This morning.

Outside the Dáil.

Children gathered to protest against climate change.

Pics: Aisling Kenny and Siobhan de Paor (top)

This morning.

House of Commons

Belfast and Finchley “cannot be seen” as identical places constitutionally, the Exiting the European Union Committee heard today from Mr Ahern, a co-architect of the Good Friday Agreement.

“The argument that [parts of] Northern Ireland are precisely the same as Finchley is incorrect, it’s constitutionally incorrect as per the Good Friday Agreement and I think people need to understand that,” he said.

Former Taoiseach says Belfast and Finchley ‘not the same’ (Irish World)

Meanwhile…

The latest in Pixar’s Spark Shorts series (you’ll recall ‘Purl’) – Brian Larsen’s tale of two ageing robots attempting to escape before they’re replaced by a new generation.

Freedom, however, does not come easy.

And here’s how they made it.

laughingsquid

This morning.

Dublin Castle, Dublin 2

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar addresses the European Financial Forum.

Meanwhile…

Everyone’s a critic.

From left:  Minister for Health Simon Harris, Vice-President Andrew McDowell of the European Investment Bank, the President of the EIB, Mr Werner Hoyer, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe , and  Taoiseach Leo Varadkar look at a model before the signing of documents for the European Investment Bank (EIB) loan for the new Childrens’ Hospital in December, 2017

“We have a real concern that some companies have been low-balling, coming in with very low tender prices to get the contract and then coming back with claims thereafter,” Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil in answer to Opposition questions about the children’s hospital costs.

“There are one or two contractors who, quite frankly, I would not like to see get a public contract again in this State,” Mr Varadkar added.

Later, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe declined to say if the Government believed this had happened with the hospital contract.

“It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment on that because a decision has now been made on the tender and who is doing the work,” he said.

State to examine if unrealistically low bids submitted to win contracts (irish Times)

Yesterday: The Eye Of Soaring

Rollingnews

Meanwhile…

After two years and 200 interviews, the Senate Intelligence Committee is approaching the end of its investigation into the 2016 election, having uncovered no direct evidence of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, according to both Democrats and Republicans on the committee.

Fightski!

Senate has uncovered no direct evidence of conspiracy between Trump campaign and Russia (NBC)

Pic: Getty

Meanwhile…

This morning.

At a meeting of the Oireachtas Health Committee.

Officials from the Department of Health and the HSE are giving an update to the committee on CervicalCheck – including Secretary General of the Department of Health Jim Breslin and HSE interim director general Anne O’Connor.

In the last few minutes, Ms O’Connor said:

“A key risk to enable cervical screening to continue in Ireland was the extension of the laboratory contracts. The HSE has a signed agreement with one of the private providers and are working through the detail of a contract with a second provider with whom we have a heads of agreement.”

Watch proceedings live here

Almost 80,000 women waiting up to 27 weeks for smear test results – HSE (Jennifer Bray, The Irish Times)

Restaurateur Philippe Weiner (above) says EU must have been referring to his place when warning diplomats to avoid a Brussels restaurant

If you’re in Brussels late and you feel
Like finishing work with a meal
The prices are high
And the waiter’s a spy
And all that you say he’ll reveal

John Moynes

Pic via The Guardian

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