Here's What Happened Today: Wednesday

Here’s your round-up of what made headlines today.

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

virus-outbreak-ireland A man walks past a closed bar in Dublin city centre Peter Morrison Peter Morrison

Anger is mounting in government circles today that ministers and senior officials first heard about the contact tracing issue through the media.
A further 1,167 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Ireland.
The INMO’s general secretary has told the Oireachtas Health Committee that, for each of the last two weeks, 50 nurses have been infected with Covid-19 while at work.
Paschal Donohoe has been told by Ulster Bank that “no decision has yet been taken” on the future of the bank’s operations in Ireland.
Electric Ireland has announced a moratorium on disconnecting customers who struggle to pay their energy bills.
Gardaí are investigating whether members of a jury were secretly recorded during a recent criminal trial in Dublin.
A midwife convicted of a money laundering offence has brought a High Court challenge against the HSE’s decision to dismiss her from her employment.
A DUP minister has said he never made any attempt to “attribute the spread of Covid-19″ to religion, after controversial comments over the difference between the spread of the virus in nationalist and unionist areas.

halloween-treats A giraffe enjoys a pumpkin treat at the Wild Place Project in Bristol Ben Birchall Ben Birchall

#BREXIT: Another round of post-Brexit trade talks between the EU and UK are to take place in London this week.

#LGBT: Pope Francis has endorsed same-sex civil unions for the first time since becoming head of the Catholic Church.

#LONDON: Two people have died following a suspected gas explosion and building collapse in Southall, London.

Ireland is to move to Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions from midnight tonight, in an effort to curb the rising level of cases.

This week’s episode of The Explainer podcast looks at how Ireland ended up at this point.

https://soundcloud.com/the-explainer-podcast/what-led-to-ireland-moving-to-level-5-restrictions