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1. Border tariff fears as UK edges towards hard Brexit
Fears that Britain will leave the European Union’s customs union, raising the prospect of tariffs on goods moving across the Border, have intensified in Dublin following leaks of British prime minister Theresa May’s forthcoming major speech on her government’s Brexit plans.
Mrs May will say Britain is prepared to leave both the single market and the EU’s customs union – which allows for the free movement of goods only – but will seek a “bespoke” deal that will include elements of both, according to reports in London yesterday.
2. NI Assembly members expect election to be called today
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Northern Ireland Assembly members will gather at Stormont on Monday in the firm expectation that by teatime the Northern Secretary James Brokenshire will have called Assembly elections.
The first item of business today is the appointment of a First Minister and Deputy First Minister. However, Sinn Féin has insisted it will not be nominating anyone to replace Martin McGuinness who resigned last Monday in protest at DUP leader Arlene Foster’s refusal to stand aside over the “cash for ash” renewable heat incentive (RHI) crisis.
3. Health Service Executive paid consulting firm €2.2m in 2016
The Health Service Executive paid more than €2.2 million to one company last year for consultancy on a wide range of projects on health service reform.
Records released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the company MCO Projects Ltd headed by Laura Magahy was paid €424,000 for work on the HSE’s national communications reform programme, €235,000 for a community healthcare organisation programme and more than €173,000 on the children’s hospital group programme.
4. At least 30 dead after cargo plane crashes in Kyrgyzstan
A Turkish cargo jet crashed near Kyrgyzstan’s Manas airport on Monday, killing at least 30 people, most of them residents of a village struck by the Boeing 747 as it tried to land in dense fog, officials said.
According to the airport administration, the plane was supposed to make a stopover at Manas, near the capital city Bishkek, on its way from Hong Kong to Istanbul. It crashed when trying to land in poor visibility at 7.31am (1.31am Irish time).
5. Bruton set to pledge end of ‘baptism barrier’ in schools
Minister for Education Richard Bruton will today announce plans to remove the baptism barrier from schools to ensure children from non-religious backgrounds are not discriminated against in school admission policies.
He will say he believes it is unfair that publicly funded religious schools are able to give preference to children of their own religion ahead of those of no religion who may live closer to the school.