The judge involved in the Cathal Crotty case, Tom O’Donnell, will retire this week following his decision to sentence the soldier to a three-year suspended sentence for assaulting a woman in Limerick. His upcoming retirement has been the subject of public interest. Previously serving as a district and circuit court judge in Limerick, and a solicitor before that, O’Donnell is set to depart from the bench on Wednesday. Although his retirement follows a significant public reaction to his ruling in the Crotty case, reports confirm that the two events are unrelated. O’Donnell’s retirement was scheduled several weeks prior, as he has reached the age of retirement.
In Ireland’s news, the situation involving Aer Lingus is escalating, with the airline accusing the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association of “blackmail”, and the union responding with accusations of “greed”, not dismissing the possibility of a complete strike. In another incident, a man alleged to have sent threatening texts to three TDs was acquitted after a court found that the warrant used to search his residence as part of the Garda investigation was void. Lastly, a significant slump in decision rates was observed at An Bord Pleanála in 2023. Despite a sizable increase in resources, decision rates dropped drastically owing to backlogs, with only a quarter of cases being resolved within the set deadline.
In today’s weather forecast, anticipate a largely dry day, albeit with occasional cloudiness. Long spells of sunshine are expected, especially in the midlands and east regions. Southern and western coastal areas will likely remain mostly clouded, with some foggy periods and a bit of light drizzle. As the day concludes, clouds will gather more densely around the western and northwestern shorelines, bringing light rainfall. A balmy and moist day awaits, with most areas experiencing temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees. The western and southern coasts will be cooler. Tonight, clouds will be more prevalent with sporadic rain and drizzle patches spreading from the west, accompanied by sporadic mist and fog. It will be a mild, humid night with temperatures keeping steady between 11 to 15 degrees.
In the Business sector, fans of Taylor Swift are urged to be cautious of ticket scams for the upcoming sold-out Dublin concerts, particularly for deals that appear too favourable to be credible. Meanwhile, the asking prices for homes in Ireland witnessed an annual rise of 6.7% in the second quarter, largely due to demand outweighing supply, as reported by Daft.ie.
For those planning overseas holidays, here’s a tip to prevent overspending: be particularly mindful of your finances whilst relaxing under the sun.
Opinion
Joe Humphreys expounds on how Lineker’s jesting remark about Lampard’s apparent hair loss might have upset the latter, but points out there is a treatment available. Additionally, Una Mullally talks about having the privilege of not being concerned about openly expressing affection towards her wife in public.
In Sports, the exit of Mayo signifies an encouraging prospect for Derry in the longer run. Though Kevin McStay’s team is yet to claim the Sam (as per their perpetual quest), they have undoubtedly become the ultimate arbiters in this space.
World: No updates.
The unsettling truth might be that the future of American democracy depends on televised debates: What methods are used in arranging a dispute between two gentlemen whose sum total ages equate to two-thirds of the age of the US as a nation?
Living & Leisure
Sean Moncrieff claims: Notably bewildered as to why a lady decided to narrate a fabricated tale about me at a dinner party: The incident revolves around my recurring appearances in newspapers during one summer, hence my name became a topic of discussion at a particular gathering. I was not in attendance at this event, but was informed about it subsequently.
Podcast Spotlights
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