More than 131,000 students to begin State exams today
More than 131,000 students will begin their Leaving Certificate, Applied and Junior Cycle examinations this morning.
This year marks the full return of externally delivered examinations for all candidates since the year before the Covid pandemic.
The numbers expected to sit exams this year has increased by six per cent compared to the last time a full set of examinations was run in 2019.
The Minister for Education Norma Foley is wishing student well this morning and commended them for showing such resilience during the pandemic.
Ms Foley said: "They have shown tremendous resilience, determination and focus over these past two years, and they've been an extremely challenging two years, but they've just got on with the work at hand.
Huge jump in young adults requiring treatment for cocaine addiction
A new report from the Health Research Board, which examines substance use among young people in Ireland, has found treatment for cocaine use among young people increased by 171 per cent between 2011 and 2019.
One-in-three drinkers aged 15-24 years in Ireland has an alcohol use disorder and, despite a decrease in binge-drinking, adolescents rank seventh out of 35 In Europe for reports of being drunk.
Meanwhile, a specialist in substance abuse at the Dublin based Priory Medical Clinic has warned that Irish people have a tendency to "revel in and laugh at" our poor relationship with alcohol.
Taoiseach addresses European Parliament
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said Britain’s plans to act unilaterally over the Northern Ireland Protocol would be “deeply damaging” and mark a “historic low point”.
Addressing the European Parliament, Mr Martin said the UK government’s proposed legislation to override key parts of the Brexit deal would be “to the benefit of absolutely no-one”.
The Taoiseach also said during his visit to Strasbourg that he disagrees with the UK government’s handling of the protocol and accused it of failing to engage with the EU.
His comments come amid a stand-off between the UK and the EU over the protocol, an agreement designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland but which instead created fresh checks on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Workers to be offered three free vouchers for remote working hubs
Hybrid workers will be offered free days at a series of remote working hubs across the country.
It is part of a series of new initiatives to be unveiled by Government today to incentivise people to ditch the office and work in their communities instead.
It will see workers given vouchers for three days use of remote working hubs. The three days will be offered between now and the end of August.
Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys is also set to announce a €5 million fund aimed at building and enhancing 81 remote working hubs across the country.
Republic of Ireland’s Nations League tie with Ukraine
The Republic of Ireland will attempt to bounce back from their disappointment in Armenia as they welcome Nations League rivals Ukraine to the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Stephen Kenny’s men lost 1-0 in Yerevan in a game they had high hopes of winning to end their drought in the competition and – on paper at least – Oleksandr Petrakov’s men represent significantly-stronger opposition despite their heart-breaking World Cup exit in Wales.
