Republic of Ireland

November 2021

This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated, says Varadkar

The fourth wave of Covid-19 is a “pandemic of the unvaccinated” and almost half of people in hospital have not received the jab, the Tanaiste has said .

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Penneys to create 700 new jobs with 250 million euro investment

Retailer Penneys is to create 700 new jobs as part of a 250m euro investment in stores in Ireland.

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People advised not to travel to southern Africa countries amid new variant fears

People from Ireland have been advised not to travel to seven countries in southern Africa where a new Covid variant has been identified unless “absolutely necessary”.

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Leo Varadkar: This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated

The Tanaiste has said the fourth wave of Covid-19 is a “pandemic of the unvaccinated” – and almost half of people in hospital have not received the jab.

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Covid booster rollout to include everyone aged 16 and over in Ireland

Ireland’s vaccine booster programme is to be extended to cover all those aged 16 and above.

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Health Minister ‘deeply concerned’ about new Covid variant

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is “deeply concerned” about a new Covid variant identified in Africa.

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Murder investigation after discovery of man’s body in Dublin

A murder investigation is under way following the discovery of a man’s body in Dublin.

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Young people want one-bedroom apartments, not three-bed homes – Varadkar

Too many three-bed houses and not enough one-bedroom homes is one of the major problems facing the Irish housing market, Leo Varadkar has said.

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‘Big concern’ within the health service over the volume of absent staff

There is a big concern within the health service over the number of staff who are absent from work because of Covid issues.

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Shameless… Garth Brooks superfans secure tickets for Croke Park gigs after waiting in queue of thousands

Country music fans across the island of Ireland and beyond were awake from ‘silly o’clock’ on Thursday morning to ensure their entries to one (and sometimes more) of Garth Brooks’ Croke Park shows next September.

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Paul Reid: Dealing with high volume of PCR tests is ‘extremely challenging’

HSE boss Paul Reid has described the extreme challenges in dealing with the volume of referrals for Covid-19 tests, as the system comes under severe pressure.

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Easier to get a Garth Brooks ticket than a PCR test, Dail hears

Buying a ticket to see Garth Brooks is easier than booking an appointment for a Covid-19 test, the Dail has been told.

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Man to serve at least 20 years for ‘heinous’ murder of wife Lu Na McKinney

A man found guilty of murdering his wife during a holiday in Fermanagh will serve at least 20 years in prison.

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‘Most vaccinated patients in intensive care have underlying condition’

Almost all fully vaccinated patients in intensive care units have an underlying condition, the Health Minister has said.

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Garth Brooks hails ‘unbelievable’ news of five Croke Park gigs

Garth Brooks has described the news that he will play five gigs in Croke Park next year as “unbelievable”.

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Alex Kane Opinion Say it quietly, but maybe Bertie Ahern was right about loyalists’ issues with Brexit Protocol

When I first heard the news that Bertie Ahern had made a reference to loyalists in the “ghettos [of east Belfast] and in the areas where you’re likely to get trouble” and accused them of “not having a clue about the [NI] Protocol, not a clue”, I have to admit it made me angry.

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Coveney expects ‘robust’ EU response if UK triggers Article 16 of protocol

The EU will respond “very robustly” if the British Government triggers Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Simon Coveney has warned.

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Minister refuses to rule out hospital costs could breach two billion mark

Michael McGrath has refused to rule out that mounting costs to build the National Children’s Hospital could be in excess of two billion euro.

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Man’s body found in north Dublin house

Gardai are investigating the discovery of a man’s body in north Dublin.

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Taoiseach calls for ‘common sense’ on homeless accommodation over winter

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has called on local councils to show “common sense” and ensure that anyone who finds work is not evicted from emergency accommodation.

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Taoiseach backs calls for lotto regulator to appear before Dail committee

The National Lottery regulator could be asked to appear before the Dail’s Finance Committee, the Taoiseach has suggested, after concerns were raised that the jackpot has not been won for months.

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Fuel protest hauliers cause widespread traffic disruption in Dublin

Convoys of heavy goods vehicles have caused widespread traffic disruption in Dublin as part of a protest over fuel costs.

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No date for cheaper antigen test plan as Government seeks ‘best value’ for money

The Taoiseach was unable to tell the Dail on Wednesday when a highly anticipated scheme for cheaper antigen tests would be launched.

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Forcing people to work longer for pension will hit living standards – economist

Forcing people to work longer to get their pension will impact their living standards, particularly those with physically demanding jobs, a committee has been told.

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Booster jab rollout to reach 50s age group in late December or early January

Booster jabs for people in their 50s will begin in late December or early January, HSE chief Paul Reid has said.

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Level of PCR testing is ‘phenomenal’, says HSE chief

Ireland’s Covid-19 testing system is “phenomenal”, the head of the HSE has said, amid mounting criticism about delays in accessing appointments.

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Report raises concerns over socio-emotional difficulties amongst deaf children

The rate of socio-emotional difficulties amongst deaf and hard of hearing children is more than three times that of the typical hearing population, a new report shows.

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Health system under ‘very serious pressure’, Oireachtas committee told

The Irish health system remains under “very serious pressure”, the head of the HSE has warned an Oireachtas committee.

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Antigen testing to be available in schools from next week – Education Minister

Antigen testing will be available for pupils in schools from next week, the Minister for Education has said.

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Anti-abortion campaigners call on Government to make changes to law

Anti-abortion protesters have called on the Government to make changes to Ireland’s abortion law.