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Dublin: 12 °C Sunday 19 May, 2013

The 9 at 9: Friday

Good morning. Here are the nine stories you need to know as you start your day.

Image: Number 9 photo via Shutterstock

EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine stories you need to know as you kick off your day.

1. #LOWRY: Gardaí are examining tapes of a phone conversation involving Independent TD Michael Lowry in which he discusses payments made to a land agent. A transcript of the tapes first appeared in the Sunday Independent last month and the conversation was played in full on TV3′s The Vincent Browne Show last night. Michael Lowry denies any wrong-doing.

2. #ARREST: A man has been arrested for wasting police time over the alleged abduction of property developer Kevin McGeever. McGeever, who had been missing for eight months, was found on a Leitrim road in January in a dishevelled state, amid reports that he had been kidnapped.

3. #PRIORY HALL: The Minister for Housing Jan O’Sullivan has said it is likely that other housing estates have been built which have similar problems to the doomed Priory Hall development. In an interview with TheJournal.ie, the Minister of State said the ex-residents of the Donaghmede complex are “in a dreadful situation”.

4. #CROKE PARK 2: Nurses will see their wages drop by 11 per cent under the new Croke Park agreement, while firefighters will see a fall of 3 per cent and Garda pay will decrease by 5 per cent, according to a study carried out by consulting actuaries. The INMO has called for the agreement to be rejected by its members.

5. #RESTRAINTS: Physical restraints were used more than 3,000 times in one year on patients in mental health facilities around Ireland, according to new figures released by the Mental Health Commission.

6. #IL PAPA: Pope Francis brushed off years of tradition and formality on his first day as head of the Roman Catholic Church by delivering a mass in Italian rather than Latin, paying his own hotel bill, and carrying his own luggage at a Vatican hotel.

7. #IRAQ WAR: Men who served in the Iraq war for the UK are almost three times more likely to commit a violent offence than their civilian counterparts, according to a major study carried out by The Lancet to mark the 10th anniversary of the invasion.

8. #SAMSUNG: The much-hyped Samsung Galaxy S4 phone, which is seen as a major rival to Apple’s iPhone, has been unveiled – and includes a feature which allows users to control the device with their eyes.

9. #HOOKYLICIOUS: We’re not sure if you’re ready for this jelly, to be honest, but this has to be seen. George Hook, doing the Harlem Shake, thrusting slowly at the camera. You’re welcome.

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Comments (6 Comments)

  • Disgraceful treatment of nurses.
    They should be given pay increases.

    Reply
  • Just knew that SIPTU would push for a yes vote from its members they always went on the side of the government

    Reply
  • Hoping people will get a chance to listen back to last nights Vincent Browne show. Considering what is happening to journalists who speak out: http://www.tv3.ie/3player/show/41/60315/1/Tonight-with-Vincent-Browne

    Reply
  • join the dots

    Reply
  • Fae Jitt 15/03/13 #

    This government WANTS Croke Park II “negotiations” to fail – it’s a tactic – thats why they are being so hard arsed about it. They know the unions will fight their ‘proposals’ , they think the public will then go against those naughty unions (the govt think the poor public loves and respects them…..) and then they can legislate the draconian pay cuts they wanted all along and they think theyll come out smelling like roses.
    They are prepared to cause strikes which will severely affect the public and the people who strike and their families to achieve short term savings which will end up costing us all far more in the future (but thats another story)
    The Liberal government in Victoria tried this same tactic against their nurses, but the tactic was leaked to the press before things kicked off and everybody could see the underhanded intent of a government.
    The Victorian Nurses fought them and won.

    This government are sly crafty shysters who need to be stopped and punished.

    Reply
  • Where has the “Christian Single MIngle” girl gone? The ad has been replaced by one wanting to know if I approve of the new Pope

    Reply

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