EVERY DAY, TheJournal.ie brings you nine things you need to know with your morning cup of coffee.
1. #ANGLO: Seán FitzPatrick’s appearance at the criminal court in Dublin yesterday continues to dominate the headlines today with all but one of the newspapers leading with the story. Some reports suggest that FitzPatrick could face up to five years in prison if found guilty but the Irish Daily Mail claims that he could face 80 years in prison if convicted of all 16 charges. The paper’s crime correspondent Ali Bracken also writes that a fourth former executive at the bank is to face charges soon.
2. #DRILL, BABY, DRILL: The Irish oil and gas exploration company, Providence, says that there may be over a billion barrels of oil at the Ballyroe Oil Field off the southern Cork coast. In a statement to the London stock exchange, the company said that it is four times more than previous expectations.
3. #PROPERTY TAX: The forthcoming property tax is to be collected by the Revenue Commissioners, it has been confirmed. At its final cabinet meeting before the summer break yesterday, Ministers agreed that the replacement for the household charge will be administered by officials at the Revenue. The tax – which could be based on property or land value – is expected to be introduced next year.
4. #CHILD PROTECTION: The special rapporteur on child protection has recommended that a person be able to apply to the courts to have a child at risk placed in the care system. Geoffrey Shannon’s report, published yesterday, also called for the shortage of foster placements in Ireland to be addressed, for the children’s rights referendum to be held as soon as possible and consider whether greater family support is needed in the current economic climate.
5. #TICKET-GATE: Senator Fidelma Healy Eames has dropped her appeal against a fine by Irish Rail after she boarded a train without a ticket a fortnight ago. The Fine Gael senator told TheJournal.ie that it was important to “remove the focus” from her as she sought to highlight the confusion around purchasing tickets on trains which Irish Rail has also pledged to look at. Company representatives met the senator at Leinster House yesterday.
6. #NO ROOM: The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has issued an urgent appeal to the public after its shelter became completely full in the last 24 hours. The DSPCA says that its shelter is “completely full up of dogs, cats and bunnies”. Anyone interested in rehoming a pet had better click here.
7. #SYRIA: Pro-government troops have hit back at rebels who seized part of Syria’s second city Aleppo with BBC News reporting that fighter jets and helicopters have been attacking targets in the east of the city in a significant escalation in the conflict. But rebel forces fighting the regime of Bashar Assad may be buoyed by the defection of former general and aide to the president, Brigadier General Manaf Tlas.
8. #COLORADO: A judge in the US has ruled that news cameras cannot be in the court when the man accused of killing 12 people and injuring 58 others in a shooting at a cinema theatre in the town of Aurora last week next appears in court. James Holmes is expected to face formal charges on Friday but the cameras will not be able to cover his appearance.
9. #MADONNA: The rain poured but Madonna kept on singing as the 53-year-old played to over 40,000 fans at the Aviva Stadium. Fans reported that the Queen of Pop complained about the rain but it didn’t dampen her spirit too much as she revealed her bare bum and attempted to count to ten in Irish. Were you there? Send any pics or videos into tips@thejournal.ie
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