The leaders of all three parties involved in government talks will meet later today.

They will use the meeting to try and find common ground on some of the main sticking points in the talks – namely the 7% carbon reduction and the pensions age.

It comes after negotiators from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party completed an intense round of talks yesterday.

The parties have warned that a programme for government must be on the table by next week if a government is to be in place by next month.

***

Meanwhile, Catherine Martin has confirmed she will challenge Eamon Ryan for leadership of the Green Party.

The party’s deputy leader yesterday accepted the nominations of over 200 party members to run for the position.

She admitted the timing of the election is “less than ideal” and said she will not campaign until a government deal is agreed.

The postal vote is due to take place next month with ballots to be counted on July 23rd.

***

A teenager has been taken to hospital after he was stabbed a number of times in County Cork last night.

Gardaí said the young man was stabbed during an assault in the in the Waterpark area of Carrigaline at around at around 10:25pm last night.

He was taken to Cork University Hospital where his injuries are described as non-life threatening.

Another teenage boy has been arrested and taken to a Garda station in Cork city.

***

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in the US in one of the largest days of protest since George Floyd was killed in police custody.

The largest demonstration was in Washington DC where thousands marched to demand action from the White House on institutional racism.

There were noticeably less police on the streets and the atmosphere was calmer than earlier in the week; however, the President’s home was surrounded by heavily armed military personnel.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people turned-out at a solidarity protest outside the US Embassy in Dublin.

***

The president has paid tribute to nurses across Ireland.

Michael D Higgins praised the frontline workers in a video address to graduates of DCU's School of Nursing.

He said the nation has been "inspired by the remarkable courage, compassion and generosity of those in our health services” as we face the COVID-19 crisis.

He said burses have been central to the country’s coronavirus response.