(Members of the public throw water balloons at Jack Wise as the Minister of Silly Ideas in Dublin’ City Centre as he helped launch this years Street Performance World Championship – Pic: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

HERE ARE THE things you need to know as we round off the day in three easy steps.

THINGS WE LEARNED

#SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: The Constitutional Convention has voted overwhelmingly in favour of recommending that the Constitution be changed to allow for civil marriages for same-sex couples, with 79 per cent of people voting yes. A report will now be drafted with the recommendations going to Government.

#REACTION: Advocacy groups Marriage Equality, the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) have called today’s vote result “an historic step”. Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore also welcomed the news, saying that the State should not “pass judgement on who a person falls in love with, or who they want to spend their life with.” Independent Senator Rónán Mullen this afternoon described the debate which led to the decision as a “flawed process”.

#SUNSET CLAUSE: A number of Fine Gael TDs have put forward the idea that any abortion legislation should be accompanied by a so-called ‘sunset clause’, which would allow for the legislation to be reviewed after a number of years. Fine Gael TD Michael Creed told Enda Kenny that doing so would provide comfort to those who feared that the floodgates would be opened following X case legislation.

#TORNADO WARNING: A tornado warning has been issued for Ireland by the European Storm Forecast Experiment (Estofex). Met Éireann have also put out their own warning, saying to expect strong to gale force south to southwest winds of 50 to 60 km/h, with occasional gusts of 90 to 110 km/hr.

#INVESTMENT FUND: Cabinet is set to discuss the setting up of a €6 billion strategic investment fund that would use money from the National Pension Reserve Fund. The Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte said that the fund, were it to be set up, would provide funding to the SME sector.

THINGS WE LOVED

• With technology evolving all the time, things that used to take an age now take seconds. For some people, however, some things are still too slow. DailyEdge.ie has a list of 12 of them. How many of them still make your blood boil?
• The wind today was the least of the problems for Minister of Silly Ideas Jack Wise at the launch this years Street Performance World Championship. We really hope he’s sitting somewhere warm with a hot drink right about now.

(Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

THINGS WE SHARED

• For those of a certain age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer had it all, namely Buffy, vampires, and slaying. As Sarah Michelle Geller celebrates her 35th birthday, we remember a simpler time, before zombies won out as the best undead TV/film scary thing. Take a trip back in time with the 9 reasons we still love Buffy.

(Image: Jean Cummings/EMPICS Entertainment)

• Gangnam style has been watched a gazillion times at this stage. So just what would Psy do in his attempt to conquer the pop charts once again? Put out another catchy tune with lots of dancing, of course. Uploaded yesterday, it’s already been watched over 27 million times. 27 MILLION TIMES!

(PSY/YouTube)

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More