Monday’s Top Stories: Immigration concern surges, new poll finds; Relic of St Brigid returns to Co Kildare

Surge in prominence of immigration issues, according to new survey

Immigration tops the list of issues getting the attention of voters in the past month, according to a new measure of public sentiment introduced today by The Irish Times and Ipsos B&A.

Almost a quarter (24 per cent) of respondents to the survey cited immigration issues when asked what they had noticed about what the Government had done recently.

Next on the list was housing, at 19 per cent, with taxes and social policies each at 4 per cent.

Top News Stories

• Tánaiste warns ending aid to Unwra would be ‘catastrophic’: Tánaiste Micheál Martin has warned that it would be “catastrophic” if more countries ceased funding the UN agency that works with Palestinian refugees in Gaza, and said that countries – including the US and UK – which have pulled funding “have acted far too prematurely”.
• Ambassador Theatre operators seek to fence in venue for safety: The operators of the Ambassador Theatre on Dublin’s Parnell Square want to surround the venue with permanent steel railings ahead of its reopening, to protect patrons, staff and the historic building from threats to safety and antisocial behaviour.
• Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin subject of complaint to Charities Regulator: A complaint has been made to the Charities Regulator against the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin alleging a failure to use funds designated six years ago for the restoration of a church in Dublin 2.
• Relic of St Brigid returns to native Co Kildare for first time in more than 1,000 years: St Brigid, the patroness of Ireland, has come home to Kildare town 1,500 years after her death. The relic of a bone fragment from her skull is contained inside a specially commissioned silver representation of an oak tree in a red box. It was brought to St Brigid’s parish church for a special Mass which begins a year of celebrating the life of the saint, who died, tradition tells us, around the year 524.
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News from around the World

• Concerns Gaza conflict could spread as three US soldiers killed in drone attack in Jordan: At least three US soldiers were killed and more than 30 injured, some in serious condition, in a drone attack on a base in northeast Jordan near the Syrian border, the first time US troops have been killed in the region since the start of the Gaza war. US president Joe Biden said that the attack, which took place overnight on Saturday, was carried out by “radical Iran-backed militant groups”.

The Big Read

• Ryanair’s passport rules leaves UK-bound passenger - and its staff - confused: “Could you look into an issue for me relating to the requirements for a passport on Ryanair flights,” begins a mail from a reader called Phil. “I know you’ve run articles on this previously but this issue seems to have stumped even Ryanair who have given contradictory and wrong advice. As things stand, I’m just going to avoid the issue by flying with Aer Lingus since I have no confidence that Ryanair has a clear policy.”

The best from Opinion

• Una Mullally: With every journalist killed in Gaza, a window closes: Irish artist Emmalene Blake — also known as ESTR — completed a mural in Dublin recently with artist Holly Pereira. It’s a painting of award-winning journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh, Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in Gaza City.
• Barry Cannon, Shane Murphy: What are anti-immigration protesters actually demanding?: Migration-related protests in Ireland have increased substantially since the arrival here of tens of thousands of refugees due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine almost two years ago. Gardaí reported that, by the end of 2023, 231 protests in the Dublin metropolitan region alone were related to anti-migration themes, one-third of all protests in the capital last year. But what are protesters actually demanding?
• Unthinkable: How to advise without losing friends and vexing people: Five tips for micromanagers: Giving advice is a delicate balancing act. It’s a thin line between sharing useful information and being plain annoying. I should know, having been an unwelcome irritant to family members and friends down the years. Are there tips for the micromanager in your life? This columnist turned to a psychologist and a philosopher to offer some help on how to advise.

Today's Business

• Changes to UK non-dom rules could result in wealthy elite moving their tax residence to Ireland: Ireland stands to gain significantly from potential changes to the UK tax system should a Labour Party government be elected in the next year, as polls are predicting. The party is committed to amending the country’s current tax regime for non-domiciled individuals (non-doms).

Top Sports news

• Smash ... Inflict ... Violence: Language around rugby shows both the heart of the game and the disease in its blood: In the second episode of Full Contact, the Netflix series on last season’s Six Nations, there are two jarring scenes, juxtaposed, maybe, to make us think. In the first, the Italian flanker, Sebastian Negri, is leaving the field on a motorised cart, surrounded by medical personnel, his head cradled in a padded brace, heavily concussed from a collision.

Picture of the Day

Culture and Life & Style Highlights

• Dancing with the Stars: ‘It’s devastating’ – public votes tearful TikTok star Miriam Mullins off the show: Dancing with the Stars often takes its time to achieve lift-off. Four weeks in, this season is coming together.

Video & Podcast Highlights

• In the News: Ken Early on Fifa, Infantino and football’s racism problem: AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Coventry City midfielder Kasey Palmer both paused their respective games last Saturday after they were subjected to racist gestures and shouts from the stands. Maignan and his team walked off the pitched before coming back and resuming the match. Football’s racism problem was again in the headlines.

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