LAST UPDATE | 25 Nov 2022

GOOD MORNING.

Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.

Asylum seeker accommodation

1. In our main story this morning, Diarmuid Peppers writes that over 140 asylum seekers are living in tented accommodation in Athlone that is “inhuman and degrading”.

New Horizon, which was established over 20 years ago and works with those in Direct Provision sites across the Midlands, said that the tents at the site in Lissywollen are leaking and “exposing residents to cold and wet conditions”.

East Wall

2. Minister Paschal Donohoe is set to meet with East Wall residents’ groups today following protests against the housing of refugees at an old ESB building in the area.

Celtic Interconnector

3. Taoiseach Micheál Martin is set to sign final plans for a multi-billion euro underwater cable which will connect Ireland’s electricity network to France by 2026.

The Celtic Interconnector will have the capacity of 700 megawatts of electricity, which is estimated to power 450,000 households.

Late Late Toy Show

4. RTÉ has revealed that the theme for this year’s Late Late Toy Show is The Wizard of Oz.

The theme will be accompanied by an impressive yellow brick road/Emerald City set put together by RTÉ production designers.

The show, which begins at 9.35pm Irish time, will also be free to stream worldwide using the RTÉ Player. 

Drinking water

5. One in 20 private water supplies failed to meet the standard for E coli meaning the health of around 6,000 people was put at risk, a new report from the EPA has found.

The EPA today released the Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies 2021 report. This is a study of drinking water provided by over 380 group water schemes to around 200,000 people across rural parts of Ireland.

Energy support

6. The European Commission has has approved the Government’s Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS).

Announced as part of Budget 2023, the grant scheme is designed to assist businesses with their energy costs during the winter months.

The scheme will be open to businesses that have seen an increase in their average energy unit price of 50% or more from 2021.

Businesses who qualify will receive 40% of the increase in their gas and electricity bills. A monthly cap of €10,000 will apply. 

Ukraine

7. Ukraine is battling to reconnect water and electricity services to millions of people cut off after Russia launched dozens of cruise missiles that battered Ukraine’s already crippled electricity grid.

The energy system in Ukraine is on the brink of collapse and millions have been subjected to emergency blackouts over recent weeks after systematic Russian bombardments of the grid. 

Cervical cancer 

8. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said it is contrary to medical ethics for clinicians to refuse to treat women based on their association with the 221+ advocate group.

Martin said it is “shocking” if women associated with the group advocating for those affected by the CervicalCheck controversy are denied healthcare.

It emerged that a number of women have been questioned on whether they were a member of the group before considering treating them.

Suspended Twitter accounts

9. New Twitter owner Elon Musk has said he is granting “amnesty” for suspended accounts, which online safety experts predict will spur a rise in harassment, hate speech and misinformation.

The billionaire’s announcement came after he asked in a poll posted to his timeline to vote on reinstatements for accounts that have not “broken the law or engaged in egregious spam”. The yes vote was 72%.