Childcare providers' protest
Hundreds of childcare providers across the country are expected to close in protest at what they say is an inadequate funding model, leaving thousands of parents without childcare provision.
The providers say they have been marginalised by the new model, announced by the Government this year, which has not helped them pay mounting costs.
The Federation of Early Childhood Providers (FECP) said around 500 of its members funded through the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme will take part in Friday’s closures.
Providers said they feel they have no option but to take the action, with a possibility of “rolling” closures in the run-up to Christmas.
Woman (40s) charged in connection with murder of Lisa Thompson
A woman in her 40s has been charged in connection with the murder of Lisa Thompson in Dublin.
Ms Thompson (52) was found with stab wounds in her home at Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun on May 10th this year.
A man in his 30s is already before the courts charged with her murder.
Gardaí arrested and charged the woman on Friday morning following direction from the Director of Public Prosecutions. The woman will appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice at 10.30am.
Ulster Bank to start freezing accounts
There was an uptick in account closures at Ulster Bank and KBC Bank in October, the Central Bank of Ireland said, as the first Ulster Bank accounts are to be frozen from Friday.
Ulster Bank and KBC Bank announced in 2021 that they plan to leave the Irish market, affecting hundreds of thousands of people and businesses in Ireland.
Customers are being given six months’ notice that their accounts will be closed, with Ulster Bank indicating earlier this year that it was sending 20,000 letters a week out to customers to notify them of the looming closures.
It said customers would also be notified through texts, the mobile app, follow-up letters, emails, and calls.
Woman dies after being struck by car in Co Kilkenny
A woman has died after being hit by a car in Co Kilkenny.
Gardaí said the incident happened on the N10 at Spring Hill at about 5.20pm on Thursday.
The woman, aged in her mid 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the car did not require medical treatment.
The road where the collision occurred was closed following the incident and local diversions were put in place.
A technical examination of the scene is due to be carried out by garda forensic collision investigators on Friday morning.
The local coroner has been notified and a postmortem examination will be arranged.
Gardai at Kilkenny are appealing for witnesses to come forward. They are also appealing to road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) from the scene of the collision to make this available to them.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Kilkenny Garda Station on 056-7775000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666-111, or any garda station.
Only 18% of people who experience adult abuse report it
Only 18 per cent of people who experience adult abuse report it to gardaí or the HSE, new research shows.
Almost half of adults (44 per cent) said they had personally had experience of abuse, according to the RED C poll published on Friday.
Of those who had experienced abuse, four in 10 said they did nothing at all about it. The reason cited by half of these people for not taking action about it was that they did not know what to do.
Just 9 per cent of people reported it to gardaí and 9 per cent discussed it with a health and social care professional.
Rishi Sunak ‘confident’ of negotiated solution to NI Protocol talks
British prime minister Rishi Sunak has said he is “confident” of a negotiated solution being found to the Northern Ireland Protocol issues.
Mr Sunak said “goodwill and pragmatism” would be needed but that a way through should be found.
He added that he wanted a resolution to be found to allow the powersharing institutions at Stormont to be restored.
Mr Sunak was speaking after his first official meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the British-Irish Council summit in Blackpool.
Mr Sunak, who is the first prime minister to attend the summit in 15 years, described his meeting with Mr Martin as “very positive”.
The Taoiseach said he welcomed the opportunity Mr Sunak so soon after his appointment. “It clearly demonstrates the importance of the relationship between Ireland and Britain.
“People and businesses in Northern Ireland have been crystal clear that they want agreed solutions to the Protocol issues and now is the time to do so."
