The Briefing - Your Thursday morning news catch up

Welcome to your Thursday morning briefing. Let us ensure you're up to speed on what's happening and are prepared for the day ahead.

BRIEFING TOP STORY

FAMILIES FACE €3K UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVER BILL

Thousands of middle- income families without health insurance cover could be hit with an extra €3,000 average annual bill as part of the Government’s plans to create a single-tier, equal access health service.

READ MORE

IRISH NEWS

LITTLE THOR SUFFERS IN 'ONE OF THE MOST APPALLING CASES OF ANIMAL CRUELTY

Vets fear this little dog suffered devastating injuries after being used as bait in an illegal dog fight. The appalling case led to renewed calls from an animal welfare group last night for tougher sentencing for those convicted of animal cruelty.

READ MORE

VARADKAR: SOME MAY SUSPECT GARDAÍ WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH TAPES DESTROYED

The Transport Minister Leo Varadkar says the Investigation into the Garda phone recordings will work out whether or not members of the force wanted the recordings to be destroyed.

READ MORE

WORLD NEWS

FOUR DEAD, 16 INJURED, IN US ARMY BASE SHOOTING

A soldier opened fire on fellow service members at a US military base, killing three people and wounding 16 before committing suicide.

READ MORE

HISTORIANS DOUBT LATEST HOLY GRAIL 'FIND

Claims that the Holy Grail has been found after sitting for 1,000 years in a Spanish church face a tough inquisition from doubtful historians.

READ MORE

SPORT

'SKY DEAL WILL DO 'IRREPARABLE DAMAGE'

Former GAA PRO Danny Lynch claims the Sky media rights deal will do “irreparable damage” to the organisation.

READ MORE

ROONEY HITS BACK AT DIVING CLAIMS

Wayne Rooney has hit back at claims he dived to get Bayern Munich’s goalscorer Bastian Schweinsteiger sent off during the 1-1 Champions League quarter-final first leg at Old Trafford.

READ MORE

BUSINESS

PUBLIC FINANCES ON TRACK FOR 4.8% DEFICIT

The Government remains on track to meet the 4.8% fiscal deficit target agreed with the troika by the end of this year.

READ MORE

VIEWPOINTS

IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE HITS HOME

Global warming is real and it is already impacting on us and the natural systems on which we depend, says Frank McGovern.

READ MORE

SHOWBIZ

'THE HOBBIT' DIRECTOR DONATES JET TO SEARCH FOR MISSING PLANE

Peter Jackson has lent his private jet to the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

READ MORE

TOP FEATURES

NEW GAME OF THRONES WILL KEEP YOU GUESSING

Season four of the epic will have even die-hard fans guessing, says Colette Keane.

READ MORE

MOST READ RIGHT NOW ...

RACHEL'S SIMPLE WISH: HEAL MY BROTHER'S AUTISM

The essay was entitled: “I wish, I wish, I wish.” In it, nine-year-old schoolgirl Rachel Cahill wrote of a simple request — that her brother, who had been diagnosed with autism, would be cured.

READ MORE