State to pay €1.5m to EU amid lack of beds for asylum seekers

The State will pay €1.5 million to a European relocation system because Ireland does not have the space to accommodate an additional 350 international protection applicants.

The State previously agreed to accept an extra 350 international protection applicants as part the solitary agreement, which sees international protection applicants relocated in EU member states but instead a €1.5 million financial contribution which will be made to meet the State’s commitments under an asylum seeker relocation system.

The two Ministers will tell the Cabinet that due to the large unforeseen increase in the number of people fleeing Ukraine and international protection applicants, the State’s capacity to provide accommodation is under “severe pressure”.

Ireland is currently providing accommodation for over 86,000 people which includes over 65,000 from Ukraine and the remainder made up of international protection applicants.

Annual inflation rate slows to 6.6% in May

The annual rate of inflation slowed to 6.6% in May, compared to 7.2% the previous month, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show this week. The rate of goods inflation has slowed to 2.9% while the price of services has risen to 9.5%.

The pace of inflation across the economy has gradually slowed but prices are still going up. Prices rose by 0.3% in May, bringing the annual rate to 6.6%, the CSO said today.

Core inflation, which strips out energy and food, was higher than the headline rate for the first time recording an annual rate of 6.8%.

Pope Francis' operation on hernia completed 'without complications'

Pope Francis underwent an operation this week on a painful abdominal hernia, which was completed without complications within three hours.

However, it revived concerns over the 86-year-old’s increasingly fragile health. The pope was suffering from a hernia that was “causing recurrent, painful and worsening” symptoms, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

Francis always retains all his powers as pontiff even while unconscious.