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TOP LOCATIONS SPORTING VOGUE 50 DREAM FOR 2020 MOMENTS OF Travels LIVING with baby THE DECADE Theo HOLIDAYS LIVING FIVE-PAGE SPECIAL IN SPORT SHANE ROSS INTERVIEW On judges, Arlene Foster, the FAI — and that tweet P10 SundayIndependent Vol. 114 No. 52 29 December 2019 city final ¤3.30 (£2 in Northern Ireland) GRAINNE’S WINTER WEDDING Varadkar: I’ll New law to hike pensions and cut taxes ban sale of Philip Ryan turn to the negotiating table Deputy Political Editor with unions and discuss pay increases for public sector TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar workers. has promised to increase the The Taoiseach said it was state pension and cut taxes if part of his “mission in politics” he returns to power after next to make sure that “hard-work- year’s general election. ing people, middle-income petrol and Mr Varadkar said he could people, middle Ireland, has not increase pensions across more money in their pockets”. the board in the last budget “They work hard,” he said, due to Brexit, but added that before adding: “They deserve the pension hikes would be a break and they have a lot of linked to either the cost of bills to pay.” living or increases in national Mr Varadkar said he want- earnings. ed “more money in people’s Speaking in Government pockets so they can decide diesel cars Buildings before Christmas, how best to spend it”. “Some he said: “What we would people talk about tax cuts as intend for future budgets, if it’s the Government giving though, is to get back to the you money,” he said. position where every year we “I have a totally different increase the pension.” philosophy. I think a tax cut ÷ 2030 legal cut-off to be fast-tracked Mr Varadkar said Fine Gael and income tax cut is the Gov- would be campaigning in the ernment allowing you to keep election on a platform of cut- more of your own money.” ÷ Minister’s move as election looms ting taxes for middle-income BEAUTIFUL DAY: Grainne Seoige married fiance Leon Jordaan in a earners. › Full story, ceremony in Co Kildare yesterday. Photo: Shane O’Neill. See page 3 He also pledged to re- see page 2 Philip Ryan Recent figures show there are 2.1 EXCLUSIVE million cars on Irish roads and it Dan O’Brien is estimated that this will increase RADICAL laws to ban the sale of to between 2.3 and 2.6 million by new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 Page 23 2030. are being drafted by the Govern- The Government’s Climate Ac- ment, the Sunday Independent tion Plan has set a target for around can reveal. 840,000 cars to be either fully elec- Climate action minister Richard Election approaches. tric or hybrid models by the end of Bruton has instructed his officials The legislation could be debated the next decade. This would mean to prepare legislation enforcing in the Dail before the election if that between 35 and 40pc of all cars the ban, with a view to publishing Fine Gael and Fianna Fail agree would be electric within 10 years. the new laws early in the New Year. to go to the polls in either April or There are also plans for new The minister plans to include May. However, it is unlikely to be regulations which would assist in the landmark environmental legis- enacted before the country votes. increasing the number of charging lation in the soon-to-be published The cross-party Oireachtas Com- points for electric vehicles. Climate Action (Amendment) Bill mittee on Climate Action agreed New construction rules will re- 2019. earlier this year that the Govern- quire all new residential buildings Legislation banning the sale of ment should move toward banning with more than 10 parking spaces petrol and diesel cars by the end the sale of petrol and diesel cars, to include at least one space where of the next decade will be drafted which means the main political a charging point could be installed in conjunction with other depart- parties have agreed to move toward in the future. ments before being brought to electric vehicles. All new non-residential build- Cabinet for approval in the coming The new laws are aimed at en- ings and those undergoing major weeks. couraging motorists to switch to renovations will be required to The Government’s Climate Ac- electric vehicles and will be com- install at least one charging point tion Plan initially set a target bined with a major investment in for every 10 spaces and include a of introducing laws implement- charging points around the country. duct for future installation in every ing the ban by the end of 2020, However, there are currently only five spaces. but Mr Bruton is now fast-track- around 3,400 fully electric vehicles ing the process as the General and 10,175 hybrids on the roads. Continued on page 4 BERNIE KIRWAN The Little Match Girl 2019 HE knew he was hidden in her jacket pocket. match, she flicked it against The doors of the container beside her, his It seemed a long time since the side of the box. Someone sprung open, the morning coarse jacket she had put them there. gasped, but she was mesmer- light flooding the dark S rubbing against “Dadda, will it be ised by the warm glow, the interior revealing its dark se- her bare arm hurt a little, Christmas there too?” she heat reminding her of home. crets. A cacophony of voices but she said nothing had asked when he told her Suddenly it vanished and all shouted and cried amidst the because it meant he was about the big surprise trip that was left was the burnt- confusion and fear. near. He had told her to be they were going on. “Yes, lit- out match. Determined now, “Someone is dead,” a terri- extra quiet until they were tle one, of course, and we will she lit a second one and it fied voice shouted, silencing safe. The constant rocking be so happy,” he had replied. shone brighter than before. the crowd. feeling made her feel sick, She woke suddenly, She could see a table In the corner, the little girl but she tried to ignore it, something felt different, the laden with a huge Christmas and the older man lay frozen instead imagining it was her rocking had stopped, and feast. Her mouth watered in death, but it was her smil- Mamma rocking her on the she couldn’t feel her Dadda. when she smelt the spices ing face that made people make-shift swing in their Reaching into the dark, she and saw her favourite “Bakla- gasp in wonderment. The small, sunny garden. The shuddered as all she felt va”. Her Mamma was there discarded burnt out matches snores and moans frightened was his icy cold face. Tears and her Dadda too, they lay beside her. her, and it was so cold. She started as she whispered his were dressed up in the most “She wanted to warm nuzzled in closer to the name. Trembling with cold beautiful coloured clothes. herself,” someone said. “Look warmth of her Dadda, but and hunger — she drew her She smiled warmly as they at her smile,” people said in he felt cold too. Her small, little feet up close to her. reached for her, but then it wonderment. But you see, shaking hands felt for the She imagined her Mamma was dark again. no one had the slightest box of matches secretly singing to her. Reaching for a She lit another match: suspicion of what beautiful and now her old grandmoth- things she had seen; or how Recommended retail price of the Sunday Independent in R.O.I is €3.30 er was there too. Everyone happy she was in her new Vol. 114 No. 52 S1 was looking at her with so home with everyone she much love that she cried loved, knowing her Dadda’s with happiness. “Thank you, promised surprise really did Dadda, for my surprise,” she come true. said as the coldness left her body. A letter from Bernie Kirwan, ****** Gorey, Co Wexford 29 December 2019 Sunday Independent S1 NEWS 3 Grainne’s ‘magical’ winter wedding Garda probe after partially Eoin Murphy IN the crisp winter half- light, Grainne Seoige wed dismembered her South African fiance Leon Jordaan. The couple swapped vows in a private and intimate body discovered ceremony on the grounds of the Cliff at Lyons estate in Co Kildare yesterday afternoon. Ralph Riegel Dressed in a bespoke Don O’Neill creation, inspired by Grainne’s Aran Islands GARDAI are investigating heritage and embroidered the discovery of the partially with more than a million dismembered body of a man sequins and beads, the bride near Cork city. looked stunning. The gruesome discovery, “What a wonderful and understood to involve a de- magical day for both Leon capitated body which was and myself,” Grainne said. also missing an arm, was “To be surrounded by made shortly after 4pm yes- our closest friends and terday at a property off the family for this special day Boreenamanna Road. means the world to us — we Gardai and paramedics couldn’t be happier.” were called to the area just SCENE: Gardai seal off area Some 20 South African 2km from Cork city centre guests had flown 13,500km when the alarm was raised erty where the discovery was from Grainne’s adopted by a shocked local. made had been vacant for home town of Pretoria for The male involved was some time.

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