Ms Cairns criticised opposition parties for not having a clear position on the nitrates derogation for Ireland and took aim at the Government for not preparing for the exemption being removed entirely. “For example, one of the votes people use all the time is the farming vote, and that debate in particular is something that I find very frustrating. “Like this whole debate with the nitrates derogation, since I got elected I’ve been saying to the Government, why are you continuing to extend the nitrates derogation when you’re walking farmers to a cliff edge, and eventually it’s going to have to go. “That’s not a realistic position, that’s just speaking out of both sides of your mouth. So I think that’s the main difference.”

Photo: Matt Browne/SportsfileOffaly name team for season opener as 2024 captain chosenThe Offaly senior football team has been named for the Dioralyte O'Byrne Cup clash with neighbours Laois tomorrow night (Wednesday). It will be Declan Kelly's first competitive game as Offaly senior manager. The Kilclonfert native was appointed as Offaly manager last year, having led the county to All-Ireland U-20 success in 2021. Meanwhile, Edenderry's Lee Pearson has been appointed as Offaly senior football captain for the 2024 season. Offaly team (v Laois):1.

That compares to 5.2% of school buildings in urban council areas. Mr Kerr added: "The condition of the school estate is deeply alarming - and it's both unacceptable and entirely in keeping with this nationalist coalition that the situation is far worse in forgotten rural Scotland. The Conservative MSP continued: "For too long the SNP have disregarded Scotland's rural communities. Scotland also has the most teachers per pupil and the highest-paid teachers in the UK - showing how much the Scottish Government values the profession. "The 2024-25 budget further supports teachers with an investment of £390 million to protect teacher numbers and fund the teacher pay deal."

But latest AIB Manufacturing PMI points to optimismNew economic data published this morning shows worsening manufacturing conditions in Ireland as 2023 drew to a close. The results of the latest AIB Ireland Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index is a setback to the stabilisation recorded in November. Adjusted for seasonal influences, the AIB Ireland Manufacturing PMI registered 48.9 in December, down slightly from 50 in November and below the neutral threshold for the third time in the past four months. The latest reading was close to the average for 2023 as a whole (49.1) and signalled a marginal overall downturn in business conditions. Latest data indicated a rise in new orders from abroad for the first time in four months, albeit at only a marginal rate.

If you write newspaper columns once or even twice a week for over 30 years, almost everything that happens to you becomes material. I was reminded of all of this a few weeks ago when reading an interview in The Irish Times’s New to the Parish series. Many of them did, of course – the point of official repression was to make sure that they wouldn’t know it. Even as it enforced dishonesty and malignant shame, Irish society also revelled in scandalmongering. We know, for example, that most people suffering domestic violence still keep quiet about it – internalised shame has not gone away.

A Japan Airlines aircraft with passengers on board went on fire at Tokyo’s Haneda airport after colliding with a coast guard aircraft. Transport minister Tetsuo Saito confirmed that five of the Coast Guard aircraft’s crew had died, while the 39-year-old captain of the plane escaped but was injured. A ministry official told a press briefing the JAL plane was attempting to land normally when it collided with the Coast Guard’s Bombardier-built Dash-8 maritime patrol plane on the runway. There had been no reports of engine or other problems on the airliner before the landing, the official said. Prime minister Fumio Kishida said authorities were working to ensure the accident did not affect deliveries of earthquake relief supplies, and expressed sorrow over the deaths of the Coast Guard crew.

Photo courtesy of Ingimage.comAware seeking volunteers to join its Support TeamAware, Ireland’s national organisation providing support, education and information services for those impacted by depression and bipolar disorder, is seeking new volunteers to join it’s Support Team. Support & Self Care Groups: Support & Self Care Groups offer a space where people living with depression and bipolar disorder can talk openly with peers, in a group setting and explore the helpful options available. Participants benefit from the support of an Aware volunteer each week as they work their way through the programme. These opportunities are available to people all over Ireland aged over 25 years of age for the Support & Self Care Groups and over 21 for the Support Line and Life Skills Online. It is important that potential volunteers are compassionate, possess good communication skills, take direction and show enthusiasm and passion for mental health and the work of Aware.

"As a parent, I kept asking mine if they wanted to leave and if they wanted to do this every 20 minutes. I was just horrified to see the moms attempting to be Momagers. Said mom and her friend were trying to tell my boys to stand elsewhere so they could 'get in a shot.' 🙄I asked how, what, and why and was told they had someone whose job it was to watch for this type of thing by parent or guardian and remove them and report them and any agency they may be with, basically 'canceling' their shots with that company." —stephaniev23

For Northern Ireland it was its respective warmest year in a series from 1884, third wettest year in a series from 1836, and also its wettest year since 2002. The Met Office said it expects the pattern of high temperature records to continue in the coming years as a result of human-induced climate change. Both Northern Ireland and Wales have now had consecutive warmest years on record, with 2023 topping their previous 2022 records. Some 1,399.0mm of rain was provisionally recorded by the Met Office for Northern Ireland – 21% more than average. Some of the heaviest rain came during storms Babet and Ciaran in the autumn which caused flooding across several counties.

The duo, who often spend Christmas at their Cotswolds estate at Great Tew, enjoyed a lavish lunch with Victoria’s parents Jackie and Anthony Adams. Victoria wrote: “Creating memories this NY Eve x family time really is everything x I love you all so much.”David Beckham calls out wife Victoria for saying she grew up ‘working class’ in new Netflix docuseries:“Be honest! @victoriabeckham Very working class 😂 My mother & father in law left in there Roll’s.”The gag is a reference to the Beckham Netflix documentary, in which Victoria says she grew up “working class”. On July 4 1999, David and Spice Girls star Victoria Adams tied the knot at a lavish ceremony in Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland. David, 48, is now co-owner of US football team Inter Miami, who recently signed Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, 36.

Northern Ireland’s oldest cinema looks forward to new eraBy Rebecca Black, PAThe long history of Belfast’s oldest remaining cinema will be celebrated as it looks forward to its future. Now a £6.5 million redevelopment will see three screens upgraded and a cafe added, as well as a museum aspect to celebrate is history. He was 12 years old and recalls watching the cinema being built before watching Bright Eyes on the opening night. Ms Hickey said the Strand opened at a boom time for cinemas, and was followed by the Astoria in nearby Ballyhackamore in 1936. The building will close in February and is expected to reopen in mid-2025, in time to mark the Strand’s 90th birthday.

The bike was heading north towards Paisley Road West when the crash happened, with the rider then running away towards Tealing Avenue. Read more: Murder investigation launched after man killed in Hogmanay shootingEmergency services attended the scene and found the woman seriously injured. She was taken to the city’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where she is said to be in a serious but stable condition. Police said the bike was reported stolen from an address in Edinburgh on Friday, December 19. Read more: Two men wanted in connection with attempted murder“It is also vital that we trace the motorbike rider.

Instead, I'm going to be good to myself. I'm going to get the banjo my husband bought for my birthday restrung and pick away at the chords enjoying myself just making a noise. In nice pyjamas and I’ll use pillow spray, I'm going to treat naps like the lovely duvet baths that they are. I'm going to read entirely for pleasure this year and if I do find myself unluckily reading a book that is worthy or zeitgeisty but which gives me no joy, I'm going to happily discard it halfway through. I’m going to make mine as happy as I can and, no, that probably doesn’t involve downward dog or Proust.

For use on antiques, dining tables, kitchen cabinets, wood doors and trim, etc. Just tried this stuff on one of our kitchen cabinets and it really did a nice job. The cabinets are 15-year-old cherry-stained hard work cabinets (oak, maybe?) 20 minutes after applying this product and wiping it off, I can't complain at all about the results. For the minimal price, I can't complain at all.

In South Queensferry, hundreds took to the pebbly beach as bagpipes played, with fancy dress costumes ranging from Santa hats to flamingo inflatables. Read more: Couple gets engaged at South Queensferry Loony DookOne couple even got engaged after taking the plunge in the chilly Firth of Forth. The Loony Dook tradition started in South Queensferry in the 1980s when a group of friends jokingly suggested it as a hangover cure. No fee is charged now for the Loony Dook, but participants are encouraged to donate to the RNLI. The Loony Dook 2024 in South Queensferry (Image: Peter Summers/Getty Images)The Loony Dook 2024 in South Queensferry (Image: Peter Summers/Getty Images)The Loony Dook 2024 in South Queensferry (Image: Peter Summers/Getty Images)The Loony Dook 2024 in South Queensferry (Image: Peter Summers / Getty Images)Gordon Fairbairn and Kitty Ellison get engaged at the Loony Dook in South Queensferry (Image: Ginny Sanderson)The Loony Dook 2024 in South Queensferry (Image: Peter Summers/Getty Images)New Year's Day 2024 Loony Dook at Helensburgh Marina (Image: Gordon Terris)New Year's Day 2024 Loony Dook at Helensburgh Marina (Image: Gordon Terris)New Year's Day 2024 Loony Dook at Helensburgh Marina (Image: Gordon Terris)New Year's Day 2024 Loony Dook at Helensburgh Marina (Image: Gordon Terris)