1. #COWENGATE: More speculation surrounds Brian Cowen’s future as Taoiseach, with lead stories in the all the Sunday broadsheets proclaiming disquiet in government ranks. The Sunday Business Post leads with Cowen being “on the brink” as his supporting TDs waiting on the results of forthcoming opinion polls. Some TDs, says the SBP, may be ready to support a change in leadership. A change in leadership is exactly what is mentioned on the cover of the Sunday Independent- “Lenihan ready to accept leadership” reads the headline. The Sindo says it has “reason to believe” that Lenihan is ready to step in as leader should Brian Cowen resign. Backbenchers in the Sunday Tribune warn that “open season” is coming after the Trib conducted an anonymous survey of backbench TDs. 48% of those surveyed said they feel that Brian Cowen should resign.
2.#SHEEHAN: Fine Gael TD for Cork South-West Paul Sheehan is in the centre of a brand new controversy, after he threatened to ruin a Garda’s career after she stopped him from driving his car near Leinster House, as reported in the Sunday Independent and News of the World. Sheehan told the Garda, according to an official Garda report, “when we get into power you will get nothing” and that the Garda would be “in trouble for this”. The News of the World reports that Sheehan was “so drunk he could hardly stand as he got into his vehicle after leaving the [Dáil] bar”.
3. #BONDWATCH: In case you didn’t know already, Ireland is facing a “crucial week on the bond markets”, as reported in the Sunday Business Post. International attention, writes Cliff Taylor, “is on the National Treasury Management Agency auction of over €1 billion of debt on Tuesday”.
4. #IGOR: The tiny British dependency of Bermuda is set to be whipped into the maelstrom of Hurricane Igor later today. The island of 67,000 inhabitants was pounded by waves and gusts as the category two storm nears.
5. #ALL-IRELAND: It’s All-Ireland day, and coverage is everywhere in the papers. Most writers seem to be predicting a Cork win, and on the Marian Finucane show yesterday an apparently psychic chicken predicted that the Rebels would lift Sam Maguire. Another ‘psychic’ animal- this time a parrot from Down- predicted that the Mourne Men would win though. Who needs Paul the Octopus, eh?
6. #POPE: The pontiff’s visit to the UK continues today, as does coverage in the newspapers. The headline in The Sunday Times reads “Tears flow as Pope apologises over ‘unspeakable’ sex crimes” and the inside lead, rather hilariously, reads “Is this God’s rottweiler? No, he’s holy grandad”
7. #IVOR: Another story that refuses to end. the Sunday Tribune reports that Senator Ivor Callely has been asked by the Department of Transport to pay back over €3,000 for his double mileage claim.
8. #BOXING: Katie Taylor won another world title last night in Barbados. The Bray woman beat Cheng Dong in the final last night 18-5 on points to claim her third AIBA World Championship and place herself in pole position to qualify for the London Olympics in 2012.
9. #BUDGET: Brian Lenihan has told ministers to cut €300 million worth of tax relief in this year’s budget, reports The Sunday Times.
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