14sea AI Irish Morning Briefing

Morning Briefing – Irish News

IRISH TIMES - Public health: Dún Laoghaire Baths closed to swimmers for the summer after failing EPA standards; pollution linked to sewage overflows and dog waste. It is the only one of 153 monitored sites to fail. - Crime: Garda warns 3D‑printed firearms are becoming more prevalent during the sentencing of a 21‑year‑old found with a 3D‑printed .22 pistol and ammunition. - Housing: Department of Housing says Dublin City Council’s Oliver Bond House regeneration plan would have cost up to €700,000 per flat; rejects “penny‑pinching” claims and says €20m remains for refurbishment. - Regency case: Supreme Court reserves judgment on the appeal of Jason Bonney, convicted as a getaway driver for the Hutch group in the 2016 Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne. - Health services: Minister urges ambulance unions back to talks after a 24‑hour strike by about 2,000 National Ambulance Service staff; HSE reports significant impacts; unions seek talks without preconditions. - Road safety: Driver who tested positive for cannabis struck a three‑year‑old at a pedestrian crossing in 2022; child suffered a fractured skull and brain bleed. In a separate case, a drunk driver with her two children in the car was jailed for four years (five-year term with last six months suspended) and banned for seven years for killing cyclist Michael Lorigan (70) in Co Clare. - Overseas: Irish man (39) dies after a cliff fall in Ibiza; incident treated as an accident; investigation ongoing. - Active travel: Campaigners highlight a large gender gap in cycling to school — roughly 1 in 25 boys cycle nationally versus 1 in 250 girls; students briefed TDs and Senators. - Business/legal: Mentor Financial Services says it will robustly defend a High Court action by founder Michael Hoare, who alleges co‑shareholders tried to force him out; interim court restraints remain in place.

IRISH INDEPENDENT - Courts: Further details in the Co Clare fatal crash — the driver had an open bottle of wine and was high on a “cocktail” of drugs when she killed cyclist Michael Lorigan; his widow said they were celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary. - Road safety: In the Dublin pedestrian crossing case, court told the cannabis‑positive driver said “I blame the mother” after hitting the three‑year‑old who suffered serious head injuries. - Science/health: Dublin‑born Prof Adrian Hill and his team, behind a WHO‑recommended malaria vaccine showing about 75–80% protection in trials, are finalists for the 2026 European Inventor Award (Research). - Society: Dublin Rose Suad Mooge, a Dublin‑born medical scientist of Somali heritage, hits back at racist abuse following her selection, saying “I was born here and I belong here.” - Health awareness: Mother urges vigilance after her 22‑year‑old son died weeks after a bowel cancer diagnosis; appeals for early medical checks on symptoms. - UK politics: Keir Starmer vows to “fight on” as multiple Labour ministers, including Jess Phillips, resign; pressure mounts on his leadership. - Lifestyle/economy: Parents push back against four‑figure First Communion spending amid rising costs; separate feature highlights booming demand — and risks — of facial laser treatments.