Johnson distances himself from leaked Brexit border proposals

The Taoiseach has warned that any move to propose ‘customs clearance zones’ near the Irish border would have shown that the British Government was negotiating in bad faith.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson this afternoon said the proposals, leaked overnight, were “not right” and insisted, “that's not what we're proposing at all.”

The plan, to create two lines of customs posts on both sides of the border, was reportedly included in one of four so-called 'non-papers' submitted by UK officials during recent discussions in Brussels.

The customs posts would have been set between 10km and 15km back from the physical border on both sides.

Hurricane Lorenzo to bring high seas and “very strong winds”

The Government is warning that Hurricane Lorenzo is likely to bring high seas and "very strong winds" later this week.

The Government's emergency taskforce met this evening as Met Éireann continues to closely monitor the hurricane's progress.

The forecaster has issued a weather advisory, warning of “very wet and potentially stormy conditions” over parts of Ireland on Thursday night and into Friday morning.

The National Emergency Co-ordination Group was convened at 4pm today to discuss preparations for the storm’s arrival.

Report on forensic audit into FAI finances delayed

A forensic audit into finances at the FAI is being delayed.

A draft report was due to be submitted next week, but the company carrying out the audit has asked for more time.

Sport Ireland has granted the extension and has written to the Oireachtas Sports Committee warning it may take some time.

The report is examining the spending of grant money given to the FAI and wider financial administration at Irish football's governing body.

Flanagan labels some direct provision comments “grossly misleading”

The Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has claimed there have been "grossly misleading comments" made about direct provision services in Ireland.

He was speaking after a bidder withdrew from the tender process for a centre for asylum seekers in Oughterard, Co Galway.

Local residents had been holding round-the-clock protests outside the former Connemara Gateway Hotel for over a fortnight to demonstrate against the proposed centre.

One group said they were protesting against the prospect of people being housed in "inhumane" conditions.

Green Party launches plan to restore native Irish woodlands

The Green Party has launched a bid to fundamentally change Ireland's forestry model - and begin restoring native Irish woodlands right across the country.

The ‘Close to Nature’ motion calls on the Government to move away from plantation forests, grown on short thirty-year cycles, towards natural woodlands that are “bright, diverse and full of nature.”

The motion warns that Ireland currently has the lowest forest cover in the EU at just 11% – with one of the highest rates of plantation forestry.

More than half of the trees in Ireland’s forests are now Sitka Spruce and environmentalists have warned that the dense coverage of the trees blocks out sunlight - damaging ecosystems, driving out wildlife and leaving behind ecological 'dead zones.'