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Morning top 5: Full recount in Ireland South; Seven dead after boat capsizes in Budapest; Corbyn signals U-Turn on second Brexit vote

Michael Staines
Michael Staines

07.00 30 May 2019


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Morning top 5: Full recount in...

Morning top 5: Full recount in Ireland South; Seven dead after boat capsizes in Budapest; Corbyn signals U-Turn on second Brexit vote

Michael Staines
Michael Staines

07.00 30 May 2019


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A full recount has been ordered in the Ireland South European Election constituency.

Sinn Féin’s Liadh Ní Riada requested the recount as she was poised to miss out on the final seat to the Green Party’s Grace O’Sullivan – by just over 300 votes.

Fine Gael’s Sean Kelly and Fianna Fáil's Billy Kelleher have already been elected - with Fine Gael's Deirdre Clune and Independent Mick Wallace also expected to take seats.

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A recheck of every bundle will start this morning to make sure the O'Sullivan and Ní Riada votes are all in the right place - with the full recount expected to start on Tuesday.

All eight seats in Ireland’s two other constituencies have been filled.

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Seven people have died and up to 21 are missing after a sightseeing boat capsized in the Hungarian capital of Budapest.

The boat was moored near the Hungarian parliament building on the Danube River when it was hit by another tourist vessel.

The boat was carrying more than 30 passengers and two crew members. Seven have been rescued and are in a stable condition.

The rescue effort has been hampered by heavy rains and strong currents on the river.

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The leader of the opposition in the UK has signalled a U-turn on his opposition to a second Brexit referendum.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said that the “only way out” of the Brexit crisis is to go back to the people either through a general election or a public vote.

He said any referendum would see voters offer a choice between a “negotiated deal or alternatives to that.”

He said Labour would do "whatever is necessary" to prevent the UK crashing out of the European Union without a deal.

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Five well-known swimming locations around the country have poor water quality according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The agency said 94% of Ireland’s bathing waters met minimum EU standards last year.

Researchers tested the water at 145 locations for the 2018 EPA Bathing Water – with 103 classes as excellent, 22 as good and 12 as sufficient.

Dublin’s Sandymount Strand, Merrion Strand and Portrane Beach were al classified as poor – as were Lilliput in County Westmeath and Clifden in County Galway.

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An independent body is needed to review pay and staff relations in the Irish Defence Forces, according to a senior commander.

Commandant Conor King, the general secretary of the officers' representative association - RACO - said the government has failed to introduce a coherent retention policy.

Commandant King is due to appear before the joint Oireachtas committee on foreign affairs, trade and defence later today.

He said he has been forced to make the appearance because the Department of Defence has been “unwilling or unable to introduce any retention policy to stem the outflow of talent for the Defence Forces.”


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