GOOD MORNING. Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
1. In our main story today, our reporter Niamh Quinlan carries out a detailed examination of Ireland’s vaccine rollout.
The article looks at all the supply issues and broken targets for 80% of the adult population vaccinated by July but all told the country is on the right track.
2. There’s good news on the jobs front in our next story as Kirby Group Engineering announces plans to create 300 new jobs as part of an expansion in Ireland and across Europe.
The privately owned company says the new jobs will include engineering, commercial, operations and administrative staff, with recruitment for many of these roles already underway.
Kirby is looking to attract almost 100 people to be deployed on its apprenticeship scheme and graduate programme as part of this recruitment drive.
People trafficking
3. We then move on to the issue of people trafficking and the failure of Ireland to meet targets in dealing with the problem.
The United States has said Ireland is not meeting the minimum standards on combatting human trafficking, ranking Ireland as one of the weakest EU states alongside Romania and Belarus.
The Trafficking in Persons Report 2021, published by the US Department of State, ranks countries around the world based on their government’s efforts to combat trafficking as measured against minimum standards and compared to its efforts in the year prior.
4. There’s a good news story for those with expiring driving licences as the Government has extended the expiration date by ten months.
The extension will apply to driving licences expiring from yesterday, 1 July, to 31 October 2021 with ten months added to the expiry date in cases where the driving licence has not benefited from an extension previously.
The move comes as the European Union and national governments take steps in response to the disruption caused by Covid-19 to driver licensing services across the EU.
Trump company
5. Off to the US for our next story as Donald Trump’s company and its long-time finance chief have been charged with tax evasion.
Prosecutors called the alleged crime a “sweeping and audacious” tax fraud scheme in which the executive collected more than 1.7 million dollars (£1.2 million) in off-the-books compensation, including apartment rent, car payments and school tuition.
Trump was not charged, but prosecutors noted that he signed some of the cheques at the centre of the alleged scheme.
Space
6. Space is next on the list with news that billionaire businessman Richard Branson is set for his first space flight with Virgin Galactic.
The company’s owner is due to test the “private astronaut experience” during the next test flight window, beginning on 11 July.
Branson said he is “honoured” to be able to help “ensure his business delivers a unique customer experience”.
Troll
7. TV and radio presenter Stephen Nolan has received a six-figure damages sum and an apology from an anonymous Twitter troll who made a series of defamatory remarks about him.
Nolan, who presents regular shows on BBC Radio Ulster and Radio 5 Live, tracked down the individual who was behind the online campaign.
The presenter said the settlement would serve as a warning to all trolls.
Climate change
8. In an opinion piece John Gibbons takes a look at the issue of climate change and its link to the crippling heatwave in the northern region of the US and Canada.
The environmentalist says we ignore the record-breaking temperatures this week at our peril.
Pharmacy jabs
9. Around 750 pharmacies across the country will begin vaccinating people aged 18-34 from Monday 5 July, the Health Minister has confirmed.
Stephen Donnelly said that the youngest age cohort of adults would have an option to be given the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from their pharmacist from next week.
Donnelly also confirmed that the online booking system for 30-34 year-olds will also open next Friday. About a week after that mRNA vaccinations – mainly the Pfizer jab – will start to be administered to this cohort.
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