LAST UPDATE | 20 Sep 2023
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s everything you need to know as you start your day.
1. A representative for rank and file gardaí in Limerick said that moving some gardaí off specialist units will “erode” work done to make the city safe in the years since its murderous gang feud.
Garda Representative Association member Frank Thornton, who is based in Limerick city, has claimed that officers in Limerick working in drugs and community policing units have been told their units are to be disbanded.
The Journal has independently confirmed with multiple sources that gardaí in specialist crime patrols, local task forces, drugs units, roads policing in various areas across the country have been told they will be going back to so-called “regular” policing.
2. Three counties have been issued a status yellow wind warning, which will stay in place until 11am today.
Dublin, Donegal and Mayo will experience very strong and gusty winds this morning.
Met Éireann has warned that driving conditions may be difficult in affected areas.
3. Patient advocates and a lawyer working with a number of families of children who suffered adverse outcomes following spinal surgery at Temple Street Children’s Hospital have called for the terms of a review of its surgical service to be extended.
On Monday, the HSE announced it had commissioned an external review into elements of paediatric care at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street after one child died and others suffered serious complications following spinal surgery there.
The review – which follows internal and external reviews commissioned by CHI itself – has a “primary focus” on one consultant, who has been referred to the Medical Council.
4. Fraudsters who are targeting people in rent arrears are “attempting to prey on the most vulnerable”, the Simon Community has said.
Dublin City Council have warned of a new scam, where callers pretend to be the council, and try to con people who are struggling financially.
5. Sitting tenants aren’t paying 15.2% cheaper rent prices compared to new tenants entering the private market, even if both parties are renting similar properties types.
New data from the Economic and Social Research Institute published today has found that sitting tenants are paying, on average, €214 less per month than new tenants in the private market.
The institute says the findings likely reflect the rapid rental inflation in new tenancies observed in more rural and less traditional rental markets.
6. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he is not afraid to raise the issue of LGBT rights with leaders of countries that are rolling out draconian laws or threatening death penalties.
In an interview with The Journal, the Taoiseach said he cannot bring his personal circumstances into the room when he is meeting with world leaders, stating that his responsibility as Taoiseach is firstly “to represent the interests of Ireland”.
His comments come a day after he spoke at an event at the UN, where he said he was concerned about the “alarming pushback against LGBTI rights”.
7. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears set to water down some of his government’s net zero pledges to ensure they are “proportionate”, in a move that has drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum and campaigners.
His plan could include weakening the plan to phase out gas boilers from 2035 and delaying the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars – currently due in 2030 – by five years, the BBC reported.
8. A further round of energy price cuts are expected in the spring, according to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
He said households will need further energy supports this winter, while also confirming that the government will take a special dividend from ESB to claw back some of its profits.
ESB announced a 30% rise in its operating profits to €676 million during the first six months of this year.
9. The granting of planning permission to three more data centres in North Dublin has been criticised by environmentalists, who say the move calls into question the government’s ambitions on climate.
Despite opposition, Fingal County Council gave Amazon Web Services a green light to construct the centres, which have a combined power load of 73MW.
Oisín Coghlan, Chief Executive of Friends of the Earth, an organisation which opposed the latest application, said: “It’s a threat to our energy security, the security of our power system, it’s a threat to our pollution limits and, to be honest, it’s a threat to the credibility of this government on climate.”
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