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

IRELAND

Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

• Psychiatrists told a court that Deirdre Morley fulfils the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of her three children.
• Tánaiste Leo Varadkar revealed that there will no time or capacity limits on pubs and restaurants when outdoor hospitality returns in three weeks’ time.
• The Minister for Justice signed new regulations to allow the families of victims of the Stardust disaster to access legal aid.
• Pfizer announced that it is set to invest in its west Dublin plant to begin producing Covid-19 vaccines.
• 503 more cases of Covid-19 were recorded in Ireland.
• Some TDs and senators called on the Government to consider paying a ransom to the HSE hackers.
• Rafael Karaczyn was found guilty of murder after strangling his wife to death in 2018.
• A child died after being struck by a vehicle in Longford.
• A man was charged in connection with the disappearance of two boys in Belfast last Friday.
• Two Status Yellow weather warnings were issued and will take effect from midnight tonight.

INTERNATIONAL

PA PA

#TENSIONS: Members of Northern Ireland’s Loyalist Communities Council told a House of Commons committee that violence might be used as a “last resort” to resolve the issue of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

#PALESTINE: US President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he expects “significant de-escalation” in the country’s military confrontation with Palestine.

#DEMI LOVATO: US pop star Demi Lovato shared that they are non-binary and will start using the pronouns they/them.

PARTING SHOT

Last night, the government announced a range of measures aimed at tackling the bulk buying of residential properties by so-called ‘cuckoo funds’.

However, the measures – which have come in response to growing criticism of the practice – were themselves criticised for not going far enough.

Housing analyst Dr Rory Hearne (who caused a bit of a stir when he wrote for us about the crisis two weeks ago) was among those to hit out at the government today, accusing those in charge of “bottling it”:

Generation Rent, Generation Locked out, Generation Stuck at home, and our children’s children will pay a massive price in lost dreams, stunted ambition, emigration, lost lives, poverty, and homelessness.

It is illogical that the proposed restriction on bulk purchasing of houses relates only to new planning permissions, and do not apply to units with planning permission already.

You can read his full take on the new measures for The Journal here.

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