LAST UPDATE | 24 Jun 2024

GOOD MORNING. 

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

Tourist died in crash on ‘confusing’ two-way road

1. Our reporter Eimer McAuley reports on an inquest that heard of an American tourist who died after a head-on traffic collision in Kilkenny, when she found herself on the wrong side of a road she did not realise was two way.

Several serious incidents had previously taken place at the location already, and where safety improvements have since been made. Despite that, the woman’s friend told the inquest that the road was “confusing” and they could not tell if it was two-way or not.

Ukraine and Gaza head up the agenda of EU ministers

2. European Foreign Affairs Ministers are meeting in Luxembourg today to discuss the latest on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, beginning membership talks with Ukraine and the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin is to travel to the meeting later today, which is due to start later this morning with an address by the outgoing EU foreign commissioner Josep Borrell and where further sanctions against Russia are due to be discussed.

Over 40 workplace deaths in Ireland last year

3. There were 19 prosecutions over workplace deaths in Ireland in 2023, according to new figures released by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). Some 83 investigations were undertaken into fatal accidents last year, of which 43 were deemed work-related.

The majority of work-related deaths (72%) occurred in agriculture (20 deaths) and construction (11 deaths). Half the people who died were self-employed.

Nail-biting finish to Scotland V Hungary

4. Scotland are out of the Euro 2024 competition in Germany after Kevin Csoboth scored a winning goal for Hungary in the 99th minute in Stuttgart last night.

It means the Scots will finish bottom of Group A and are eliminated before the knockout stages.

Gunmen attack Russian churches

5.  GUNMEN attacked synagogues and churches in Russia’s North Caucasus region of Dagestan, killing a priest, six police officers, and a member of the national guard, security officials said.

Russian police said four gunmen have been killed. The attacks took place in Dagestan’s largest city of Makhachkala and in the coastal city of Derbent, where gunfights were ongoing.

Pay dispute impasse ‘sits’ with Aer Lingus bosses – IALPA rep

6. The President of IALPA, the union representing Irish pilots, has said the impasse to resolving its dispute with Aer Lingus “sits” with the airline.

Mark Tighe, the president of Ialpa, which represents the pilots, described claims by Aer Lingus that it has “repeatedly sought” to engage with Ialpa as “not accurate”.

The airline said it has sought meetings to discuss ways to increase pilot pay beyond the proposed 12.25% increase.

Daft report – house prices up 35% since Covid

7. Prices sought for houses in the second quarter of this year was 35% higher than at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest Daft.ie House Price Report.

As of the second quarter of 2024, the average listed price for a home nationwide was €340,398.

Litter survey finds lower levels

8. Little levels in Ireland have dropped since the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme, an independent survey has found.

The annual litter survey, conducted by Irish Businesses Against Litter (IBAL), found that 23 out of 40 towns their visited were either cleaner than European norms or met European norms.

There were overall lower litter levels when compared to last year.

Assisted Dying

9. Catholic Bishops have said they “totally reject” an Oireachtas Committee report that recommended that the government legislate to allow for assisted dying.

The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference added that people with intellectual disabilities “would be particularly vulnerable” to any move to bring in assisted dying legislation.