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Morning top 5: Cabinets to examine Brexit deal; Rape trial protests around the country; Referee holds no grudge against attackers

Governments on both sides of the Irish Sea will consider detail of the draft Brexit Withdrawal Ag...
Newstalk
Newstalk

06.55 14 Nov 2018


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Morning top 5: Cabinets to exa...

Morning top 5: Cabinets to examine Brexit deal; Rape trial protests around the country; Referee holds no grudge against attackers

Newstalk
Newstalk

06.55 14 Nov 2018


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Governments on both sides of the Irish Sea will consider detail of the draft Brexit Withdrawal Agreement today.

The text has been agreed by officials - but faces a tough test as the UK Prime Minister Theresa May tries to rally domestic political support for it.

The Irish Cabinet is meeting to discuss the proposals – after the Taoiseach and Tánaiste were briefed last night.

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Later this afternoon, Mrs May will attempt to unite her Cabinet behind the plan – with a number of ministers understood to be sceptical.

It is just the first step for Mrs May, who will then have to muster enough support to get it through Parliament in the coming weeks – with the DUP, arch-Brexiteers and some Remainers already making their opposition clear.

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Protesters are calling for an overhaul of how rape trials are conducted in demonstrations at five cities around the country today.

It follows a case in Cork where a defence barrister commented on the type of underwear a 17-year-old complainant was wearing on the night she said she was raped.

Yesterday, Dublin TD Ruth Coppinger held up a thong in the Dáil to highlight what she said was a culture of “victim blaming.”

Solidarity Councillor Fiona Ryan, one of the organisers of the Cork demonstration, claimed “character assassination” is an “everyday practice in any cases to do with sexual violence.”

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The football referee who was seriously assaulted at the weekend has said he is questioning whether he wants to continue in the role.

The attack at a match in Offaly left Daniel Sweeney with a broken jaw and other facial injuries.

Daniel said he holds no grudge against the people who hurt him.

But in an interview with Virgin Media News, he said the attack has left him wondering whether he can continue to referee matches.

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A new report is calling for low-income borrowers to be protected against the high interest rates charged by licensed moneylenders.

According to the Central Bank, 330,000 people are customers of money-lending firms.

Some of the interest rates involved can be up to 187% while annual percentage rates may be up to 287% when collection charges are included.

Social Science Foundation chief executive Brendan Whelan said interest rates caps exist across Europe – however in Ireland they only apply to Credit Unions.

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Concerns have been raised over the level of ambulance cover in parts of the country – as an ongoing industrial dispute stretches services.

The Psychiatric Nurses Association says five ambulances had to stay off the roads in the south east last night because the HSE didn't have stand-by staff.

The PNA's 500 members in the service are on an overtime ban, due to an ongoing union recognition dispute.

As a result, five out 11 ambulances in Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford were forced to remain off the road.


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