GOOD MORNING TO ye lucky lot who are still in bed.

Here’s some news to scroll through while your head is still on the pillow.

1. Homelessness

The number of complaints made by people staying in homeless hostels run by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) rose from 34 last year to 122 so far in 2021 – that’s over a three-fold increase to date this year.

2. Charlie Bird is fearful, but strong

Veteran broadcaster Charlie Bird has spoke about dealing with his Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis, saying he probably won’t have his voice in three or four months’ time.

He said he remembers being diagnosed, and being told not read a piece of paper he was given, but his curiosity got the better of him.

I read it. And it said ‘Charlie Bird has a terminal illness’. We went home together crying because what can you do? You can’t change it. So now we’re getting on with life and trying to deal with it.

3. United Ireland

A poll by the Irish Times/ Ipsos MRBI indicates support for a united Ireland now or in the longterm: with 20% responding that it was ‘very important’, and 52% saying it wasn’t very important, but that they would ‘like to see it someday’.

In a poll asking people their voting intentions, 62% said they would vote for Northern Ireland to leave the UK and unify with Ireland, while 16% said they would vote for Northern Ireland to stay as part of the UK.

Strong disagreement to a new flag, a new national anthem, higher taxes and re-joining the Commonwealth was also expressed in the same poll.

4. Tax breaks

The Irish Independent is reporting that the Government is planning tax cuts of up to €600 a year by widening income bands over the next three years.

5. Omicron in Great Britain

There are no plans to change Covid regulations in Northern Ireland over the Christmas period, First Minister Paul Givan has said, but also warned that new hospitality restrictions introduced in Ireland could lead to more people travelling across the border

He has urged the Irish Government to “properly engage and communicate” with the Executive over changes to its regulations amid fears of the Omicron variant is spreading in parts of Great Britain, where case numbers are doubling every two to three days.

6. Mexico-US immigration 

Mexico has urged Washington to rethink its migration policy after a horror road accident killed 55 people attempting to migrate in a truck on a major transit route to the US.

Thousands attempt the long, often dangerous, and expensive journey every year to escape violence and poverty in their home nations in South and Central America.

7. Another Christmas Brexit deal

The UK and the European Union will step up efforts to reach an agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol before Christmas after negotiators failed to find consensus once again.

Brexit minister David Frost  said “intensive talks” would continue next week. He and his opposite number will double how often they meet “in the hope of making worthwhile progress towards agreed solutions before Christmas”.

8. The Monkees signer

Tributes have been sent overnight for the singer and guitarist with The Monkees Michael Nesmith, who has died at the age of 78.

9. Statue-toppling court case

The Guardian is reporting that the high-profile artist Banksy has made T-shirts that he says he will be selling to support four people facing trial accused of criminal damage over the toppling of a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol.