By Cillian Sherlock, PATackling Government waste and radically improving efficiency is the focus of the Independent Ireland election manifesto. Independent Ireland is fronted by leader Michael Collins and co-founder Richard O’Donoghue as well as Michael Fitzmaurice, who formerly sat as Independent TDs in the Dáil. Among its core pledges are a new independent oversight body – recruited from the private sector – to “tackle Government waste, radically improve efficiency and deliver accountability”. Independent Ireland said it would also “secure our borders” and create special courts to deal with illegal immigration. Independent Ireland would declare a housing emergency and delivery affordable homes for people currently renting, it says.

'Very long waiting times' for non-urgent patients at Tullamore Emergency DepartmentThe Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore has said it is experiencing increasing numbers of people requiring admission at this time. Where possible, the management at Tullamore Hospital is asking patients with non-emergency conditions to seek assistance from other parts of the health service such as their local Pharmacist, GP, GP out of hours service, or a local injury unit. If you require urgent medical attention out of hours, you can visit https://www2.hse.ie/services/find-a-gp-out-of-hours/The hospital said, in a statement: "Unfortunately, patients who are presenting at the ED with non-urgent conditions are experiencing very long waiting times to be seen." Any patient who needs emergency hospital care will be seen and Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore would urge such patients not to delay attending the ED. The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore apologised for any inconvenience caused and thanked the public for their support and understanding.

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(Image: Danny Lawson/PA)Meanwhile, yellow wind, rain and snow warnings cover much of the rest of the UK. Wind warnings cover Scotland from 5am until 7pm on Saturday. Rain and snow warnings cover northern England from 4am to 9am and Northern Ireland from midnight on Friday until 11am on Saturday. Rain warnings cover much of Wales from 6am on Saturday until 6am on Sunday, and south-west England from 6am on Saturday until 11.45pm. “Further south it’s wind and rain, further north it’s snow then rain and wind.

This week we’ve updated our Government Tracker to reflect new information on the number of hotels being used to house asylum seekers. In its 2024 election manifesto the Labour party committed to “end asylum hotels, saving the taxpayer billions of pounds”. Full Fact has taken a look at this pledge and found that since Labour came into government the number of hotels being used to house asylum seekers has increased. No coverage or images from the event showed Mr Tyson displaying support for Palestinians in this way, and his publicist told Full Fact the image was “false”. Government hasn’t introduced ‘free bus fares for immigrants’False claims on social media have circulated claiming that the government has introduced a new policy providing “free bus fares for immigrants” and suggesting this is linked to the decision to increase the bus fare cap to £3.

By Cate McCurry, PAThe jury in a civil case against Conor McGregor is continuing its deliberations at the High Court in Dublin. Mr McGregor is facing an accusation in the civil action that he “brutally raped and battered” Nikita Hand at a hotel in south Dublin in December 2018. Justice Owens told the jury to keep their feet “firmly on the ground” and to “use their common sense”. The first is did Mr McGregor assault Ms Hand and the second is did Mr Lawrence assault Ms Hand. If they answer no to both then the matter ends there and Ms Hand loses her case.

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PATaoiseach Simon Harris has said that “it is not right” that social housing delivery has not reduced the number of people who are homeless. The Fine Gael leader defended the government’s record on housing and said he did not believe two schemes for first-time buyers were inflating house prices. Mr Harris also said that he expected house prices to fall when around 50,000-60,000 homes a year are being built. On homelessness, the official Department of Housing figures show there were 14,760 people in emergency accommodation at the end of September, including 4,561 children – both record highs. “I think what is inflationary is the lack of supply and, obviously, we’ve made a lot of progress on supply.

AT the launch were Maureen Grealish, Tuam Cancer Care, MaryAnn Maslov, Deputy General Manager Ard Ri, Eimear Keane, Tuam Cancer Care, Virgie Sweeney, Charlotte’s Vision, Jean Browne, General Manager Ard Ri, Caroline Monahan, Chairperson Tuam Cancer Care, Chloe Campbell, Food and Beverage Manager Ard Ri and Caroline Downey, Charlotte’s Vision. Photo: Jacinta FahyTuam’s Vision of Hope New Year’s Eve Ball launchedA NEW Year’s Eve Ball in Tuam will support the fundraising efforts of two local charities this year — Charlotte’s Vision and Tuam Cancer Care. Charlotte’s Vision was launched in October 2022 by the friends and family of Charlotte Sweeney, a brave young woman from Tuam who died in December 2021 from metastatic breast cancer. The charity is partnered with the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI) based in the Lamb Institute in UHG. I have such admiration for what they do, and I know someday, like Tuam Cancer Care, we will change lots of lives.

💚#TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/KwpwEpLYD4 — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) November 21, 2024Farrell hopes his much-changed hosts can rise to the challenge. Asked if he feels the opposition may have saved their best performance until last, Farrell replied: “Yeah, I’d expect that. Farrell insists he is not encouraging his team to “play on the edge” and acknowledges the discipline issues must improve. 👊#TeamOfUs — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) November 21, 2024“Referees always get things wrong and so do we,” said the Englishman. That’s a little bit too much enthusiasm, lack of composure, and it’s not one person, it’s a mixture.

‘I’m the right guy in the right moment’, says new Man Utd boss Ruben AmorimBy Simon Peach, PA Chief Football WriterNew head coach Ruben Amorim says he “truly believes” in Manchester United’s squad and that he is the right man to take the club back to the top. “There’s a lot of departments, it’s so much different than Sporting – and Sporting is a big club in Portugal. I know that you guys don’t believe a lot in these players, but I believe a lot. “Call me naive, but I truly believe that I’m the right guy in the right moment. I truly believe that I’m the right guy for this job.”Amorim’s belief extends to his approach, with the former Sporting boss ready to implement his 3-4-3 system on Sunday despite limited preparation time.

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INDEPENDENT IRELAND HAS pledged to freeze “green taxes”, create a Department of Efficiency and subsidise rental accommodation for front-line workers as part of its general election manifesto. Independent Ireland was set up by Cork South-West TD Michael Collins and Limerick TD Richard O’Donoghue last November. Under its climate section, Independent Ireland pledges to abandon the “unachievable and destructive net zero agenda” and instead adopt a “common sense approach that protects our economy and environment together instead of sacrificing one for the other”. It also pledges to reduce VAT to 9% for tourism and hospitality, excluding accommodation. On asylum seekers, the party pledges to expedite applications and eliminate wasteful spending.

The Republic of Ireland will do battle with Bulgaria in March in a promotion/relegation play-off in the Nations League. Today’s draw at UEFA HQ for the play-off had Ireland with four potential opponents from League C, in a two-legged clash to stay in League B. Ireland avoided Kosovo, Slovakia and Armenia but have been paired with Bulgaria. That’s a tough draw for the Irish side as Bulgaria, despite being at a low ebb, can still pull off results like when they won at home to Northern Ireland in this Nations League campaign, in a league which Northern Ireland won. ​He likes Irish opposition: he scored the only goal of the game when Bulgaria beat Northern Ireland in September and found the net against Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League. They are capable of the solid (1-0 wins over Northern Ireland and Luxembourg and a decent draw away to Serbia) and the shocking (the 5-0 defeat to Northern Ireland last month).

The next exhibition in Athlone's Luan Gallery features Westmeath artists and opens on Friday, November 29. Upcoming Luan Gallery exhibition features work by 32 Westmeath artistsThe next exhibition at the Luan Gallery in Athlone will open on Friday evening next, November 29, and will feature the work of 32 Westmeath artists. It is a Westmeath Artists Awards exhibition, entitled Let The Mirror Express The Room and it will remain on display over Christmas and into the new year, concluding on February 2 next. The opening reception at Luan Gallery will take place at 6pm on November 29, and will be addressed by Cllr Liam McDaniel, Cathaoirleach, Westmeath County Council; Laura McCormack, the council's Acting Arts Officer, and Benjamin Stafford, guest curator. The Luan Gallery listed the artists featured in the exhibition as follows: Nataliia Bobak, Alan Crowley, Nicole Gill, El Putnam, Anne Marie Burke, Bertille de Lestrade, Jacinta Guinan, Amanda Ralph, Eoin Butler, Maebh Donovan, Tina Hayes, Paul Roy, Emma Carter, Mark Duffy, Fiona Kelly, Nóilín Shaw, Richard Clarke, Lorraine Dunne, Hilary Kinahan, Celine Sheridan, Kyle Collins, Trish Findlater, Lorraine Mimnagh, Annette Treacy, Mary Cosgrove, Olivia Finn, Muiris Moynihan, Ann Wingfield, Martina Coyle, Paul Flaherty, Emma O'Brien and Lesley Wingfield.

‘It’s not full democracy if immigrants aren’t allowed to vote’I work and pay my taxes in Ireland. As a migrant, however, I cannot vote on people making decisions that affect my daily lifeUnable to vote in the general election: Teresa BuczkowskaTeresa Buczkowska Today at 03:30My grandmother was born five years before women in Poland were granted the right to vote. Most of her life was spent under an authoritarian regime where elections were neither free nor democratic. By the time I reached adulthood, Poland had transitioned to democracy, and I had full voting rights. But when, at the age of 22, I became a migrant worker in Ireland, my democratic rights went backwards.