Windfalls, courtrooms and community need — the National Lottery confirms a €6.2m Christmas jackpot win, while the High Court rules Enoch Burke will remain in prison over the holidays unless he purges his contempt. In Athlone, Lisa Malone appeals for volunteers to help establish the town’s first community-led food bank as more families struggle.
Migration, ageing and mental wellbeing — Peadar Tóibín raises alarms after almost 200 adults were mistakenly placed in Tusla accommodation for minors over three years; new research suggests the body’s ability to recover dramatically declines after age 75; and psychotherapist Rory Hafford tackles loneliness and teen emotional burnout in Headaches & Heartaches.
Education, youth voice and environmental protection — Educate Together urges parents to take part in the nationwide patronage survey; Laois Comhairle na nÓg highlights the need for teen-friendly outdoor spaces and better mental-health supports; and Offaly and Westmeath officials outline a new national authority to tackle unauthorised peat extraction and quarrying.
