NEED TO CATCH up? The Journal brings you a round-up of today’s news.

IRELAND

Windsurfers on the high seas in Sandymount as Storm Kathleen comes to Ireland. Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

• Over 34,000 premises were without electricity earlier today as Storm Kathleen hit Ireland.
• Simon Harris made strong promises at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis today, including the aim to build 50,000 homes per year and introduce lower taxes for €50,000 earners.
• A DHL delivery worker was charged with a €3 million drug seizure in court today.
• Simon Coveney ruled himself out of the European elections in Galway today.
• That didn’t stop former RTÉ journalist Ciaran Mullooly announcing he will be contesting for a seat in the European Parliament in June.
• Elsewhere at the Ard Fheis, Fine Gael voted down a motion to enact the Occupied Territories Bill.
• The HSE CEO said staffing levels are at an all-time high, but the IMO voted to put an end to the recruitment freeze in the healthcare service.

WORLD

Former Hungarian Government insider Peter Magyar gives a speech next in Budapest on Tuesday. Alamy Alamy

#GAZA: The UN’s chief of humanitarian affairs called the conflict in Gaza a ‘betrayal of humanity’, as ceasefire talks are underway.

#BUDAPEST: Tens of thousands in Hungary joined a protest against Prime Minister Viktor Órban, supporting a new opposition leader.

#TAIWAN: Earthquake aftershocks halted the demolition of a leaning building in Taiwan, who experienced a major 7.4 earthquake earlier this week.

PARTING SHOT

Fine Gael leader Simon Harris gives the thumbs up with former leader Leo Varadkar after making his leaders speech at the Ard Fheis today in Galway. Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

The first and last.

Simon Harris gave his first speech to the Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Galway today as the new leader of Fine Gael where he promised the delivery of 250,000 homes within the next five years, a reduction in income tax for those earning €50,000 and below and gave some stern words to Israel on their actions in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Leo Varadkar warmed up the crowd and gave his final speech to his party as Leader of Fine Gael and Taoiseach. Weeks ago, neither politician knew that they would be making these speeches in this context.

You can read both reports on Simon Harris’s speech (here) and Leo Varadkar’s (here).