LAST UPDATE | 22 Apr 2025

GOOD MORNING.

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

Pope Francis funeral 

1. Cardinals will meet this morning for the first time since Pope Francis died to confirm the details of his funeral

Tributes paid to Pope

2. World leaders have paid tribute to the late Pope Francis – including president Michael D Higgins, who said that Francis had spoken out on “the vital issues of our time” such as global hunger and poverty, climate change, the plight of migrants and indigenous people, and the need for global peace and diplomacy.

Francis influence

3. An influential priest, who is a consultant to the Vatican’s communication division, has said Pope Francis did more during his papacy for the LGBTQ+ community than “any Pope in history”

Fatal Westmeath crash

4. A young boy has died after being struck by a car in Mullingar, Co Westmeath yesterday

Junior Cycle grading change

5. Changes to the Junior Cycle grade bands are to come into effect for the upcoming Junior Cycle exams, the Minister for Education Helen McEntee has announced

Prenatal screening

6. The HSE has said that it is moving to provide “equitable access…for all pregnant women” after the maternity care chief warned that people on higher incomes have greater access to the best prenatal screening

Harvard sues Trump

7. Harvard University has sued US President Donald Trump’s administration to stop billions of dollars in proposed cuts, after Trump previously threatened its funding and sought to impose outside political supervision

Motorcyclist dies in Limerick

8. A man in his 20s has died following a road crash in Ardagh, Co Limerick yesterday evening

Joanna Donnelly leaves RTÉ

9. Weather forecaster and meteorologist Joanna Donnelly has left RTÉ News after nearly a decade