Your Monday lunchtime catch-up

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

TOP STORIES

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) said it had lost a "brother in blue" and Ireland had lost a hero after the murder of Garda Tony Golden in Co Louth. Garda Golden, 36, was responding to a domestic disturbance at a house in Omeath at about 6.30pm yesterday when he and a woman who lived at the house were shot by a man who later took his own life.

More than 25,000 people now face homelessness, according to the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation (IMHO). The group was reacting to Q3 figures released by the Insolvency Service of Ireland today, which showed that the number of Debt Relief Notices was down 56% to 51 and Debt Settlement Arrangements were down 15% to 64.

The average three-bed semi in south County Dublin has seen €15,000 wiped off its value in three months, according to a national survey carried out by Real Estate Alliance. The survey’s authors have said new deposit rules are "stifling" the higher end of the market, and rising rental prices are bringing additional pressure on those seeking a home.

The Social Democrats have stated that if they were in power, they would scrap water charges in tomorrow’s Budget - and it would only cost €13m. The party said it would also cut the USC by 0.5%, reduce the property tax for mortgage holders, introduce a cap on childcare fees, and impose a tax on junk food and levies on bonds and AIB pensions.

Keep up to date with all the latest news, views and analysis of the upcoming budget right here in our Budget 2016 Special page.

WORLD

President Vladimir Putin has denied that Russian air strikes are hitting moderate opposition groups rather than Islamic State militants. Speaking to Russian state TV, Mr Putin defended Russia’s military operations in Syria, and said the aim was to support President Bashar al-Assad.

A Czech woman has been convicted of killing her three newborn babies and sentenced to 24 years in prison.