Brexit to dictate Government spending plans
The Government has said it will increase spending in the budget – even if the UK crashes out of the EU with no deal.
The Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe announced the plans in his Summer Economic Statement this afternoon.
He said Budget 2020 will look very different depending on the outcome of the UK’s exit from the EU, currently scheduled for October 31st.
If the UK leaves with a deal, the budget will include a €700m increase in capital spending as set out in the Stability Programme Update earlier this year.
Should the UK crash out however, the Government will be forced to borrow heavily to deliver on that spending pledge - while also increasing its spend on social welfare and supports for industries that will suffer.
Strike to have “significant impact" on health services
The HSE has warned that a number of hospital services will be 'significantly impacted' tomorrow during a strike by around 10,000 health support staff.
The 24-hour stoppage looks set to go ahead from 8am on Wednesday after talks between SIPTU, the HSE and Department of Public Expenditure at the Workplace Relations Commission ended without agreement.
SIPTU has claimed it has "run out of time" to stop the planned strike, suggesting "too many issues remain unresolved".
The dispute revolves around pay and a job evaluation scheme, with staff such as lab aides, maternity care assistants and porters taking part.
Houses out of reach for first-time buyers
People who are first-time buyers on average incomes cannot afford to buy a house in half of the counties in Ireland.
In some counties, first-time buyers will need 15 years to save for a 10% deposit.
An economic advisory report by EY-DKM looks at affordability using two factors: whether first-time buyers can afford the mortgage repayments on a property based on a mortgage of 3.5 times their household income, and their ability to accumulate a sufficient deposit of 10% to purchase the property.
The findings reveal a significant barrier to home ownership for first-time buyers' is their ability to save the required 10% deposit.
Government approves Garda body-cam plan
Campaigners are warning that the right to privacy must be respected under any plans to introduce body cameras for Gardaí.
It comes after the Cabinet this afternoon approved plans to roll-out the recording devices across the force.
The Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan said the devices can “greatly improve police frontline capability” while providing a clear record of public order incidents.
This afternoon, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties said there a lot of “very significant privacy concerns” to be addressed before the cameras can be introduced.
Orange Water in Dublin Bay not “directly associated” to Ringsend plant
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has said that the orange-coloured water at Dublin's Sandycove Beach is not connected to a wastewater overflow into Dublin Bay.
Swimming bans remain in place at four Dublin beaches after the second overflow at the Ringsend water treatment plant this month.
It comes as temperatures are expected to hit highs of 27C on Thursday and Friday.
The swimming bans are in place at Seapoint, Sandycove, the Forty Foot and Dollymount.
