What the papers say: Sunday's front pages

Leo Varadkar's future as taoiseach, plans for Ukraine refugees and Ed Sheeran's joyful return to Croke Park all feature on Ireland's front pages this Sunday.

The Business Post reveals the Government is to establish a new structure to oversee the housing of Ukrainian refugees, following complaints from non-governmental organisations about a lack of coordination and gaps in the current plan.

Leo Varadkar's scheduled return to the role of taoiseach is in doubt, according to the Sunday Independent, as a decision on whether he should face charges over the leak of a document is unlikely to be made before December.

The Sunday Times reports a poll indicates the majority of Irish people want to set a cap on the number of Ukrainian refugees arriving into the country, as the State struggles to find long-term accommodation for those fleeing the Russian invasion.

Ed Sheeran's "Castle on the Hill 16" return to Croke Park is on the front of The Irish Sun on Sunday, along with the story of a Ukrainian woman helping an Irish student flee the war, and his grateful family offering her a home in Galway in return.

The Irish Sunday Mirror reports "sheer delight" at the return of large gigs to Croke Park, while it also details Tánaiste Leo Varadkar's "turmoil" as he faces an anxious wait to see if he will be charged over a leaked private document.

The State will fund IVF treatments for couples who struggle to have children from next year, according to an exclusive report in The Irish Mail on Sunday.

In Britain, Sunday’s front pages report the prime minister is clinging defiantly to power despite the “whirlwind” damage he is doing to the Conservatives ahead of local elections.

The Observer and the Sunday Express carry the latest in the partygate furore that has engulfed Boris Johnson, with the latter saying the “defiant” and “bullish” PM has launched a “full-throttled defence of his premiership”.

Tomorrow’s front page pic.twitter.com/APVsKfdHc4

— The Observer (@ObserverUK) April 23, 2022
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Sunday Express:

Boris: I am the leader Britain needs #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/6eVDV748iB

— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) April 23, 2022

Sunday People focuses on Mr Johnson’s fellow embattled Tory, Rishi Sunak. The paper reports the Chancellor is set to “splash out up to £13,000 a year” to heat his new swimming pool, which is six-and-a-half times the average energy bill for a family home.

Tomorrow's front page: Rishi in hot water again #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/d5h2YilyVh pic.twitter.com/xbkeBTTR4j

— The Sunday People (@thesundaypeople) April 23, 2022

The Sunday Telegraph writes the British home secretary has accused the BBC of “xenophobia” over the UK government’s controversial Rwanda refugee deal, with Priti Patel said to claim the broadcaster’s coverage had “undercurrents” of racism towards the African country.

The front page of tomorrow's Sunday Telegraph:

'BBC guilty of 'xenophobia' over Rwanda refugee deal, Patel claims'#TomorrowsPapersToday

Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/ojUCp3YE8N

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 23, 2022

“P&O scandal sinks to new low,” declares the Sunday Mirror, reporting the ferry operator has been accused of trying to cut the wages of its new low-paid foreign crew.

Tomorrow's front page: P&O sinks to new low #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/v0XETOrxxx pic.twitter.com/0OyQcn3SWE

— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) April 23, 2022

Elsewhere, The Independent focuses on the war in Ukraine, writing that the country’s defiance against Russia will “shape modern history forever”.

The Independent: Destruction and defiance #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/hRQXcM44P3

— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) April 23, 2022

And the Daily Star Sunday splashes with a story about a woman who claims she is terrified to leave the house in case she gets abducted by her “alien visitor stalkers”.