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GOOD EVENING
The 5 at 5 5 minutes, 5 stories, 5 o’clock…
EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, TheJournal.ie brings you the five stories you need to know by 5pm.
1. #TWEETGATE: Former presidential candidate Sean Gallagher has written to communications minister Pat Rabbitte asking for a full public inquiry into the production of RTE’s Frontline presidential debate. In the letter – which you can read here – Gallagher says that fresh allegations over Tweetgate have brought the public trust in RTE into question.
2. #EDUCATION: The trade union representing primary school teachers has criticised Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn over a major expansion of the country’s schools. Quinn said today that some 149 new primary and secondary schools are to be built over the next five years at a cost of €1.5 billion – but the INTO disputes the figures, saying the vast majority of buildings will be replacements rather than brand new schools.
3. #ANGLO-IRISH RELATIONS: Taoiseach Enda Kenny and British Prime Minister David Cameron have signed a declaration of cooperation between Britain and Ireland for the next decade, saying they hope to see stronger links between the countries in the next ten years. The leaders discussed economic growth, Northern Ireland, Europe, and global challenges at the meeting in London today.
4. #HEALTH: The government has abolished restrictions on doctors which stopped them from treating medical card holders. Minister for Health James Reilly said today that new legislation will give medical card and GP visit cardholders a greater choice of doctors.
5. #WHAT THE…: Homeless people are being used as wireless internet hotspots at one of the biggest technology conferences in the world. Under the scheme, run by an advertising agency at the SXSW festival, the homeless people wear t-shirts saying ‘I am a 4G hotspot’ and allow people nearby to access the network.
