LAST UPDATE | 3 Jun

GOOD MORNING.

Here’s all the news you need to know to start the day. 

Women’s healthcare

1. A debate about Ireland’s maternity services, which has included both public and private care for many years, has kicked off in recent days.

We asked our readers how they felt about maternity care in Ireland and what their experiences have been of public, semi-private and private care. Here’s what they told us. 

Leaving Cert

2. Over 145,000 Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert students will have their written exams kick off this morning, a record number of candidates. 

For Leaving Cert students, English Paper 1 is first up. Exams commence at 9.30am.

Back to school

3. Meanwhile, the government has opened applications for the 2026 Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.

The scheme has been expanded this year to include children aged two and three for the first time, meaning an estimated 37,000 additional children will now qualify for the payment.

Special Education

4. Separately, the first ever workforce development plan for Special Needs Assistants (SNA) will be brought to cabinet later today.

Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton will bring the plan for the future development and professionalisation of the SNA workforce to cabinet.

Carlingford Lough

5. The body of a man has been recovered from Carlingford Lough after a fishing boat sank on Tuesday afternoon.

One man was recovered from the vessel and transferred to the care of HSE paramedics at Greenore harbour on Tuesday after a search and rescue operation began shortly after 12.30pm. 

Alert

6. Cabinet ministers are also expected to sign off on the procurement of a new emergency text alert system which could be up and running next year.

The system will send messages to citizens who may be near a possible natural disaster, terror attack or extreme weather event, to let them know how and where to stay safe and to prevent the spread of misinformation.

St Petersburg

7. Ukrainian drones have hit energy and military sites in St Petersburg as officials gathered for a flagship economic forum in the city.

Some 20,000 guests from 130 countries are set to attend the three-day annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum, an annual event that was once Russia’s premier gathering to court Western investors and businesses.

The Feeder’s Digest

8. In his new food column, Patrick Hanlon discusses fake names, burner emails and what really happens when a restaurant critic walks through the door.

Collab on the cards?

9. CMAT has extended a “pints?” invitation to Olivia Rodrigo after the US pop star covered her song When A Good Man Cries on BBC Radio 1.

Before performing the cover, Rodrigo said that she had only recently discovered CMAT’s music and describing her as “such an incredible, unique songwriter”.