Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
Every morning, TheJournal.ie brings you nine things you really, really need to know before you start the day.
1. #FOUR YEAR PLAN: Details of the government’s four year plan to cut the government deficit by €15 billion are to be published today. Significant tax increases, the introduction of a new social payment to replace PRSI, cuts in social welfare payments and reform of the system, and some kind of levy on property are all likely to be included.
2. #BANKS: Bank of Ireland faces the prospect of majority Government control, while Allied Irish Banks could end up being 99.9 per cent State-owned and almost fully nationalised under the €85 billion EU-IMF rescue plan, the Irish Times reports.
3. #DOWNGRADED: Standard & Poor’s has downgraded Ireland again, from AA to A, and has put the country on ‘creditwatch’, which means another downgrade could follow. The timing of the announcement has nothing to do with the further recapitalisations of Irish banks as it had been decided by midday yesterday, RTE reports.
4. #OPPOSITION: Fine Gael’s Michael Noonan has launched a stinging attack on the Greens, saying: “what they have done in terms of coalition Government is absolutely outrageous..At a time when credibility and confidence and certainty was so required, and when those of us on this side of the House were tiptoeing around the issues and walking on eggs in case we get the Cabinet and the country into further difficulty, they march down the road and they go in and they make this daft announcement”
5. #D’OH: Taoiseach Brian Cowen has had to apologise to Joan Burton after asking her party leader Eamon Gilmore to “rein her in”.
6. #CHURCH ABUSE: Pope Benedict has spoken out about Ireland’s child abuse crisis, saying “In Ireland the problem is altogether specific – there is a self-enclosed Catholic society, so to speak, which remained true to its faith despite centuries of oppression, but in which, then, evidently certain attitudes were also able to develop…To see a country that gave the world so many missionaries, so many saints, which in the history of the missions also stands at the origin of our faith in Germany, now in a situation like this is tremendously upsetting and depressing. ”
7. #KOREA: The South Korean military has been put on “highest alert”, following yesterday’s shelling by North Korea of one of its offshore islands. Meanwhile, Obama has described North Korea as “a significant threat”.
8. #NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand says the 29 trapped miners are now all dead after a second explosion ripped through the mine.
9. #TAYTO PARK: The world’s first theme park dedicated to the humble crisp, Tayto Park, opens today. Launched on 55 acres of Meath farmland by crisp king Ray Coyle, the park will create 85 jobs and offer children the chance to visit Santa, experience a Native American village or, er, eat Irish crisps.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Met Nicki in St Camillons nursing home
In Killucan, Co.Westmeath 3 years ago
she was visiting an uncle, she came over to my dad had a word, gave him a hug, i thought it was lovely as she did not know us, proves her heart was in the right place, and now all three have passed on, rip guys x
Nicky was an inspiration for us all! RIP
My Dad’s Dad died from motor neurone and so did my Mums Mum a horrid disease to get Rest in peace Grandma and Grandad. Rest in peace to your beautiful sister so sorry she had this xx
If there is any good news here is that Nicky McFaddens illness was not drawn out for years.
Very sad but the comment about cancer is very insensitive. Cancer can be horrific as well as motor neurone. Wouldn’t wish for either
The only i came in here was gor that statement. Cancer is a horrible leech of a thing to go through .
Cancer is certainly a leech and not something any sane person would wish for; however there is hope if you have cancer as treatment and operations may stop or halt the disease, but there is NO cure or long term hope for people with MND.
I am sorry for your loss. But Fine Gael are finished. This country needs a government who will stand on its own two feet and not take orders from bankers and the like. New fresh blood is what’s needed a party that is not tainted by greed and the clic. Again I am sorry for your loss. You would do better as an independent
David what a hideous person you are! Imagine employing someone with your mentality! It does not matter who you vote for this story is about human suffering and tragedy!
There is never a scenario where people would be “grateful to have cancer”. Walk into a hospice and say ” ye should be grateful, at least ye don’t have MND”???? It’s an awful and horrible statement to make.
Eimsley, in the nicest way possible I’m sorry to say you are wrong. I attend the hospice weekly & I assure you the cancer patients look at me with pity, in my wheelchair barely able to move a muscle. I was 38 when diagnosed with mnd & I’m “lucky” to be alive still, 2 1/2 yrs later. When I was first diagnosed I wished I had been given a cancer diagnoses. I know that sounds unbelievable but, cancer treatments & medicines have advanced so much now there is “hope” for patients. MND on the other hand = no hope, they are not even near finding a cure!
Sharon, sorry to hear this. I have a close family member with untreatable cancer so I’m really offended by the quote in this article. I’m not dismissing the gravity of MND in any way. I just believe that these things should never be compared in terms of suffering e.g. Diminish one groups suffering over another’s. Having been witness to oneupmanship over illness symptoms/outcomes (not by patients but their families) I’m horrified to witness it in the press. I detest the culture of ‘mine’s worse than yours’ that seems to exist for some (not all) people’s lives. Each persons suffering is their own and not for comment by others. There is after all a lot of focus on upholding the dignity of terminally ill patients. All the best and take care.
have your say