LAST UPDATE | 29 Jan 2025

GOOD MORNING.

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

1. Illegal vapes

Over 64 tonnes of illegal vapes have been seized and stopped from entering Ireland in the last two years.

Figures provided to The Journal Investigates reveal how the HSE’s National Environmental Health Service (NEHS) made the seizures at air and sea ports in 2023 and 2024.

2. Scams

Four out of five people in Ireland believe that scams have become more sophisticated in the past year and are increasingly difficult to identify, according to a new survey.

Polling carried out by Censuswide also found that nearly half (46%) of Irish people believe scam that awareness should be taught in schools, while 98% think that children should be taught some form of scam awareness from a young age.

3. Storm Éowyn 

The new Cabinet will meet today with the supports for those impacted by Storm Éowyn high on the agenda.

Following the Taoiseach’s visit to Roscommon yesterday, where he visited communities impacted by power outages and water shortages, Micheál Martin has asked various ministers to bring updates from their departments on the response to the aftermath of the storm.

4. Rosslare Europort

Six of the nine men who were discovered in a shipping container at Rosslare Europort this week have been refused leave to land. 

Gardaí and emergency services located the nine males in the container at around 10.30am on Monday morning.

5. Seanad elections

Counting in the Seanad elections will get underway this morning at Trinity College and at the RDS in Dublin following a lengthy campaign.

Senators and would-be senators have been canvassing TDs, councillors and graduates from the National University of Ireland and Trinity College of Dublin since early December to earn one of the 49 seats up for grabs.

6. Stranded astronauts

US President Donald Trump has said that Elon Musk’s company SpaceX will “soon” begin a mission to repatriate two American astronauts who have been stranded for months on the International Space Station.

7. Evan Ferguson

Ireland international footballer Evan Ferguson is being pursued by Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen, according to reports.

Mark McAdam of Sky Sports News reports that Leverkusen are interested in a loan deal for the Brighton and Hove Albion striker.

8. Google mural plans

The Irish arm of US tech giant Google has lodged plans for a large public mural across seven storeys at its European HQ in Dublin that would incorporate interactive and virtual elements through Google’s own modern technology and AI tools.

9. India

A crowd crush at the world’s largest religious gathering has left at least 15 people in India, with many more injured after a surging crowd spilled out of a police cordon and trampled bystanders.