Price increase
Bord Gáis has announced its second price hike this year with plans to increase the unit price of electricity and gas by 45.7 per cent and 48.6 per cent respectively.
The latest increases, which are due to come in from October 2nd, follow increases of 43 per cent for electricity and 29 per cent for gas from April.
The changes will impact around 350,000 electricity and 300,000 gas customers.
As standing charges are due to remain unchanged, average electricity bills are expected to rise by 34 per cent (€579), while average gas bills will jump by 39 per cent (€526).
Leaving Cert 2023
Minister for Education Norma Foley has said there will be “no cliff edge” for grades in next year’s Leaving Certificate.
The Fianna Fáil TD said “very similar” accommodations will be made for the Leaving Cert class of 2023 that were made for this year’s students due to the disruption to their schooling by the pandemic.
“For the class of 2023 I can confirm today that accommodations will be made for them in the exam papers, very similar to the accommodations that were announced in August of 2021,” Ms Foley said.
“That’s an acknowledgement that those students have experienced challenges too, not on a par to the class of '22 but they have experienced challenges.”
Murder trial
A man charged with the murder of pensioner Christopher Hall in Balbriggan, Co Dublin last November has been sent forward for trial at the Central Criminal Court.
The father of two (65) was found in his home in Dun Saithne Green, Balbriggan by one of his daughters. He had suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Owen Maughan (20), also of Dun Saithne, Balbriggan, is accused of murdering the pensioner on either November 23th or 24th. He was charged by gardaí in May and was held in custody following a brief hearing.
He appeared before Judge John O’Leary at Cloverhill District Court on Friday when Detective Sergeant Eoin McDonnell served him with a book of evidence.
Square Tallaght parking
The Square Tallaght shopping centre has announced that from next Saturday, September 10th there will be no more free parking.
Prior to the changes, shoppers got two hours' parking for free, with the third hour costing €2
The centre has now announced that from next Saturday a new fully paid and ticketless car parking system will come into operation.
The new system will use vehicle registration capture to replace physical tickets, with new tariffs and payment options.
Donald Trump files
FBI agents who searched former US president Donald Trump’s Florida home found empty folders marked with classified banners, according to a more detailed inventory of the seized material made public by the Justice Department.
The inventory reveals in general terms the contents of 33 boxes taken from an office and a storage room at Mar-a-Lago during the search on August 8.
Though the inventory does not describe any of the documents, it shows the extent to which classified information — including material at the top-secret level — was kept in boxes and containers at the home and commingled among newspapers, magazines, clothing and other personal items.
