Co Sligo aggravated burglary
Gardaí in Sligo are renewing their appeal for information on an aggravated burglary, which has left a man in a critical condition in hospital.
Thomas Niland (73) is on life support in hospital following a serious assault in his home in Skreen, on the evening of January 18th.
Mr Niland suffered serious head and upper body injuries when three men broke into his home and stole a small sum of cash.
Plans to tackle the cost of living crisis
A one-off payment to tackle the cost of living crisis for low-income households is set to be agreed by a Cabinet subcommittee before being rolled out in a number of weeks.
The committee will meet this week to discuss measures to tackle the impact of inflation. The Government has previously announced a €100 rebate for every household to tackle rising energy costs.
A senior minister told the Irish Examiner that a one-off payment of around €100 to low-income families and older people is also under consideration, although it has not yet been decided officially.
Home insulation scheme to be announced
Minister for Environment Eamon Ryan is expected to announce details of a new Home Energy Upgrade scheme.
According to reports, €25,000 could be offered to individuals to help pay for retrofitting homes.
It would be the biggest home insulation scheme ever offered in the State.
“This week, the Government will be announcing a very major retrofitting programme, which ultimately will reduce the cost of household fuel bills by up to 500 a year,” the Taoiseach said.
“The grants will be very extensive and those who can’t afford, for example, in terms of social housing, the Government will directly be retrofitting those houses.”
Worsening prison conditions
One in seven prisoners have requested to be locked up in their cell for up to 23 hours a day amid worsening conditions in Irish prisons, a new report has found.
This compares to one in nine inmates four years ago.
The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) said the extent to which prisoners have requested a ‘restricted regime’ is a result of dangerous conditions in prison.
A 'restricted regime' means prisoners remaining in their cell from 19 up to 23 hours a day.
An average of 513 people requested, and were granted, protection every day in 2021, representing 14 per cent of the total daily population.
St Patrick's Day parade set to return
The 2022 St Patrick's Day festival has been revealed, with the parade retuning for the first time since 2019.
Organisers have said this year's festival is the biggest and most ambitious ever produced, with the theme being 'connections'.
The March 17th parade is returning with more pageants, marching bands and participants than ever before.
Also scheduled as part of the celebrations is a new Festival Quarter located at Collins Barracks. The day-to-night urban festival will feature acts such as Lyra, Damien Dempsey, and Neil Delamare. The Festival Quarter will also host the Irish Food & Craft Village.
Ireland and the UK to focus on Euro 2028 bid
Ireland and the UK will not bid to stage the 2030 World Cup and will focus on a bid for Euro 2028 instead.
The five national associations have concluded that the continental finals represents a better option than the global centenary tournament after conducting a feasibility study.
UEFA announced last year that parties interested in hosting Euro 2028 need to confirm that interest by March 23rd, with the bidders to be announced on April 5th. The bidding process for the 2032 finals will also run in parallel.
