mark International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.  

The visit comes just weeks before the government are set to announce their recommendations for the future of the Irish Defence Forces following an examination of the Commission on the Defence Forces report. 

It is Martin’s first visit to troops in Lebanon as Taoiseach and will see him visit a number of locations across South Lebanon where the troops are stationed. 

Monkeypox confirmed in Republic

4. The first case of monkeypox in the Republic was announced yesterday.

The HSE said the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) was notified of a confirmed case of the virus in the east of the country.

“This person has not been hospitalised. This was not unexpected following the presence of monkeypox cases in the UK and many European countries,” the health service said in a statement.

Partygate latest twist

5. Claims that details of an alleged Downing Street flat party were removed from Sue Gray’s investigation into coronavirus rule breaking were denied by sources in the UK prime minister’s office.

The Sunday Times reported that the senior civil servant, who on Wednesday delivered her 37-page report into events held in Downing Street and Whitehall during England’s lockdowns, had pressure placed on her by senior members of Boris Johnson’s team to remove certain details and names.

Ukrainian “tail-gates” flight

6. A Ukrainian refugee author “tail-gated” passengers to get onto an outbound flight at Dublin Airport without a boarding pass, a court heard.

Gardaí arrested Marina Hrabar, 47, on Friday after getting an alert from Terminal 1 about the scheduled 2 pm Luxair flight LG4884 to Luxembourg.

She is accused of knowingly causing a false alarm by boarding the aircraft without a boarding card for the flight.

Missing person

7. Gardaí are seeking the public’s assistance locating 41-year-old Alan Byrne who has been missing from his home in Kill, Co. Kildare, since Friday.

Alan was last seen when he left his home at approximately 2.30pm on Friday afternoon. He is described as being 5’ 11” in height with a slim build. He has grey balding hair, blue eyes and a beard.

When last seen, Alan was wearing light blue jeans, a grey fleece top and navy canvas runners.

Stampede in Nigeria

8. More than 30 people were killed in a stampede in southern Nigeria yesterday during an overcrowded church charity event where food was being distributed.

Shoes and slippers lay scattered on the ground after the disaster in Port Harcourt city in southern Rivers State when people tried to force their way into the event, police and witnesses said.

Champions League final

9. There was heartbreak for Liverpool FC last night as Vinicius Junior scored the only goal of the game as Real Madrid beat Jurgen Klopp’s side 1-0 in last night’s Champions League final in Paris after a night marred by problems outside the ground that led to the kick-off being delayed by over half an hour.

The Brazilian winger turned in Fede Valverde’s enticing low cross in the 59th minute at the Stade de France and Liverpool could not find an equaliser as the Merseyside club lost to the Spanish giants in a Champions League final for the second time in five seasons.