Your Monday lunchtime catch-up
IRELAND
Ireland is prepared to support some of Britain’s demands for reform of the European Union, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said. In an address to business leaders in London, Mr Kenny catalogued a list of economic and political reasons the UK should stay in Europe and offered to look carefully and constructively at David Cameron’s proposals.
There are only 12,000 gardaí available to work on an average day — even with the 290 new recruits in Garda stations, official figures show. While the strength of the force at the end of September is 12,882, some 880 of those are not working on a given day.
The issue of overcrowding in emergency departments is top of the agenda at a meeting between hospital consultants and the Health Minister Leo Varadkar today. It comes as nurses are balloted on industrial action over the issue, with an all-out strike in the run-up to Christmas a possibility.
A teenager and man in his 20’s have been arrested in connection with an assault and a house fire in Rhode in Co Offaly in September. The 17-year-old and a 27-year-old were detained in Westmeath and Offaly this morning after a 24-year-old was injured in an assault and a house fire in Rhode.
WORLD
Croatia’s conservative opposition has won the Balkan country’s first parliamentary election since joining the European Union in 2013, but without enough votes to rule alone. The state electoral commission said that with 99% of the vote counted, the conservatives, led by former intelligence chief Tomislav Karamarko, won 59 seats in the 151-seat parliament.
Humanists are preparing to mount a legal challenge against a British Government decision to exclude “non-religious” views from the subject content of the latest religious studies GCSEs. Three humanist families are scheduled to mount a challenge in the High Court in London on Tuesday – with the backing of the British Humanist Association (BHA).
SPORT
Tipperary hurler Conor Ryan is in surgery in Cork this morning - having a hurling helmet removed from his hand. Ryan picked up the bizarre sporting injury yesterday when playing for Clonakenny against Newcestown in the AIB Munster club intermediate semi-final.
Killarney Legion and South Kerry will have to do it all again on November 22 after their Kerry SFC final yesterday ended in a 09-09 draw. The result was due in no small part to a number of contentious decisions by the referee; leading to fisticuffs between the two teams after the final whistle.
BUSINESS
New car sales increased by almost 28% in the 12 months to October, according to the Central Statistics Office. October saw 3,943 new private cars licensed for the first time, whereas the number for October 2014 was 3,082.
There is unanimous agreement that we have a housing crisis which remains unresolved. At one extreme, homelessness is rising, while those who would like to buy their own home remain trapped in their desire and right to purchase their first home.
ANALYSIS
Our attitudes to drug taking have changed so much that we now criminalise addicts and society has to bear all the associated costs, writes
LIFESTYLE
Teaching your children that the festive season is a time for giving can help keep their Christmas wish list under control, writes
VIDEO
Diners at a Mississippi restaurant got a bit of nasty surprise on Saturday evening when the car park opened up in front of them swallowing 12 cars.
VIRAL
Sometimes it’s hard not to get depressed about all the horrible people in the world and watching this video is one of those times. A guy working at a McDonald’s drive-thru draws a homeless man over to his counter with the promise of food and what he did next will anger you to your core.
This video is guaranteed to make you feel old. 14-year-old Layla was asked by her dad to hang up the phone - a landline - in their hotel room and she was completely baffled by the question. Because she’s never encountered one before.
TECHNOW
Rise of the Tomb Raider has just released, and reviews are starting to flood the net
Even if you don’t immediately know the name Hans Zimmer, you’ve definitely heard his music as he’s one of the most hard working and acclaimed composers in the movie business, and he’s going on tour!
Reports are suggesting that Snapchat has tripled its video viewing figures in just a few short months, taking the daily number to over six billion.
SHOWBIZ
Cecelia Ahern has admitted that she’s no longer ok with people suggesting her success as a writer is due to her famous father. The best-selling author’s dad Bertie was the Taoiseach of Ireland when her debut novel P.S. I Love You was published – and many speculated her success was due to her dad’s influence.
MOST READ RIGHT NOW
A mum and dad are doing their best to help Santa Claus find the perfect forklift truck for their 4-year-old son who is fighting a very serious form of childhood cancer. However, they are worried that Santa might have a difficult time finding one and for that reason they are asking people for their help.
