EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine things you need to know as you kick off your day.
1. #REFERENDUM: Taoiseach Enda Kenny has asserted that the Fiscal Compact will not be changed, following last night’s meeting of EU leaders – meaning there is no reason to delay the referendum taking place in seven days’ time. Kenny said if leaders agreed new growth plans, they would be contained in a separate document which would not affect the first one.
2. #REFERENDUM: On other matters referendum-based, the Referendum Commission has asked An Post to stop inserting other referendum-related leaflets into its own impartial guide – after a number of people around the country reported finding the leaflet from the EFD group, which includes UKIP, tucked inside the official document.
3. #BRING GARY HOME: The people of Swinford have rallied around the family and friends of the young man who died in the Southeast Asian country of Laos last weekend as attempts are made to bring his remains home. Locals say there has been some “red tape” in trying to have the remains of Gary Price returned back to Ireland.
4. #FEES: A day after the national students’ union asserted it would be retaining its policy of seeking totally exchequer-funded education, it has emerged that the Higher Education Authority may recommend doubling the student contribution. The Irish Times says the charge of €2,250 could be sent to €5,000 – while the Irish Independent says it could be €6,000.
5. #MENTAL HEALTH: Amnesty International has said that the provision of mental health services in Ireland continued to be inadequate in 2011, while the country’s prisons continue to fall below standards. Its report said there continued to be “significant delays” for asylum applicants in Ireland to have their needs or application assessed.
6. #GOING NUCLEAR: Talks in Baghdad about opening Iran’s nuclear programme to inspectors are continuing, after a shaky start yesterday in which the two sides issued opposing proposals. The immediate differences between Iran and the international coalition had threatened to kill off the talks before they had even begun.
7. #JOBSWATCH: Hewlett Packard’s Irish operations have reportedly declined to comment on whether plans to cut 27,000 jobs worldwide will have an impact on its Irish workforce. The company employs 4,000 in Clonskeagh, Leixlip and Galway.
8. #WEATHERWATCH: Yes, we know it’s the last week of May, but seriously… break out the sunscreen. Karl Mehlhorn of the Irish Weather Network says temperatures will be staying above 20°C for the rest of the week, with the sunshine continuing into the weekend – bring with it a high UV risk.
9. #WUH-OH: Eurovision organisers yesterday gave Ireland another reason not to win the competition this year – by announcing that the 2013 final will be held on the same day as the Heineken Cup final. Dublin’s O2 would be considered the most likely venue to host the contest, with the city already crammed from the game in the Aviva three hours earlier.
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