“Ireland needs you to come home,” says Minister Simon Harris as €750,000 to be spent in efforts to bring Irish construction workers back from overseas.

https://gript.ie/gov-pledges-e750000-to-bring-irish-construction-workers-back-home-amid-shortages/

“The unprecedented drops in mathematics and reading point to the shock effect of COVID-19 on most countries,” PISA noted, while the OECD said the chances of increasing global economic growth could be set back by up to 40 years.

https://gript.ie/covid-lockdowns-global-growth-could-be-set-back-40-years-by-impact-on-childrens-education/

Senator Michael McDowell has accused Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s department of ‘perverting the democratic process’ after it refused to publish minutes of meetings where the consequences of constitutional amendments were discussed.


https://gript.ie/michael-mcdowell-roderic-ogorman-cover-up-after-decision-not-to-publish-minutes-of-meeting/

The number of patients who have died before an ambulance could reach their home has increased by 70% in the past 8 years, new HSE figures have revealed.

https://gript.ie/deaths-while-waiting-for-ambulance-are-up-70-in-past-8-years/

A new study has shown that the greening of the earth is “an indisputable fact”, and is driven mainly by an increase of CO2 in the atmosphere. Will this inconvenient truth lead to an honest revaluation of the claim that CO2 is a pollutant, asks THADE ANDY?

https://gript.ie/is-co2-really-a-pollutant-a-new-study-says-the-earth-is-actually-greening/

"We came out of the inquest genuinely believing that babies' lives would be saved because of sharing our story.

"But the Coroner said that there would be no guarantee the recommendations made during the inquest would actually be implemented by the HSE."

https://gript.ie/national-inquiry-needed-says-mother-of-baby-who-died-during-labour-at-portlaoise-hospital/

Leitrim County Council has issued High Court enforcement proceedings to prevent a Dromahair hotel from being used to house 150 asylum claimants because, it says, planning permission was granted for commercial tourism use, not asylum accommodation.

https://gript.ie/leitrim-county-council-issues-high-court-proceedings-to-stop-asylum-housing-in-hotel/

JOHN MCGUIRK: "If Simon Harris really wants to bring Irish construction workers home, then he should offer them the same payments and income supports as those the Government has offered to tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees."

https://gript.ie/puppies-ice-cream-and-construction-workers-simon-harriss-latest-play/

PREMIUM: Independent Ireland and Aontú are both seeking to break the consensus in upcoming elections, but they're groups with very different approaches to building a winning political party. JOHN MCGUIRK looks at the progress and prospects of both.

https://gript.ie/aontu-v-independent-ireland-two-new-parties-two-different-strategies/

Minister Catherine Martin has been corrected in X’s Community Notes for her assertion that the Constitution says a woman’s place is in the home. The correction points out that SC Judge Marie Baker has clarified the Constitution makes no such statement.

https://gript.ie/minister-catherine-martin-corrected-in-xs-community-notes-on-referendum-claim/

ON THIS DAY: 13 FEBRUARY 1847: Illustrated London News describes the scenes Clonakilty

https://gript.ie/on-this-day-13-february-1847-illustrated-london-news-describes-the-scenes-clonakilty-3/

Leader of the Social Democrats, Holly Cairns, recently appeared on RTÉ to ask “who is Botswana safe for?” in relation to asylum claims, suggesting that gay people or trade unionists might be unsafe. Gript asked the relevant Ministry in Botswana for a response.

https://gript.ie/government-of-botswana-rejects-claim-that-it-is-not-a-safe-country/

There has been a call on the Government to launch a campaign to encourage people to eat more fish in Ireland in a bid to both educate people on its benefits and show some love for the struggling fishing sector.

https://gript.ie/valentines-call-on-government-to-prove-it-loves-the-fishing-industry/

Clarification received on future use of Birr Technology Centre

https://gript.ie/clarification-received-on-future-use-of-birr-technology-centre/

FATIMA GUNNING: Sinn Féin’s promise to abolish the TV licence is an empty one as you’ll still have to pay through general taxation - if playing tricks like this on voters is their MO, can they be trusted to carry out voters’ wishes on topics like immigration?

https://gript.ie/you-wont-have-to-pay-your-tv-licence-if-you-vote-sinn-fein-youll-pay-it-in-taxes-instead/

Sufficient supports, both legal and medical, are already in place in Ireland to enable people to die in a dignified way, the HSE has told the final meeting of the Oireachtas Committee examining the law on assisted suicide.

https://gript.ie/sufficient-supports-already-in-place-to-die-with-dignity-hse-tells-final-oireachtas-meeting/

In Dublin today Germany's Finance Minister spoke to Ireland's Michael McGrath about ending illegal migration:

"The people do not accept this. The solution is control...We stop illegal migration into our welfare state...we make the choice who we invite into our labour market." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2trfMMm5FM

“The silence from Minister for Education Norma Foley is deafening…This is not good enough”: A Fine Gael Senator has taken a swipe at his Fianna Fáil colleague over her failure to release the findings of a school transport review.

https://gript.ie/senator-accuses-foley-of-stalling-on-school-transport-review/

Leader of the Social Democrats, Holly Cairns, recently appeared on RTÉ to ask “who is Botswana safe for?” in relation to asylum claims, suggesting that gay people or trade unionists might be unsafe. Gript asked the relevant Ministry in Botswana for a response.

https://gript.ie/government-of-botswana-rejects-claim-that-it-is-not-a-safe-country/

The mother of 6-year-old Matthew Purcell Healy has been charged with his murder 

https://gript.ie/mother-of-matthew-purcell-healy-charged-with-murder/