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2019 Taoiseach Tells Corbyn Changes In UK Bradley Accused Of “Apparent Contempt”
After Refusing To Take Questions
5th, Position Needed To Change Brexit Deal From Journalists
June The Northern

he UK cannot continue get a better deal for the UK way” that the Withdrawal Ireland Secretary
| has been criticized
to be granted rolling that avoided a no-deal out- Agreement could change by the National
EXAMINER unless there is a general elec- Taoiseach told the Dail: “I damental change in red lines Union showing
come.
would be if there was a “fun-
extensions
TBrexit
of
After the meeting the
Journalists (NUJ)
tion or a second referendum
from the next UK prime min-
for
very much imparted that mes-
in the pipeline, the Taoiseach
ister or the next UK govern-
IRISH has warned the UK Labour sage as politely that I could ment” such as a decision to “apparent con-
tempt” by refusing
that the chances of a further
stay in the customs union or
leader.
Leo Varadkar told Jeremy extension are pretty slim and the single market. to take their ques-
Corbyn that the Withdrawal the Withdrawal Agreement, “There is a hardening view tions.
Agreement was “closed” and including the Irish protocol across the European Union Karen Bradley
could only be altered if there and the backstop, is closed that we cannot continue to did not field any
was a fundamental change to from our point of view.” have rolling extensions,” he queries after she gave a minute-long update on the political talks
UK red lines. Mr Varadkar said the “only added. C on Thursday.
Tánaiste Simon Coveney spoke for 10 minutes and answered
The Taoiseach and Mr six questions.
Corbyn met at Government Ciaran O Maolain, a member of the NUJ’s national executive
Buildings in Dublin on and the secretary of the union’s Belfast branch, told the BBC:
Thursday morning. “We all want to see progress in politics and that requires
It came as pressure mount- informed debate, transparency and honesty on all sides.
ed on Mr Corbyn to back a “For a Government minister to treat journalists with apparent
second referendum on Brexit. contempt – refusing to take a single question when so many
The Labour leader said on important issues are being discussed – does nothing to advance
Wednesday that an election or the political process.”
referendum would be the Mrs Bradley has been attempting to engineer the restoration
“only way out” of the Brexit of power-sharing at Stormont.
crisis. During her spell in the Northern Ireland Office she has
He also said that he would answered journalists’ queries repeatedly on a range of subjects.
seek to renegotiate Brexit to But she has also been criticized over a number of her com-
ments, including the suggestion in the British Parliament earlier
this year that killings by British soldiers during the Troubles were
not crimes.
She later apologized.
The Irish government has been among those expressing con-
fidence in her ability as minister.
The power-sharing institutions have been in deep freeze for
around two-and-a-half years following a row between the DUP
and Sinn Féin over the botched green energy scheme. C

Over 61,000 Births Recorded
In Ireland Last Year

There were more than 61,000 babies born in Ireland last year,
a slight decrease on the previous year.
There were 61,016 births in 2018 compared to 62,053 in 2017.
The CSO figures show the average age of Irish mothers is 33.
Limerick has the highest percentage of births outside marriage
at 54%, the lowest is in Dun Laoighre in Dublin with 23.8%.
A total of 980 teenagers had babies in 2018 – 22 of them were
under 16.
The figures show Dublin city has the highest number of births
registered (7,041), followed by Cork (5,541).
Leitrim has the lowest number 399 births, accounting for 0.7%
of total live births in the country.
There were 187 infant deaths registered in 2018 giving an
infant mortality rate of 3.1 per 1,000 live births.
There were 31,116 deaths were registered last year resulting in
a natural increase in the population of 29,000 people.
Of the 31,116, 15,967 were male while 15,149 were female.
That total is 2.1% higher than in 2017 when 30,484 deaths
were registered.
Diseases of the circulatory system accounted for 8,938 deaths
while there were 9,198 deaths from malignant neoplasms.
Deaths from chronic lower respiratory disease numbered
1,743, pneumonia accounted for 1,084 deaths.
The CSO says that the number of marriages registered in 2018
was 21,053.
664 were same-sex marriages. C