News you need today: Carlow social housing dispute and Enoch Burke ruling
Today’s briefing covers a political dispute over social housing in Carlow and an upcoming legal ruling regarding teacher Enoch Burke. We also look at updates from the Noah Donohoe inquest and a call for blood donations ahead of major concerts in Dublin.
Sinn Féin has criticized the government after a developer in Carlow switched nearly half of a planned social housing estate to the private market. Housing Minister James Browne responded by stating that the local County Council must find a way to ensure these homes are built as quickly as possible. The opposition argues the Minister cannot avoid responsibility for the loss of social housing units.
A Teaching Council panel is set to rule this Friday on whether to remove certain members from an inquiry into teacher Enoch Burke. Mr. Burke has called for the inquiry's chair to step down, alleging "objective bias." The inquiry is investigating claims of misconduct related to Mr. Burke repeatedly appearing at his former school despite a legal ban.
An inquest into the death of Belfast teenager Noah Donohoe heard testimony that there is no evidence of "third-party involvement." A police inspector told the court that there were no signs of Noah having any negative interactions with anyone during his final bicycle ride. The inquest is examining the circumstances surrounding how the 14-year-old died in 2020.
The head of a commission investigating Northern Ireland’s past conflict has accused the Irish government of failing to cooperate. Sir Declan Morgan, chief of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), said the government is not providing information needed for investigations into "legacy cases" from the Troubles. He warned that he may take further action if the situation does not improve.
Heavy metal band Metallica is encouraging Irish fans to donate blood ahead of their concerts in Dublin on June 19 and 21. Mobile donation clinics are being organized across the country to boost blood supplies before the band's performances this weekend.
For more details on these stories and others, visit the app's News section. Read about record-breaking overnight temperatures in County Down, the return of professional tennis to Dublin after 18 years, and the latest results from the 2026 World Cup.