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The 9 at 9 Every morning, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine things you need to know as you kick off your day.

EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine things you need to know as you kick off your day.

1. #REFERENDUM: Taoiseach Enda Kenny has asserted that the Fiscal Compact will not be changed, following last night’s meeting of EU leaders – meaning there is no reason to delay the referendum taking place in seven days’ time. Kenny said if leaders agreed new growth plans, they would be contained in a separate document which would not affect the first one.

2. #REFERENDUM: On other matters referendum-based, the Referendum Commission has asked An Post to stop inserting other referendum-related leaflets into its own impartial guide – after a number of people around the country reported finding the leaflet from the EFD group, which includes UKIP, tucked inside the official document.

3. #BRING GARY HOME: The people of Swinford have rallied around the family and friends of the young man who died in the Southeast Asian country of Laos last weekend as attempts are made to bring his remains home. Locals say there has been some “red tape” in trying to have the remains of Gary Price returned back to Ireland.

4. #FEES: A day after the national students’ union asserted it would be retaining its policy of seeking totally exchequer-funded education, it has emerged that the Higher Education Authority may recommend doubling the student contribution. The Irish Times says the charge of €2,250 could be sent to €5,000 – while the Irish Independent says it could be €6,000.

5. #MENTAL HEALTH: Amnesty International has said that the provision of mental health services in Ireland continued to be inadequate in 2011, while the country’s prisons continue to fall below standards. Its report  said there continued to be “significant delays” for asylum applicants in Ireland to have their needs or application assessed.

6. #GOING NUCLEAR: Talks in Baghdad about opening Iran’s nuclear programme to inspectors are continuing, after a shaky start yesterday in which the two sides issued opposing proposals. The immediate differences between Iran and the international coalition had threatened to kill off the talks before they had even begun.

7. #JOBSWATCH: Hewlett Packard’s Irish operations have reportedly declined to comment on whether plans to cut 27,000 jobs worldwide will have an impact on its Irish workforce. The company employs 4,000 in Clonskeagh, Leixlip and Galway.

8. #WEATHERWATCH: Yes, we know it’s the last week of May, but seriously… break out the sunscreen. Karl Mehlhorn of the Irish Weather Network says temperatures will be staying above 20°C for the rest of the week, with the sunshine continuing into the weekend – bring with it a high UV risk.

9. #WUH-OH: Eurovision organisers yesterday gave Ireland another reason not to win the competition this year – by announcing that the 2013 final will be held on the same day as the Heineken Cup final. Dublin’s O2 would be considered the most likely venue to host the contest, with the city already crammed from the game in the Aviva three hours earlier.

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9 Comments
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    Mute Aoife O'Rourke
    Favourite Aoife O'Rourke
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    May 24th 2012, 8:57 AM

    So we want the kids to attend secondary school but only the middle class and above to go to college. It’s difficult to get them to stay in school as it it. If there’s nothing available after school why should they endure it! This drives me mad. I know college, even school isn’t for everyone but at least it should be an option for everyone not just those who can afford it..

    62
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    Mute Cathal Hogan
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    May 24th 2012, 8:44 AM

    Yikes, fees of 5000 euro. That’s an awful lot given my two sisters and I are all in college and our brother will be in two years, at which rate it’ll be higher again!
    But at least it’ll be sunny for a few days, right?!

    61
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    Mute Andrea Rock Massey
    Favourite Andrea Rock Massey
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    May 24th 2012, 9:03 AM

    Where on earth is the Labour Party? Before we know it, college will be something for the privileged alone in this country.

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    Mute Dave Harris
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    May 24th 2012, 9:16 AM

    Yeah, where is the Labour Party?
    If they are not very careful they will go the way of the PD’s and the Greens.
    This college fee thing would be a good one for them to get stuck into to show that they still exist

    29
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    Mute Aidan Kelly
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    May 24th 2012, 11:26 AM

    The Labour Party are presently lying on their backs getting shafted by Fine Gael. Ruairi Quinn has undertaken a bizarre and highly damaging cuts programme to the National Schools network. My local National School will have lost 4 teachers in a year thanks to the wonderful Labour Party. Shame on them. By the way, 4 teachers represents a massive chunk of last year’s complement of teachers in the school. Its not as if the school is a big school.

    6
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    Mute Siobhán Ní Chorcora
    Favourite Siobhán Ní Chorcora
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    May 24th 2012, 11:00 AM

    If they raise the fees anymore than they already have they will squeeze thousands of students out of college and university …. Me included …. I’m lucky that my parents pay my accommodation costs … But everything else is paid for by my grant … If the government even raise the fees by another thousand euros it makes it practically nonviable for me to attend college anymore …. They’re already after taking away my grant for post-grads, I hope that I don’t have to leave college half way through my degree because of this

    8
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    Mute John Conniffe
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    May 24th 2012, 9:22 AM

    True, but it seems like a choice between affordable Universities with very low ratings or expensive Universities with decent ratings. Most of the highest rated universities in the are private and extremely expensive, but they can afford the best academics and can offer good scholarship and grant programmes. The money just isn’t in Ireland to pay for free, high quality Universities. Private sector sponsorship could be the only viable option..

    7
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    Mute Irish Eamonn
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    May 24th 2012, 9:26 AM

    SDZeitung is reporting that Mr Hollande didn’t bring up the Fiscal Treaty because he wants to keep the issue of ratification as a potential bargaining chip in the next stage of negotiations. It says that he won’t confirm whether or not Eurobonds are a condition for ratification.

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    Mute Shayno ZO
    Favourite Shayno ZO
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    May 24th 2012, 11:07 AM

    It was on sky news that France/Spain and basically everyone bar Germany yet again want the banks in Spain and where ever else will need it to get recapitalized done so from the European central bank.

    This should have great retrospective action for our bank debt or it would be double standards. Germany of course want the countries the banks are in to make the bank debts sovereign like we did, meaning the debt will be guaranteed keeping their banks safe from their gambling debts..

    You have to hand it to them.

    4
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