LAST UPDATE | 29 May 2023

GOOD MORNING.

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

Hate speech legislation

1. In our main story this morning, Stephen McDermott looks at how international right-wing figures online have weighed in on Ireland’s proposed hate speech laws.

The Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 passed final stage in the Dáil last month, but critics have aimed to use it as the latest front in an ongoing culture war. 

Blanchardstown fire

2. A fire at a Blanchardstown high-rise apartment complex was brought under control yesterday, with no injuries reported.

Dublin Fire Brigade deployed a turntable ladder to reach the top floors of the complex to extinguish the blaze, as video footage and photos from the scene showed smoke billowing from a number of floors.

Concerns locally are now turning to the number of people who have lost their home and need to be housed.  

Turkey election

3. Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared victory in a historic runoff vote that posed the biggest challenge to his 20 years of transformative but divisive rule.

The 69-year-old leader overcame Turkey’s biggest economic crisis in generations and the most powerful opposition alliance to ever face his Islamic-rooted party to take an unassailable lead.

Near complete results showed him leading secular opposition rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu by four percentage points.

John Caldwell attack

4. Seven men will appear in court today charged with the attempted murder of PSNI Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell.  

Fatal road Accident

5. A motorcyclist has died following a crash involving a car in Co Meath.

Gardaí in Ashbourne are investigating the fatal collision which occurred at Old Ross Cross Road, Dunshaughlin yesterday evening at approximately 6.15p.m.

The male motorcyclist, believe to be aged in his 50s, was seriously injured and removed from the scene to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown where he later passed away. 

College Green ban

6. Private motorists will not be allowed to drive through College Green from today following an expansion of the College Green bus gate.

The current College Green bus corridor will be in place for 24 hours, seven days per week as part of the College Green Pathfinder Project.  

Halt to election observing

7. Ireland was alone among European nations in its decision to completely stop sending election observers at the height of the Covid pandemic, a new investigation from Noteworthy finds. 

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the decision was primarily informed by the government’s Covid-19 legislation and advice on essential travel. 

Tap payments

8. Earlier this month, National Transport Authority CEO Anne Graham told a meeting of Dublin city councillors that it would be “years” before a contactless payment service is implemented on Dublin Bus and other transport services around the country. 

Jane Moore looks at the transport systems in the UK and across Europe that now have the ability to tap on using your bank card or smartphone, but it turns out Ireland is far from alone in not having this option just yet.  

Sport

9. It was an intensely busy weekend on the sporting front, with big days playing across the GAA, soccer and rugby, not to mention other pursuits. 

Munster and All-Ireland hurling champions Limerick survived a key test to eliminate Cork, while elsewhere Wexford managed to avoid relegation with a dramatic comback against rivals Kilkenny. 

In the Premier League, Leeds and Leicester City failed to survive the drop and will ply their trade in the second tier next season. Everton survived in their place.

On Saturday, Munster won the URC to end 12-year trophy drought by downing the Stormers in Cape Town.