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GOOD MORNING

The 9 at 9 Calls for reinstatement of ceiling hoists funding, Cowen says “enough is enough” on energy crisis and the Irish Air Corps in the US.

GOOD MORNING. 

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

Accessibility

1. In our lead story this morning, Michelle Hennessy reports that the parents of a six-year-old girl with multiple disabilities have called for urgent action from the government to restore funding for ceiling hoists in the homes of older people and people with disabilities.

Alexis O’Mahony, who lives with her parents in Killarney, Co Kerry, has pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency, a type of metabolic disease. She also has Cerebral Palsy, severe developmental delays and partial dislocation of her hip.

Funding for ceiling hoists was provided by local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grant for Older people and People with a Disability, but in late 2020, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage issued guidance to local authorities stating that ceiling hoists should not be included in the this scheme.

Outage outrage

2. TD Barry Cowen has said that the Department of the Environment, EirGrid and the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) are “all asleep at the wheel” and must be held accountable for the energy crisis. 

Speaking to The Journal, the Fianna Fáil TD said the generation shortage “has now spiralled out of control”, with the possibility of consumers being left without power to heat and light their homes “for the first time in decades”. 

“Enough is enough. I want to see those responsible for the current crisis held accountable for their actions or inactions,” added Cowen.

Debunked

3. A statistic showing that Covid-19 was the sole cause of 183 deaths in Ireland over the course of the pandemic has been widely shared on social media by individuals and groups who are sceptical about the public health methods used to tackle the spread of the virus.

A number of social media posts sharing the figure have racked up hundreds of shares on various platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and fringe sites such as Gettr.

However, this figure – widely reported in Irish media, including by The Journal – has been taken out of context and the claims mis-represent the actual role of Covid in the deaths of thousands of people in Ireland.

Air Corps

4. Irish Air Corps personnel who work on the helicopter fleet have travelled to the US to help US Air Force crews adjust to a new aircraft.

The trip at the start of August saw three Air Corps experts visit the 20th Air Force at FE Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.

Tripoli

5. Clashes between backers of Libya’s rival governments killed at least 23 people and damaged six hospitals in Tripoli on Saturday, sparking fears that a political crisis could spiral into a major new armed conflict.

Small arms fire and explosions rocked several districts of the capital overnight and into Saturday, when smoke could be seen rising from damaged buildings.

Tensions

6. Two US warships have sailed through the Taiwan Strait, the American navy said, the first such transit since China staged unprecedented military drills around the island.

In a statement, the US Navy said the transit “demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Zaporizhzhia

7. Ukraine and Russia traded fresh accusations of shelling at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant yesterday, as its operator warned of a radioactive leak risk at the atomic facility.

Operator Energoatom said Russian troops “repeatedly shelled” it over the past day, while Russia’s defence ministry issued a counter-claim that Ukraine’s troops were responsible for a salvo of 17 shells landing on the site.

Olivia Pratt-Korbel

8. Police investigating the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool urged people to come forward with information so they can “bring those responsible to justice”, as two suspects were released on bail.

Officers said they need to be able to “build up a strong evidential picture” after Olivia’s killing and reiterated their appeal for information about a vehicle at the scene on the night of the shooting.

Centenary

9. About 450 Gardaí took part in a parade yesterday marking 100 years since the first Garda commissioner led Ireland’s new police service into Dublin Castle for the handover of policing duties from the British.

The gardaí retraced the steps of Michael Staines and his force, which marched from the Gresham Hotel in O’Connell Street to Dublin Castle via Dame Street a century ago.