Criticism over NMH sign-off
Opposition parties lined up to condemn the Government on Tuesday, after it pushed ahead with plans for the new national maternity hospital.
Cabinet signed off on Tuesday morning on the ownership structure for the co-location of the new National Maternity Hospital, after weeks of debate around whether the proposal provides enough guarantees to safeguard the medical care of women.
That debate, which intensified in the last two weeks following a Cabinet decision to postpone approval, was labelled a “charade” by opposition parties in the Dáil as Taoiseach Micheal Martin offered a robust defence of the plan.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly insisted at a press briefing that the Government has listened to the concerns in relation to the ownership structure of the hospital.
Britain proposes changes to NI Protocol
The British foreign secretary has said she intends to introduce legislation in the coming weeks to make changes to the Northern Ireland protocol, which was part of the Brexit divorce deal.
The Bill will propose separate “green” and “red” lanes for goods travelling between Britain and Northern Ireland, with those destined to stay within the UK freed from EU-level checks.
Responding to the news, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said that such unilateral action “is damaging to trust” and will only “make it more challenging to find solutions to the genuine concerns” that people in Northern Ireland have about how the protocol is working.
Leader of the DUP Jeffrey Donaldson said the move was a “welcome if overdue step” and said his party will take a “graduated and cautious” approach to re-engaging with Stormont power-sharing depending on the progress of the legislation to override parts of the Brexit protocol.
Today in the courts
A former teacher went on trial on Tuesday accused of more than 40 counts of indecently assaulting pupils at a primary school in Limerick.
In Dublin, the multi-million euro theft trial of former solicitor Michael Lynn heard that he moved to Brazil in 2011 without telling gardaí, who had arranged to interview him in Portugal.
A High Court judge has said that a legal challenge brought by former Stardust manager Eamon Butterly aimed at preventing a new inquest into the disaster from making him a target for a verdict of unlawful killing is not yet ready for hearing.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a repeat offender who put card-trapping devices in ATMs to steal people's bank cards over six years ago was given a fully suspended sentence.
Lisa Thompson appeal
Gardaí investigating the murder of Lisa Thompson in Dublin are appealing to a man who made contact with officers to come forward.
The mother of two was found dead at her home in Ballymun last week and officers are continuing to investigate the events that led to the murder of 52-year-old woman. She was stabbed a number of times and her remains may have lain undiscovered for a number of days.
Gardaí say shortly after 7am on Thursday last week, a man handed a document in the name of Lisa Thompson to a garda staff member at the front door of Finglas Garda station and left on foot.
Officers are appealing to this man to make urgent contact with the investigation team at Ballymun Garda station.
