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EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine things you need to know as you kick off your day…
1. #ASSAULT: A 20-year-old man who was critically injured in an assault in Mullingar in the days before Christmas has died from his injuries. 20-year-old Andrew Dolan was attacked in the early hours of December 23.
2. #ROADS: Motorists have been urged to take caution on Ireland’s roads this morning, after an overnight freeze – and snow in some parts of the country – left treacherous conditions, and black ice, in many parts of the country.
3. #HARD TIMES: Among those feeling the pinch of the spending cuts in the Budget today are Ireland’s former taoisigh – with the Irish Times pointing out that the New Year means the end of paid secretarial assistants and mobile phone expenses. Hardest hit will be Bertie Ahern – who had received over €377,000 in such expenses since stepping down in 2008.
4. #VITA CORTEX: Protests at the former Vita Cortex plant in Co Cork – where staff are seeking improved redundancy payments – will escalate today when the families of the 32 affected employees join the sit-in which has been continuing there since December 16. SIPTU is also upping its campaign at the former foam packaging plant.
5. #NURSING HOMES: Local-run public nursing homes faced with closure could be taken over by local communities with government support, James Reilly believes. The health minister told the Irish Times’ Martin Wall that the government could intervene to stop public homes from being closed, with ‘different combinations of measures’ available.
6. #VACANT SITES: An Irish body has suggested that vacant or derelict sites around the country – including many of those owned by NAMA – should be used for community projects. The Irish Planning Institute says the sites could be used for low-cost projects and that planning restrictions could be eased.
7. #SYRIA: The Arab League has been urged to withdraw its observer mission to Syria, amid fears that the presence of outsiders was distracting attention from the continued clampdown on anti-government protests.
8. #MURRAY VALLEY: Health authorities in Australia have warned of a possible outbreak of a rare but deadly disease. The mosquito-borne Murray Valley disease has been found in chickens – the first time it has been spotted since the 1970s – and if passed to humans can cause long-term neurological problems.
9. #REUNITED: A Swedish woman has been reunited with her wedding ring – 16 years after losing it – after finding it growing around a carrot in her garden. The Telegraph tells us how the woman took off the ring while doing her Christmas baking in 1995 – when the ring fell into the sink, was mixed with potato peels, and then either composted or fed to a sheep.
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I was wondering what carrot her ring was…… Oh jeez I am a ticket ha ha ha
Losing expenses eh? Isn’t it amazing that if you’re Joe Soap you have to pay for everything from your paltry or modest wages but if you’re a politician it’s all covered and you’d need not touch the aul ‘take-home’, different world.
A thought just hit me, it’s a bit ironic to call it a ‘bank’ holiday when they seem to be at the root of our current troubles! Should it not be renamed? To maybe something like ‘Endless Debt’ holiday!
Today isn’t actually a bank holiday. Yesterday was.
Sundays can’t be Bank Holidays. Today is the holiday, in lieu of 1 January falling on a Sunday.
(Similarly, Tuesday 27th December was a bank holiday in lieu of Christmas Day.)
Although the majority of firms and business are treating it as such, there are only 9 public (bank) holidays a year. Can’t find any official source that says otherwise but I’m open to correction :)
Monday to Fridays can only be bank holidays hence the name because Banks only open Monday to Friday so it is Monday’s that were put in place to give bank officials their day So Yes today is a bank holiday
Yes, and the New Year’s Day Bank Holiday is one of those nine. But just because it has ‘New Year’s Day’ in the title, it doesn’t mean it has to take place on January 1!
It should be noted, by way of clarity, that public holidays and bank holidays aren’t the same thing. Today is a bank holiday but not a public holiday. Similarly, Good Friday is not a public holiday.
Meh! Here in Sweden, if the holiday falls on the weekend (Christmas or whatever) it’s tough shite! I think the Easter weekend is the only exception. Can’t remember due to failing memory…
Although we are off this coming Friday. Scant consolation.
Nice things to know.. Lol that cracked me up!!
don,t forget to go out and register for the new tax,s brought in this week to keep our overlords happy in their over inflated pensions and wages
I understand the heading as it’s the regular start to these intros,…. But ‘nice things to know …’ mulling assault victim dies….!!! Not the best use of words… Top of page ^^
@Dan – It’s nine things to know, not nice things.
Oooo that’s gotta hurt! :)
@gavreilly the first item above refers to the death of a young man in Mullingar but when I clicked on the link to read more it took me to the story about black ice etc ???????
Oops – I inserted the wrong link. Fixed now.
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