Mental health
Over 40 per cent of Irish adults have a mental health disorder, while more than one in 10 have attempted suicide, according to a recent study.
The research, conducted by Maynooth University, National College of Ireland (NCI) and Trinity College Dublin, found 42 per cent of the 1,100 adults involved met diagnostic requirements for at least one mental health disorder.
Insomnia was the most common disorder noted (15 per cent), while major depression disorder (12 per cent), alcohol use disorder (9 per cent) and generalised anxiety disorder (7 per cent) were also among the most prevalent.
Grain shortage
Extreme weather and Russia's invasion of Ukraine is putting severe strain on global supplies, which could lead to a food crisis in Ireland this winter, according to a climate scientist.
Maynooth University professor of physical geography Peter Thorne, who was a contributing author on the recent UN-backed International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, said grain stock would be “hugely expensive” during the winter and could affect food for people and animals alike.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner he said: “Things that worry me right now are India, which has gone from a furnace to effectively a lake with the monsoon that is going to do a number on Indian food production.
Paul Reid steps down
HSE chief executive Paul Reid will step down from his position later this year.
In a statement on Monday morning, the HSE said Mr Reid had agreed with the chairman of the board that he will step down in December 2022, allowing a period to choose a successor.
It said Mr Reid had no immediate career plans.
In a message to staff, Mr Reid said he was making the decision with a heavy heart, and that leaving the HSE was the hardest decision he had ever made in his career.
Property prices
House prices in the State have risen by an average of 9.5 per cent over the last year, according to a report by a property website.
The latest housing sales report from Daft.ie also showed price hikes were much higher in Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway compared to Dublin.
Prices in Cork were 9.4 per cent higher than a year previously, rising to almost €331,000, while prices in Limerick city were up 11.1 per cent to just under €250,500 on average.
Protocol scrapping
Boris Johnson has signalled that his plan to effectively tear up parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol could be law by the end of the year.
The British prime minister, who is attending the G7 summit in Germany alongside EU leaders, said “the interesting thing is how little this conversation is being had, certainly here” – indicating he is not expecting a major diplomatic row over the his government’s plans.
British MPs are set to vote later on Monday on controversial new legislation to give ministers powers to override parts of the post-Brexit deal on Northern Ireland.
Making ends meet
The number of households saying they are "just making ends meet" has increased since the start of the year, rising to one third in Bank of Ireland's latest Consumer Pulse from one quarter at the start of the year.
In June, the Consumer Pulse noted its joint second-lowest reading as inflation batters consumer sentiment.
Meanwhile, the Business Pulse showed mixed results, with the industry, retail and construction sectors seeing increased activity while the services sector took a hit after five months of successive gains.
Legal advice
Demand for free legal advice in Ireland is outstripping resources, creating “an ongoing crisis in unmet legal need”.
Free Legal Advice Centres (Flac) saw a surge in calls to its information line last year, with most seeking advice on family or employment law issues. Almost half of Flac’s new case files for the year involved claims by Travellers regarding housing and discrimination.
The increase in calls occurred despite Flac having reduced opening hours during the Covid-19 pandemic and represents “the tip of the iceberg” because the organisation does not have the resources to answer every call, chief executive Eilis Barry said.
