Minister confident Government can cope with rising number of Ukrainian refugees
The Minister for Integration has defended his department’s handling of the Ukrainian refugee crisis, saying he is confident it can cope with the rising number of people seeking accommodation.
The number of arrivals from Ukraine is expected to reach 70,000 over the next five weeks.
Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman and Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien launched a new campaign to appeal to the public to offer vacant homes or buildings for Ukrainians.
Mr O’Gorman said the Government has learned from mistakes following the first appeal.
Citizens had been asked earlier this year to pledge unused houses, apartments or holiday homes to house arriving Ukrainian refugees, but this was stalled as people reported delays with the system.
There are currently 59,000 Ukrainians in Ireland, with the State providing accommodation for some 47,000.
Paschal Donohoe unopposed in bid for second term as Eurogroup chief
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe is on course to be elected president of the Eurogroup in December for the second time after the group of eurozone finance ministers on Thursday said no one else had applied for the job.
"Only one minister has put forward his candidacy for the next mandate of the Eurogroup Presidency: Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Finance of Ireland and current Eurogroup President," the Eurogroup said in a statement.
The body is due to elect its president at its next meeting on December 5th.
There had been fears that Mr Donohoe would not be permitted to retain the prestigious role, as he will no longer be finance minister after the December 17th Cabinet reshuffle.
As part of the Programme for Government, Mr Donohoe will switch positions with Fianna Fáil's Michael McGrath to become Minister for Public Expenditure.
However, an agreement has been reached that will see both Mr McGrath and Mr Donohoe attend Eurogroup meetings.
Regency trial: Gerard Hutch says Kinahan cartel want 'to be the biggest gang in Europe'
The Special Criminal Court has heard a recording of Regency Hotel murder accused Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch tell ex-Sinn Féin Councillor Jonathan Dowdall that the Kinahan cartel want "to be the biggest gang in Europe".
The court also heard that Mr Hutch agreed with Dowdall when asked if he would be happy "with just a few quid under the radar", with the accused adding that he doesn't want "hundreds of millions".
In conversations captured by a Garda bugging device when Dowdall and Mr Hutch allegedly travelled back from the North after meeting with republicans, Dowdall says: "It seems to me that they're just blinded by greed and they're willing to overlook everything for money".
Ukraine war and labour market shortages among factors in increasing Irish asylum applications
Between January and June 2022, 6,494 applications for international protection were lodged in Ireland, with factors such as the war in Ukraine and labour market shortages contributing, according to new research.
This was a significant increase as compared to the 2,235 applications in the first half of 2019, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
This was the most recent year not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic (2019).
While there was also an increase in applications across the EU, Ireland was among a small number of EU countries that saw applications rise continuously throughout the first six months of 2022.
John Delaney ordered to pay costs of failed effort to claim legal privilege
The High Court has ordered former Football Association of Ireland CEO John Delaney to pay the bulk of the costs of his failed effort to claim legal professional privilege over documents seized from the FAI by the corporate watchdog.
Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds granted most of the costs of the prolonged hearings over privilege to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE).
She also granted costs against him in relation to his separate failed application to have the privilege issue heard by the court in private as Mr Delaney had claimed they would affect family law proceedings.
