NEED TO CATCH up? The Journal brings you a round-up of today’s news.

IRELAND

Leo Arkins (5) in front of Gaia in the Long Room at Trinity College Dublin, an exhibition of the large-scale touring artwork by artist Luke Jerram Marc O'Sullivan Marc O'Sullivan

• TDs have voted in confidence of Justice Minister Helen McEntee following a motion of no confidence tabled by Sinn Féin following the riot in Dublin on 23 November. 
• Social media platform X has responded to claims made by McEntee that the platform did not engage with gardaí when asked to take down posts around the Dublin riot.
• Two referendums will be held on International Women’s Day next year to change constitutional references to ‘women in the home’ and expand the definition of the family.
• Cabinet has signed off on increasing the recruitment age limit from 35 to 50 for members of the gardaí.
• A woman has been arrested as part of a joint investigation being carried out alongside the PSNI into the seizure of cocaine from the MV Matthew cargo ship in September. 
• The Garda file on the Tina Satchwell case is at an “advanced stage”, a court heard this morning.
• Tax revenues in Ireland has bounced back after months of decline, with corporation tax collection levels well up on this time last year. 
• Toll charges on a number of Irish roads will increase for the second time in under a year on 1 January 2024.
• A total of 32 people presented to the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) yesterday and were not provided with accommodation.
• Former Northern Ireland and Celtic footballer Paddy McCourt has successfully appealed against a conviction for a sexual assault.

INTERNATIONAL

Palestinians fleeing the Israeli ground offensive arrive in Rafah, Gaza Strip Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#GAZA: Israeli troops have expanded their offensive into southern Gaza, prompting a UN warning of an “even more hellish scenario” as fighting pushes civilians into a steadily shrinking area of the besieged territory.

#HAMAS ATTACK: Digital devices and documents retrieved from Hamas militants after the 7 October attack reveal years of planning and a very high level of “detail and readiness”, Israeli intelligence officers say.

#MIGRANTS: British Home Secretary James Cleverly has outlined a raft of new restrictions on legal migration which he said will slash the number of people arriving in Britain by 300,000 a year.

PARTING SHOT

Baseball caps are being trialled as part of the new garda uniform in three stations to see whether or not they will become a permanent fixture. 

Gardaí taking part in the pilot will be trying out two different styles – a soft baseball cap and a ‘bump stop cap’. 

The three stations taking part are Ballinasloe and Bantry in Co Cork, and Terenure in Dublin. 

From tomorrow, we will begin a pilot of new operational uniform baseball caps in three stations: Ballinasloe Co. Galway, Terenure, Dublin and Bantry, Co. Cork.

The pilot will include two sample caps: a soft baseball cap and a ‘bump stop’ cap.#KeepingPeopleSafe pic.twitter.com/jG7Dcq5Wg9

— Garda Info (@gardainfo) December 5, 2023

(Click here if you can’t see the tweet)