Zelenskiy addresses the Oireachtas
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ireland has not remained neutral over the disaster Russia has inflicted on his country.
In a historic address to parliament, he said Ireland has supported Ukraine from the first days of the war.
Addressing a joint sitting of the Houses of the Oireachtas via a translator, he said: “You did not doubt starting helping us, you began doing this right away and, although you are a neutral country, you have not remained neutral to the disaster and to the mishaps that Russia has brought to Ukraine.”
He also said Russia is using hunger as a weapon in its war against his country.
The Russian Ambassador to Ireland declined an invitation to attend the address.
It comes as the Government has been told that less than half of the accommodation offered by the public for Ukrainian refugees is likely to be suitable.
Central Bank forecast
The Central Bank has revised down its forecast for economic growth this year and pushed up its inflation projections, predicting that a reduction in real incomes will weigh on spending in the coming quarters.
The Bank still expects modified domestic demand, its preferred measure of the health of the economy, to grow by 4.8 per cent this year on the back of strong momentum late last year and in the early months of 2022 after the lifting of Covid-19 curbs.
However, it had expected much more rapid growth of 7.1 per cent just three months ago.
Inflation has continued to climb in the Republic and hit an estimated 22-year high of 6.9 per cent last month, according to Eurostat.
Second boosters
The Government has announced that those aged 65 year and over as well as those who are immunocompromised will receive a second booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
NIAC has issued new advice that people in those cohorts should receive a second booster jab, four to six months after they were first boosted.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says the HSE will now work on the rollout of the latest dose for those who need it. Work has been ongoing between the Department and HSE regarding the Covid-19 mid-term vaccination strategy.
The recommendations were made last night by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) to the chief medical officer (CMO).
Holohan salary
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has described Dr Tony Holohan's new role as Professor of Public Health Strategy and Leadership at Trinity College Dublin as a "really positive move" which he fully supports.
Dr Holohan announced last month that he is stepping down from his position as chief medical officer to take on the new role. He will remain a civil servant and his €187,000-a-year salary will be paid by the Department of Health.
Minister Donnelly said that regardless of whether TCD or the Department of Health funds the salary of Dr Holohan "it is all public money".
He said the Department of Health plans to fund the role in TCD because the department, and the country, is going to benefit "very greatly" out of this.
Wind warning for four counties
A status yellow warning for wind has been issued for four counties in the north and west.
Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo will be affected from 1pm today until 9pm tonight.
Met Éireann's warning of very strong winds from the south-west that could make driving conditions difficult.
It will be windy today with widespread heavy showers, merging to longer spells of rain in places, with the chance of hail and thunder.
