Enjoy your coffee break by catching up on all of the morning’s top news, every morning at 10:30am on TheLiberal.ie
#1 Gilligan: Gardai in full alert as convicted drug dealer John Gilligan is expected to return to the country after the death of one of his brothers.
Gilligan, currently on the run in the UK after multiple attempts on his life, will likely return to Ireland for a brief visit after the passing of his brother Bernard, who had no dealings in crime whatsoever.
Gardai will deploy a full security alert to deal with Gilligan’s presence here.
#2 Pistorius: Oscar Pistorius is in court today, awaiting to hear his sentence for the manslaughter of Reeva Steenkamp. He will also be sentenced on the charge of firing a gun in a restaurant.
#3 Budget: New relief measures to cut water bills by up to €100 euro expected to be introduced in tomorrow’s Budget.
The measures are thought to be introduced over the Coalition fears of a huge public backlash against the water charges.
The proposed measures will allow taxpayers claim tax relief on their water charges to the value of €100, at the lower income band of 20pc. The average bill for a family of two children and two adults is estimated at €278, meaning a tax relief of €55.60.
#4 Ebola: ‘Breach of protocol’ blamed for Ebola transmission.
A breach in safety protocols has been blamed for the contagion of a nurse who was part of the team that looked after Thomas Eric Duncan.
The identity of the nurse has not been revealed, but medical sources confirm that the entire apartment block where this person lives, the car, and the car park used have been thoroughly decontaminated.
#5 Gardai: Serial killer suspected of murdering school girl 37 years ago.
Convicted child serial killer Robert Black (66) is a suspect on the unsolved case of a seven year old girl who went missing in Donegal 37 years ago.
Mary Boyle had been staying at her grandmother’s place in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, when she disappeared without trace, mere minutes from where she was staying. Her body was never found.
Black is currently serving multiple life sentences for the abduction and murder of 4 girls back in the 80s.