LAST UPDATE | 1 Apr 2022

GOOD MORNING.

Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.

Ambulance pressure in Dublin

1. In our lead story this morning, Garreth MacNamee reports that large numbers of Covid cases, non-emergency calls and logistical problems have put massive pressure on the ambulance service in Dublin in recent days. 

A massive influx in Covid cases, in particular, has led to major delays and shortages for the ambulance service in the capital. 

Ukraine latest

2. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned Russia is consolidating and preparing “powerful strikes” in the country’s east and south, including besieged Mariupol where a new attempt will be made today to evacuate civilians.

Russia meanwhile has threatened to turn off its gas taps to Europe if payments are not made in rubles, as US President Joe Biden ordered a record release of strategic oil reserves to ease soaring US prices.

War crimes

3. Former Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has written to the Garda Commissioner asking that the gardaí take statements from Ukrainian refugees in Ireland as to their direct evidence of war crimes in their homeland.

Speaking to The Journal, the Laois-Offaly TD said he believes the evidence should be documented and used as evidence against Russia in a possible future war crimes tribunal.

Mandatory mask wearing not on the cards

4. The outgoing Chief Medical Officer has not advised the Government to introduce mandatory mask rules for certain settings, amid pressure on hospitals caused by the current Covid-19 wave. 

Dr Tony Holohan recommended to the Cabinet health sub-committee that there be no change to mandatory mask wearing in certain settings, and that the seven-day isolation period for people who test positive for Covid-19 could be shortened following a review.  

Covid in Ireland

5. One in four Irish people said they have tested positive for Covid-19 during the pandemic – with 18% saying they have been ill from it, a survey has found.

The survey also reveals that 90% of Irish people know others who have tested positive for the virus, up 21 percentage points on the May 2021 survey, while 77% know people who have been ill from it.

Seanad by-election

6. Security analyst and columnist for The Journal, Tom Clonan, was elected as Ireland’s latest Senator following the Trinity Seanad by-election.

Clonan beat out Maureen Gaffney in the final count to win by 160 votes, with a total of 5,358 votes. Gaffney received 5,198 votes.

Will Smith and Chris Rock

7. Police officers were ready to arrest Will Smith after he attacked comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars, the show’s producer has said.

In his first public comments since the shocking episode that marred Hollywood’s most important evening, producer Will Packer said he had sat with Rock when officers came to speak to him.

Police in Los Angeles said on Sunday that Rock declined to file a report.

UK conversion therapy

8. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has dramatically dropped plans for the government to ban so-called LGBT conversion therapy.

A leaked Downing Street briefing paper seen by ITV News said “the PM has agreed we should not move forward with legislation” to outlaw the practice.

People fleeing from Ukraine to UK

9. The British wife of a Ukrainian-born woman has said the UK’s visa scheme “completely took away the humanity” of her relatives fleeing the conflict and included a four-year-old being asked: “Are you a terrorist?”