5 Things you need to read today

1. Kenny to voice concerns over Brexit with Merkel

Taoiseach Enda Kenny will urge chancellor Angela Merkel today in Berlin to ensure that Ireland’s concerns about the impact of the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union are heeded. The Brexit referendum vote will loom large over the meeting, with the Taoiseach anxious to underline again Ireland’s commitment to the EU while pressing for London to be given time to reorder its affairs before it files for divorce. “We’re striking that balance,” one Irish official said of the current round of meetings with EU counterparts.

[ “We’re saying: we have a strongly pro-EU culture here. We’re not them [the British], but we recognise pragmatically that you have to give them space to get their house in order.” ]

(http://iti.ms/29DLj30)

For more indepth news and analysis on Brexit click here (http://iti.ms/29LJ0Jv)

2. Police apology over sexual consent leaflet

British police have apologised after handing out a sexual assault prevention leaflet titled 'R U Asking 4 It?' The leaflet was given to teenagers at a sexual consent talk. Avon and Somerset Police were accused of 'victim blaming' after pupils from the North Bristol Post 16 Centre attended the Only Yes Means Yes event. The leaflets were produced nearly 10 years ago and were aimed at student safety following a spate of robberies and vehicle crime.

[ Students took to Twitter to criticise the police for handing out the leaflet ]

. Eloise Mainstone wrote: “We should be teaching people not to rape, not teaching us how to avoid it.” (http://iti.ms/29DKG9s)

3. Higher education deficit 'must be tackled'

The funding system for higher education is not sustainable and will lead to a sharp decline in the quality of graduates unless tackled soon, the chair of a Government-commissioned expert group has warned. Peter Cassells, who chaired the review, said “muddling through” was not an option and would “condemn our future children to a system which is deteriorating.” The sector is likely to need an extra €100 million a year over the next decade or more simple to cope with population growth which will see student numbers at third level climb by almost a third.

[ The expert group report report, Investing in National Ambition, proposes three main options for the Irish system ]

: “free” education which is entirely funded by the State; maintaining the current €3,000 student charge, along with increased State funding; or a student loan scheme (http://iti.ms/29LIP0U)

For more indepth news and analysis on the Cassells report

[ click here ]

(http://iti.ms/29AwRsG)

4. Chelsea Manning attempts to take her own life

Chelsea Manning, the US soldier imprisoned for leaking classified files to pro-transparency site WikiLeaks, attempted suicide last week, her lawyers said on Monday. “Last week, Chelsea made a decision to end her life,” attorneys Chase Strangio, Vincent Ward and Nancy Hollander said in a joint statement. “Her attempt to take her own life was unsuccessful.”

[ The statement confirms earlier media reports that said Manning’s hospitalisation last week near the US Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, resulted from a suicide attempt ]

. (http://iti.ms/29LIDi6)

5. Brexit will proceed, says incoming PM

Theresa May will become Britain’s second female prime minister tomorrow, following the surprise withdrawal from the Conservative leadership contest of her only rival, Andrea Leadsom. Ms May, who has been home secretary since 2010, said she would offer “strong, proven leadership” to guide Britain through the political and economic uncertainty that has followed last month’s vote to leave the European Union. Speaking outside parliament, Ms May made clear that, although she opposed Brexit, there was no question of seeking to reverse or undermine the referendum outcome. “Brexit means Brexit.

[ And we are going to make a success of it,” she said ]

. (http://iti.ms/29DKdUZ)

For more indepth news and analysis on Brexit

[ click here ]

(http://iti.ms/29LJ0Jv)