Thursday’s papers focus on the upcoming budget, the murder of Killarney grandmother Miriam Burns and a HSE recommendation to limit homebirths.
The Irish Times reports that taxes on alcohol and cigarettes look set to go untouched in next month’s budget, while a proposal to increase welfare payments by up to €15 a week is facing significant pushback. It also reports that more than 110,000 children are on waiting lists for therapies such as physiotherapy, dietetics, speech and language therapy and disability services, according to new figures.
The Irish Examiner reports that a HSE recommendation to limit homebirths to women who live within 30 minutes of a maternity hospital has been criticised for denying one-fifth of pregnant women the option of a home birth. It also reports that a former Fianna Fáil councillor has appeared in court charged with the harassment of a young woman in Cork City.
The Irish Independent reports that the Coalition is at odds over proposed increase to jobseeker’s allowance in the Budget. Fine Gael fears an increase could disincentivise employment, while Fianna Fáil and the Green Party are in favour of increases in the welfare payment. Meanwhile, Gardaí are investigating whether murdered Killarney grandmother Miriam Burns was the focus of threats and was living in fear of someone known to her.
The Irish Daily Mail reports that creche workers fear their livelihoods are at risk, and the fallout will affect parents across the country after hundreds attended a protest outside Leinster House on Wednesday. Creche workers warn that up to 260 facilities could close due to the cost of living crises.
While the Irish Sun reports on the death of 87-year-old Clare Man Thomas O’Halloran who was fatally attacked in London on Tuesday. The man was stabbed to death while on his mobility scooter by a man who was caught in CCTV.
The Echo also reports on the former Fianna Fáil councillor, Joseph O’Donovan, formerly known as Gary O’Flynn, charged with the harassment of a woman in the city. It also reports that An Bord Pleanála has overturned a decision by Cork City Council in granting conditional planning permission for changes to Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Meanwhile in the UK, The Daily Telegraph and Financial Times report Britain is suffering the worst inflation crisis of any G7 country after consumer prices surged to 10.1% in the year to July – the biggest leap since 1982.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:
'Britain has worst inflation in the G7'#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/20kxQI1CfK— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 17, 2022
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Just published: Front page of the Financial Times, International edition for Thursday 18 August https://t.co/VvLIF1pMbQ pic.twitter.com/WtiKWa8YgW
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) August 17, 2022
The i and Daily Express add that the cost-of-living crisis is predicted to deepen with economists warning interest rates could rise to 4% by January.
Thursday's front page - Inflation UK: Now brace for interest rate hike#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/jcOmrWbx2y
— i newspaper (@theipaper) August 17, 2022
Front page: Inflation rates surge to fight bills crisis #TomorrowsPapersToday
Kate with Federer: https://t.co/YuCMvhDATa pic.twitter.com/jHf7ZIBm3d— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) August 17, 2022
Staying on the cost-of-living crisis, The Guardian splashes with a new study which found 45 million people will be plunged into fuel poverty this winter.
Guardian front page, Thursday 18 August 2022: Cost of living crisis 'to trap 45 million in fuel poverty' pic.twitter.com/jmrTTnCH9p
— The Guardian (@guardian) August 17, 2022
The Daily Star reacts to comments made by Tory contender Liz Truss in a leaked audio recording from 2017 in which she said British workers need to produce “more graft” by calling it “hypocrisy”, noting that the “wannabe PM… remains tight-lipped about the 13 weeks’ holiday” MPs are entitled to.
It's alright for some people 🙄 #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/Nkp8951bfj
— Daily Star (@dailystar) August 17, 2022
Elsewhere, Metro and Daily Mail lead with the stabbing death of pensioner and charity fundraiser Thomas O’Halloran, 87, on his mobility scooter in west London.
Tomorrow's Paper Today 📰
KNIFED TO DEATH ON MOBILITY SCOOTER
🔴 HUNT FOR BLOODIED MAN WITH BLADE AS THOMAS, 87, KILLED pic.twitter.com/EwUn23ySXp— Metro (@MetroUK) August 17, 2022
Thursday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/dcgD3Puf85
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) August 17, 2022
The Times reports tens of thousands of teenagers are expected to miss out on their first-choice university as the “most disrupted school leavers since the Second World War” receive their exam results on Thursday.
Times: Generation Covid faces university rejection #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/i5KYYjo57Q
— George Mann 🫧⚒️🫧 (@sgfmann) August 17, 2022
“Britain’s richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe – worth £15 billion – wants to buy Man Utd,” The Sun writes.
On tomorrow's front page: Britain’s richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe – worth £15 BILLION – wants to buy Man Utd and hold talks with Glazershttps://t.co/gwflOw3l0s pic.twitter.com/astz1h1iuZ
— The Sun (@TheSun) August 17, 2022
Staying at Old Trafford, where the Daily Mirror says striker Cristiano Ronaldo has been cautioned by police after “angrily smashing an autistic boy’s phone to the floor”.
Thursday's front page: Ronaldo police caution.https://t.co/2CXyVGKD5h
#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/uH76nyRiB5— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) August 17, 2022
