1. Water charges suspension at heart of mooted FF-FG deal
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have edged closer to a deal on water charges which would pave the way for a minority government led by Enda Kenny. Sources said the water deal will centre on the suspension of charges for a period and could eventually see those who have paid the charges receive a refund.
The next government faces a greater level of global economic uncertainty than at any time since the height of the financial crisis, the Department of Finance has warned. Amid divisions between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil over Irish Water, the department has called for prudent fiscal management to offset any threats to the recovery from the numerous sources of international uncertainty. After many weeks of fruitless talks over the formation of the next government, the Department of Finance has fired an unambiguous warning shot over of heads of bickering politicians. Stephen Collins writes that the Fianna Fáil stance on Irish Water is about politics not policy. The events of the past week or so do not augur well for the operation of a Fine Gael-led minority government Miriam Lord asks if a biblical solution might help Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to buy time – and form a government?
2. Trump wins clean sweep, declares Republican race ‘over’
onald Trump declared himself "the presumptive nominee" to stand as the Republican candidate in November's presidential election after a clean sweep of five north-eastern state wins on another big night for his campaign. the Democratic race, Hillary Clinton scored decisive wins in four of the five state contests, all but extinguishing any hope that her challenger, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, can block her path to the party's presidential nomination.In the City of Brotherly Love, there was not much sisterly affection for Hillary Clinton among Bernie Sanders's supporters at a rally on Monday night. Elsewhere in the US, supporters and opponents of a new North Carolina transgender law have been holding competing rallies on the first day of the state's legislative session.
3. How The Sun’s ‘truth’ about Hillsborough unravelled
Prosecutors will investigate whether to bring criminal charges in connection with Britain's biggest ever sporting disaster, after an inquest found that 96 football fans crushed to death at Hillsborough stadium in 1989 were killed unlawfully. The landmark moment in the long Hillsborough inquests came six months in when a police officer who had spread stories that Liverpool fans had stolen from victims, notoriously published by the Sun under the headline "The Truth", admitted they were false. Former Ireland star Ray Houghton, who played in 1989, spoke candidly to @irishtimes of the fateful day and its impact
Hillsborough inquest: the jury's main findings: Fans died unlawfully; Duckenfield guilty of 'gross negligence'; Liverpool fans blameless The 14 questions Hillsborough jury was asked – and its answers: The Warrington jury gave yes/no answers, but also explained some of its decisions
4. Ronan Mullen, Michael McDowell top poll in NUI Seanad panel
Outgoing senator Ronan Mullen has topped the poll in the Seanad election on the National University of Ireland panel followed in second place by former Progressive Democrat leader and minister for justice Michael McDowell. Both of them look certain of election but the destination of the third and final seat will be hotly contested. Meanwhile, David Norris (Ind) has, according to tallies, headed the poll in the three-seat Seanad Trinity College Dublin panel. Former surfer first Green candidate elected to Seanad: Fianna Fáil pays for poor vote management as party loses seat on Agricultural panel Sinn Féin continues its strong performance with Fine Gael's Maurice Cummins likely to lose out. Meanwhile, outgoing Independent Senator Gerard Craughwell retained his seat on the Labour vocational panel, bringing to two the number of elected Independents. There are 43 seats in all on the vocational panels.
Misc…
Barely scraping the sky: why Dublin's tallest buildings are too short: Developers are setting their sights lower with buildings such as the 73m Exo office block
Dyson blows into beauty industry with Supersonic hairdryer: Vacuum cleaner innovator says its latest product will reduce heat damage to hair
Comment: The Gaeltacht must be broken and remade to save Irish: You can't have Irish speakers without the Gaeltacht and you won't have a Gaeltacht without serious social change
Council tenants may get 60% discount to buy houses: One-bed tenants and single people in larger homes excluded from purchase scheme
Man City and Real Madrid play out tense semi-final stalemate: Joe Hart was the saviour for the home side pulling off a string of impressive saves
