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LAST UPDATE | 12 Mar 2025
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news you need to know as you start the day.
1. Micheál Martin’s visit to the White House may be about to get trickier, as the EU has announced a raft of what it’s calling “countermeasures” against the US affecting steel and aluminium goods.
It follows Donald Trump’s previously announced tariffs on steel and aluminium imports taking effect globally overnight, “with no exceptions or exemptions” as promised by the White House.
2. European military powers are to meet in Paris today to advance peace talks for Ukraine, after it endorsed a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.
The talks will be attended by the United Kingsdom, France, Germany, Italy and Poland.
3. Back to the Taoiseach, and former White House press secretary Sean Spicer has given his advice for his St Patrick’s Day meeting with Trump later today: do not bring up Gaza or other issues that he says won’t directly impact Ireland during.
Speaking to our Political Correspondent Jane Matthews in Washington DC last night, Spicer said he does not believe it would be a smart diplomatic move for Micheál Martin to raise Gaza during today’s St Patrick’s Day meeting.
4. Stepping away from global affairs for a moment, our main story this morning looks at over a quarter of first-aid training providers audited last year had their certification revoked by the sector’s regulator due to “unacceptable” standards.
Valerie Flynn reports that low levels of compliance with quality standards have been identified at a number of institutions across the sector, with four groups delisted in 2023.
Trained first aid responders are required by law in workplaces nationwide, but published and unpublished audits reviewed by The Journal reveal widely varying standards at the institutions providing this training.
5. Two boys who were aged 13 and 15 when they allegedly raped a 16-year-old girl in a car during a St Stephen’s Day race meeting have gone on trial in Cork in relation to the alleged incident.
A sitting of the Central Criminal Court in the city heard that the teenagers, who are now 15 and 17, allegedly raped and sexually assaulted a secondary school student in a car at Limerick race course in Patrickswell, Co Limerick, on 26 December 2022.
6. Two men were arrested yesterday as searches have been carried out of countryside near Cork city in a major operation targeting suspected dissident republicans.
Sources believe the men are linked to the activities of dissidents in Cork – one theory being explored by gardaí is that they are linked to the Real IRA.
7. The right leaning opposition won the most votes in Greenland’s parliamentary elections, a surprise result as the territory went to the polls in the shadow of US President Donald Trump’s stated goal of taking control of the island.
The island of 56,000 people has been on a path towards independence since at least 2009 and the top parties from the ballot all favour independence from Denmark.
8. A man is being treated for serious injuries after he was hit by a car in Limerick in the early hours of this morning.
9. Hopes of another Champions League title for Liverpool were ended by Paris St Germain in a penalty shootout after the French champions won their last-16 tie at Anfield.
Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones found themselves denied by PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during penalties, leaving PSG to win the shoot-out 4-1.
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