LAST UPDATE | 47 mins ago

GOOD MORNING.

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

The Morning Lead

1. Vulnerabilities found in an online database may have seen as many as 12,000 Irish passports sitting in the open and at risk of being picked up by hackers.

Macklemore

2. Two Irish acts have pulled out of Ed Sheeran’s US tour in support of rapper Macklemore.

Delays

3. A network of climate activists are seeking answers to why the 2026 Climate Action Plan has not yet been published – despite 2026 being nearly over.

Defence

4. Ireland is missing out on the economic benefits of Europe’s massive increase in defence spending because it does not have a significant defence industry, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne has said.

Strike

5. The Bar of Ireland has “urged” justice minister Jim O’Callaghan to “bring about a resolution” to the solicitors’ strike before the new legal year begins.

MetroLink

6. Government ministers will this morning sign off on the next stage of the MetroLink project, paving the way for private companies to bid for the construction and operation contracts of the 19km Dublin railway.

Enfield

7. A man aged in his 30s has died after a two-vehicle crash on the M4 in Co Meath.

Clare

8. Gardaí were forced to “stand down” a catering company due to the quality of the food during the visit of Donald Trump to Clare, The Journal has confirmed.  

Pursuit training

9. Garda management has confirmed that they anticipate that just six gardaí will be trained in pursuit driving by the end of the year.