LAST UPDATE | 14 May

GOOD MORNING.

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

Bertie Ahern

1. The Social Democrats’ byelection candidate, Daniel Ennis, has slammed former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s comments as “absolutely vile”. Ahern was covertly filmed during an interaction on a doorstep while canvassing on behalf of Dublin Central byelection candidate, John Stephens.

Keir Starmer

2. Starmer is bracing for a leadership challenge. Health Secretary Wes Streeting is believed to have told allies he is preparing to resign today and announce a bid for Labour leader. Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has said she has been cleared in an investigation over her tax affairs, paving the way for a potential leadership bid for her too.

Budget 2027

3. Minister for Finance Simon Harris has said that the upcoming Budget will be around €7 billion, smaller than last year’s €9.4 billion Budget. He said that his plan for the Budget is to protect the economy and “help hardworking people”.

Trump and Xi

4. US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spent over two hours discussing thorny issues, including Taiwan, in Beijing. Taiwan is the self-ruled democratic island claimed by Beijing. Xi warned Trump that the issue of Taiwan could push their two countries into “conflict” if mishandled.

Abortion

5. A bill by the Social Democrats proposing changes to Ireland’s abortion laws has been defeated in a Dáil vote. The bill proposed to scrap the three-day waiting period and change rules around fatal foetal abnormality cases. It was defeated with 85 votes against the bill and 30 voted for it, with 36 TDs abstaining from the vote.

University of Limerick

6. Former University of Limerick (UL) President Kerstin Mey’s lawyers have said that her alleged involvement in a €12.5 million property deal can’t be revisited. Mey resigned as president in 2024, as part of a settlement agreement, after she was threatened with disciplinary action over due diligence and adherence to policies during the purchase in 2022 of a 20-house development. Mey has already been vindicated by one investigation and the parties have reached an agreement.

Tourism

7. The short-term let register has been delayed until December. The register was meant to come into effect this month. The Bill providing for the register aims to enforce a requirement for property owners to obtain change-of-use planning permission to let out entire properties when they are located in rent pressure zones.

World Cup

8. The World Cup final is getting a Super Bowl-style half-time show. The show will be curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, and will be headlined by Madonna, Shakira and K-pop group BTS. The final will be held on 19 July at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Quiet road

9. Monaghan County Council is proposing to create a ‘quiet road’ between the villages of Scotstown and Ballinode. A ‘quiet road’ is a rural road with low traffic volumes and speed. The council want to make the road a “safer, shared road space” for walkers, cyclists and local traffic.