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Evening top 5: Johnson facing resignation demands; Call for gas exploration ban; Rental sector sexual harassment

UK opposition calls for Johnson resignation The Taoiseach has said today's historic UK Supreme Co...
Michael Staines
Michael Staines

21.58 24 Sep 2019


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Evening top 5: Johnson facing...

Evening top 5: Johnson facing resignation demands; Call for gas exploration ban; Rental sector sexual harassment

Michael Staines
Michael Staines

21.58 24 Sep 2019


Share this article


UK opposition calls for Johnson resignation

The Taoiseach has said today's historic UK Supreme Court ruling will not change the tone of his engagements with the UK Prime Minister.

In a unanimous decision this morning, 11 judges in the UK's highest court found Mr Johnson's suspension of parliament was unlawful.

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The decision led to immediate calls from opposition parties in the UK for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign.

The British government had prorogued parliament earlier this month until mid-October - meaning MPs would not sit for more than a month in the lead-up to the current Brexit deadline of October 31st.

Varadkar Johnson Brexit The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar meets with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the UN Summt in New York, 24-09-2019. Image: Twitter

Varadkar warns of “very wide gap on Brexit”

The Taoiseach has warned that there is still a “very wide gap” between the EU and the UK over Brexit following his meeting with Boris Johnson.

Leo Varadkar met with the UK Prime Minster on the fringes of the UN Summit in New York this evening.

Speaking afterwards, he said it was useful exchange – but warned that there is still a huge amount of work to do if a deal is to be struck by the end of October.

“I think it was good meeting in the sense that we were able to get into a more detail this time,” he said. “However, there is still a very wide gap between the EU and the UK in terms of achieving what we need to achieve before October.”

gas exploration January 20, 2018 - Huntington Beach, California, U.S. - Offshore oil rig platforms off the coast of Huntington Beach in Orange county.

Calls for Government to ban gas exploration in wake of oil announcement

Environmental activists have welcomed the Government's plans to start phasing out oil exploration - but suggested not doing the same for gas is a missed opportunity.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed the Government's approach during a speech in New York yesterday evening.

Speaking at the UN Climate Action Summit, Mr Varadkar said: "In the last week, on foot of a request from me, our independent Climate Change Advisory Council recommended that exploration for oil should end, as it is incompatible with a low carbon future.

"They recommended that exploration for natural gas should continue for now, as a transition fuel that we will need for decades to come while alternatives are developed and fully deployed.

“Predators with spare keys” – women speak out on sexual harassment in rental sector

A number of women have spoken out about their experiences of sexual harassment in the rental sector.

Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger raised the issue in the Dáil last week – after she was approached by a woman whose landlord offered her a "sex for rent" deal when she couldn't afford to remain in her home.

At a press conference this morning, she said she has had a “huge reaction” to the revelations in the days since.

She said a ‘many women’ have come forward with stories of unwanted sexual attention and abuse – often just to be allowed to stay in their in their homes after paying their rent in full.

Starbucks wins EU state aid challenge

Starbucks has won a challenge against a European Union demand to pay up to €30m in Dutch back taxes.

Meanwhile, car-maker Fiat Chrysler lost a similar challenge in Luxembourg.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) overturned a European Commission decision on state aid in favour of US coffee company Starbucks.

It found that the commission was "unable to demonstrate the existence of an advantage" in favour of the firm.


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