Your top stories on Thursday: Ireland to overhaul asylum system; rat droppings among reasons for food business closure orders

Ireland to overhaul asylum system after European Parliament votes to harden bloc’s borders

Ireland is to overhaul its asylum system after the European Parliament approved a new policy to harden the bloc’s borders after years of deadlock.

The International Protection Act 2015 will be repealed, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said yesterday, and new, legally binding time frames for making decisions on international protection applications and appeals will be introduced.

News

• Soldier sexually abused colleagues when drinking session turned sour, court martial told: A then-member of the Defence Forces sexually abused and made unwelcome suggestions to colleagues when a drinking session in his room turned into an altercation, a military court has heard.
• Harris to raise Ireland’s intention to recognise Palestine with Von der Leyen: Taoiseach Simon Harris will raise Ireland’s intention to formally recognise the State of Palestine when he meets European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels today.
• Rat droppings and foul water among reasons for food business closure orders: Fresh rat droppings, an “overflow of foul water” in a production area and dirt on walls, equipment and surfaces of kitchens, were among the reasons cited for ten enforcement orders served by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) last month.
• Catholic Church’s downsizing only the beginning as attendances a decline: So it begins. The West of Ireland’s six Catholic dioceses in Connacht are reduced to three, with the Archdiocese of Tuam taking over Killala; Elphin taking over Achonry; and Galway already “running” Clonfert.
• Check out today's Most Read stories
• Join The Irish Times WhatsApp channel for breaking news straight to your phone.

World

• Biden vows ‘ironclad’ US support for Israel amid fears of Iran attack: US president Joe Biden has vowed that US commitment to defend Israel against Iran was “ironclad” as concerns rose in Washington that a “significant” Iranian strike could happen within days, in retaliation for the bombing of an Iranian consular building in Damascus.

The Big Read

• Is Dunnes breaking consumer law when it comes to returns?: Is Dunnes Stores, one of the largest retailers in the Republic, breaking consumer law? That was the troubling question a reader called Ann asked last week in a mail she sent to Pricewatch in connection with an interaction with the shop that left her distinctly aggrieved.

Opinion

• Finn McRedmond: The solar eclipse is the latest shiny object in the culture wars
• Newton Emerson: We need to talk about restricting overseas buyers snapping up homes

Business

• Flying taxis are a fantasy distracting from real transport solutions: The Jetsons have so much to answer for. Thanks to that opening sequence of the 1960s space age cartoon in which George Jetson takes the kids to school and heads to work, a generation grew up thinking that by the time they were adults, they too would drive a flying car.

Sports

• Rory McIlroy goes in pursuit of Augusta glory but all eyes are on Scottie Scheffler: All week, each of the 89 players in this 88th edition of the Masters have turned off Washington Road and driven through Gate 3, into Magnolia Lane, many of them in electric-powered Mercedes courtesy cars, where a private security guard has directed each one down the tree-lined avenue towards the colonial clubhouse.

Life & Style

• Michael Harding: To me, Bundoran streets were once as glamorous as those of Las Vegas: I was in Bundoran recently for a coffee in the Buoys and Gulls cafe, which has lovely windows with views of the ocean.

Podcast

• In the News Podcast: New plans to stop Dublin being a ‘drive through’ city gather speed

Why not try one of our Crosswords & Puzzles?

• Simplex Crossword
• Crosaire Crossword
• Sudoku Puzzle

Like this?

Get the best content direct to your inbox by signing up to one of our newsletters