LAST UPDATE | 27 Jul 2023

GOOD MORNING.

Here’s everything you need to know as you start your day.

Sinéad O’Connor

1. Sinéad O’Connor been hailed as one of Ireland’s “most gifted” artists following her death at the age of 56.

The legendary singer was one of this country’s most internationally famous musicians and was much-loved at home and abroad.

Housing crisis

2. Most of Ireland’s local authorities did not collect any money from the owners of derelict sites last year despite the growing housing crisis, while many authorities didn’t even impose the levy on a single site in their jurisdiction.

Out of 31 local authorities, 18 received €0 from landowners while 14 of these local authorities didn’t impose a levy on any of the owners of the 314 derelict sites in their jurisdictions.

Sex for rent

3. Landlords offering accommodation in exchange for sex are “part of wider problems” in the rental sector, it has been claimed, in light of a new documentary on the practice occurring in Ireland.

An RTÉ Investigates broadcast called ‘Sex For Rent’ this evening will reveal what it was like to come face-to-face with the people posting sex for rent ads in Ireland, showing how some landlords are seeking sex from often vulnerable prospective tenants in exchange for reduced rent or free accommodation.

Moygaddy

4. A man has died following a collision between a car and a tractor in Co Meath.

The collision happened at around 4pm yesterday on the R157 at Moygaddy.

Interest rates

5. European Central Bank policymakers look set to deliver another interest rate increase today as their fight against eurozone inflation reaches the one-year mark with consumer prices still rising fast.

The ECB began lifting borrowing costs in July last year to combat soaring prices, kicking off the most aggressive hiking cycle in the central bank’s history.

Public safety

6. The Journal has learned that more than 500 calls for help from the public to Dublin’s Garda central control centre had not been responded to at one point on Tuesday evening because there were not enough gardaí available.

It is understood to be an ongoing issue, with garda controllers unable to despatch gardaí to deal with incidents.

CAMHS

7. Parents have decried the state of the country’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) following the publication of a damning new report.

The study into the provision of the service by the Inspector of Mental Health Services, Dr Susan Finnerty, was published by the Mental Health Commission yesterday and found that the state cannot currently provide assurances children have access to a safe, effective and evidence-based service.

Louth

8. A man who used false documents to secure employment as a child psychologist and “live a fake life” has been jailed for four years.

Nikiwe Dube (41) pleaded guilty to four charges of using a false instrument on dates between November 2019 and February 2022 including a psychological transcript with a false garda stamp, a false identification badge purportedly from the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and a fake medical certificate.

Garda crisis

9. The leadership of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has voted in favour of a ballot of all its members on a vote of no confidence in the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.

The decision was made yesterday in Dublin, with the GRA’s central executive committee voting in favour of the ballot.