‘Boris’ and ‘Betty’ the Bowmouth Guitar Sharks get acquainted at the National Sealife centre in Birmingham today (Image: David Jones/PA Wire).

HERE ARE THE things you need to know as we round off the day in three easy steps.

THINGS WE LEARNED:

#BUDGET 2013: Several budget measures have already come into effect following votes in the Dáil last night and Finance Minister Michael Noonan has defended the PRSI increases, saying they are the ‘best value taxpayers can get’. Meanwhile, Minister Brendan Howlin said today that yesterday may have seen the last December Budget…

#CHILD BENEFIT: Two Labour TDs have formally requested a meeting with Social Protection Minister Joan Burton in a last-ditch attempt to avert the planned cuts to child benefit. Eamonn Maloney and Michael Conaghan, are believed to be trying to pressure their party to roll back on the planned cuts.

#OSCE: The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has told an OSCE conference in Dublin that she has “a growing concern for the future of this organisation and the values it has always championed”. Before her speech today, she met with 11 civil society activists from around the world to listen to their concerns about repression in their nations.

#RECYCLING: Customers of Greyhound Recycling in Dublin will be charged for recycling household rubbish in bags from tomorrow. In a letter to customers today the company blamed “the high cost of distribution” of recycling bags and the “sharp fall in the market value of recyclables”.

#FLAG ROW: The Alliance Party has called for the Northern Ireland Assembly to unite against attacks on the homes and offices of its members in the last few days. Several heated demonstrations have been held in Antrim and Down following a decision by Belfast City Council to stop flying the union flag every day.

#DRESS CODE: Proceedings in the Dáil were suspended for almost ten minutes earlier amid a row over comments attributed to the Ceann Comhairle in an interview about a possible dress code for TDs. Luke Flanagan raised the issue in the chamber and asked Seán Barrett to “desist from making comments about the way I dress”.

Finnish Artti Rahko poses with his unique, self-made, absolutely mental looking car at the motor show in Essen, Germany (Martin Meissner/AP).

THINGS WE LOVED:

• “Steal not this book for fear of shame” – a dying art, these book dedications warmed our hearts.
• Speaking of books, we loved this very creative Christmas tree built with them.
• This video, filmed by a super slow motion camera, shows the wild cheetahs at Cork’s Fota Wildlife Park in action.

(Upladed by WavebreakM)

THINGS WE SHARED:

• Scrooge ain’t got nothing on this kitty. It’s Buzzfeed’s 12 Days of Grumpy Cat Christmas.
• There was widespread panic yesterday as Michael Noonan announced a €1 duty on bottles of wine. These 7 people were really keen to stock up before midnight.
• DOGS CAN DRIVE NOW. This driving school in New Zealand trains students of the canine variety.

(Uploaded by palepupavankumar)

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