LAST UPDATE | 20 Jun 2022
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
Investigation
1. In our lead story this morning, Niall Sargent of Noteworthy reports that Klasmann-Deilmann Ireland is one of a dozen peat extractors being investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for operating without a licence on lands where the agency suspects that large-scale extraction is taking place.
In June 2021, the EPA warned the company it was of the view that Klasmann was committing a serious and ongoing breach of EU environmental law
Klasmann-Deilmann Ireland signed a ‘Terms of Undertaking’ with the EPA in July 2021 to cease activity on the investigated peatlands, but the EPA recently become concerned there may be activity on one of the bogs.
Mental health
2. Over half of 22-year-old women (55%) and four in ten 22-year-old men were classified as depressed in 2020, according to a survey undertaken that year by the Economic and Social Research Institute.
These were much higher figures than two years previously when 22% of men and 31% of women were depressed.
Using data from the Growing Up in Ireland COVID-19 survey, the findings highlight that disruption to education, employment and social contact were key factors in these negative mental health trends.
Grow digital
3. A total of €85 million will be allocated to a fund to “help business go digital”.
The Digital Transition Fund has been allocated funding of €85m until 2026, as part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
This year will see the release of €10 million of the fund and it will be administered by Enterprise Ireland.
Ukraine
4. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Russia was likely to intensify its “hostile activity” this week, as Kyiv awaits a historic decision from the European Union on its bid for candidate status.
Nearly three months after Russia launched its invasion of his country, Zelenskyy said there had been “few such fateful decisions for Ukraine” as the one it expects from the EU this week.
Galway
5. A man is due to appear in court this morning charged in connection with the seizure of over €150,000 worth of cannabis herb and plants in Galway yesterday.
As part of Operation Tara, gardaí attached to the Galway Divisional Drugs Unit carried out a search under warrant at a house in the Cappataggle area yesterday morning.
Election
6. In France, allies of French President Emmanuel Macron have started to cobble together a working parliamentary majority to salvage his second term, after his alliance crumbled in the election against surges from the left and far-right.
Macron’s Ensemble (Together) coalition emerged as the largest party in parliamentary elections but was dozens of seats short of keeping the parliamentary majority it had enjoyed for the last five years.
RIP
7. A motorcyclist in his early 20s died following a collision at the Kells Road Races yesterday.
The collision occurred at around 1.30pm and the motorcyclist, a 22-year-old man who has been named as Jack Oliver, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Plaque
8. A commemorative plaque has been unveiled to honour Dr Kathleen Lynn and her partner Madeleine ffrench-Mullen, the founders of Ireland’s first children’s hospital.
The plaque was unveiled by Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland on the Charlemont Street building where St Ultan’s Infant Hospital was founded in April 1919.
Citizenship
9. The first in-person citizenship ceremonies since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic are set to take place in Co Kerry today.
950 people will be conferred with Irish citizenship at two ceremonies at the Gleneagle INEC Arena in Killarney.
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