GOOD MORNING.
Here’s everything you need to know as you start your day.
1. In our main story this morning, Niall O’Connor reports that Horse Racing Ireland has closed the Irish racing academy building amid claims of safety risks while back-channel efforts by government and local representatives are underway in an attempt to save the centre.
The Racing Academy and Centre of Excellence (RACE), in Kildare, is the national training school for jockeys, stable staff, racehorse trainers and breeders. It has a residential programme but also runs professional courses.
The Journal understands that HRI moved in last weekend and shut down the centre with immediate effect.
2. A court has heard allegations that the owner of several restaurants in Waterford are operating a “phoenix-style” plan after closing one branch leaving their suppliers down thousands of euro, only to try to reopen the place months later.
Mr Justice Simon McAleese said he’d have had “serious concerns” if Countryglen Limited, the owners of a wine and tapas bar previously known as La Bonita, apply to reopen a restaurant in the Waterford city premises, following accusations of non-compliance with tax and breaches of company law.
3. North Korea has fired “several cruise missiles” into the Yellow Sea between China and the Korean peninsula, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
Pyongyang’s latest provocation comes as concern grows over the whereabouts and wellbeing of a US soldier who made an unauthorised dash into North Korean territory earlier this week, with the reclusive regime so far remaining tight-lipped about the incident.
4. An American tourist who is in a serious condition in hospital after he was attacked by a number of people on Talbot Street in Dublin City had “saved every penny” to make his “dream visit” to Ireland.
Speaking to The Journal, the victim’s sister has said her brother is from Buffalo in New York and was in Ireland to “trace our family that emigrated to the US from Dublin”.
5. Russia has come under pressure at the United Nations Security Council from its ally China and developing countries as well as Western nations to avert a global food crisis and revive Ukrainian grain shipments.
Moscow was also criticised by the UN and council members for attacking Ukrainian ports after pulling out of the year-old grain deal and destroying port infrastructure – a violation of international humanitarian law banning attacks on civilian infrastructure.
6. An infant boy is said to be in a critical condition after being airlifted to hospital following an incident in Co Waterford.
Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances of the incident at a private property in Dungarvan which was reported to them yesterday afternoon.
7. Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said she believes Dublin City is safe, but acknowledges that the capital has problems that need to be addressed.
“I have to stress that whether you’re living here, working here or whether you’re a tourist here. I do think our city is safe but we do like any other city have problems that we need to try and address,” McEntee said.
8. The Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is not giving up on bringing former Director General of RTÉ Dee Forbes and other witnesses in before the committee.
Sinn Féin TD and chair of the PAC, Brian Stanley, has outlined that the committee is seeking for witnesses, who have been invited but have yet to sit before members, to come before them whenever they are available.
9. Ciara Mageean made history yesterday by setting a new national mile record of 4.14.58 as she finished in second place at the Diamond League in Monaco.
Mageean’s superb performance eclipsed Sonia O’Sullivan’s previous record of 4:17.26which has stood since 1994. Mageean’s previous best time was 4:19.03 which she ran in Monaco in 2019.
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