EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, TheJournal.ie brings you the five stories you need to know before you head out the door.
1. #THATCHER: The former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher has died aged 87. Thatcher, who had led the British government between 1979 and 1990, suffered a stroke and died peacefully this morning, her spokesman Lord Bell said. She had suffered a number of strokes since 2002, and had been suffering from dementia for some time.
2. #TRIBUTES: Irish tributes to the late Margaret Thatcher have been mixed, with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams saying that she “did great hurt to the Irish and British people” and that she would be “especially remembered for her shameful role during the epic hunger strikes of 1980 and ’81.” Meanwhile, President Michael D Higgins said that as Great Britain’s first female prime minister, her “place in history is secure” and that her impact and legacy would be “discussed and debated for many years.” An Taoiseach Enda Kenny called her a “formidable political leader”.
3. #TIT BONHOMME: An investigation into the sinking of the Tit Bonhomme in West Cork last year has found that the biggest factor in the tragedy was fatigue, with crew having only gotten about four to five hours sleep over a 40-hour period. The fishing vessel sank near Glandore Harbour in West Cork on 15 January 2012, leading to the deaths of five of the six crew members. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board’s investigation also found that the crew were not familiar with operating safety and communications equipment.
4. #SAVITA: Praveen Halappanavar has said that the inquest into the death of his wife Savita will be “very tough” for him. The inquest begun today in Galway and is expected to last a week. The medics who treated Savita will be among those called to give evidence at the inquest. Nearly 70 statements have been gathered from hospital staff, police and other sources ahead of the inquest.
5. #WATER CHARGES: Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said that domestic water charges will not be introduced in January 2014, due to the fact that meters would not be installed in time. Gilmore’s comments come only days after Minister for Environment Phil Hogan appeared to indicate that the charges would come into effect from next January – citing the demands of the EU-IMF Troika.
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