Five things you need to know today

Irish Times poll on gardaí, Magdalene survivors, FBI chief denies phone tapping claims

The sixth annual ‘Flowers for Magdalenes’ remembrance event at Glasnevin cemetery Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times
The sixth annual ‘Flowers for Magdalenes’ remembrance event at Glasnevin cemetery Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times

1. ‘Irish Times’ poll: Majority want Nóirín O’Sullivan to step downOpens in new window ]

More than 70 per cent of voters believe Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan should either resign now or step aside while the Charleton tribunal inquires into an alleged smear campaign against whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll.

Asked for their view of what the commissioner should do given the allegations to be examined by the tribunal, 34 per cent of voters said Ms O’Sullivan should “resign now” while 37 per cent said she should “step aside until the tribunal concludes”.

Taken together, 71 per cent of respondents to the poll believe Ms O’Sullivan should leave her post either permanently or temporarily.

2. Magdalene survivors call for the excavation of 180 sitesOpens in new window ]

The State must fully excavate sites at every Magdalene laundry and Mother and Baby Home where children’s remains may have been buried, a survivors’ group has said.

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The Government has not said whether a full excavation will take place at the former grounds of the Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Co Galway, where a commission of inquiry looking into the religious-run homes for unmarried mothers has found the remains of a “significant” number of children aged under three.

Calling for a wider disinterment programme, the Justice for Magdalenes research group said it had compiled a list of 180 institutions, agencies and individuals charged with the care of unmarried mothers and their children.

3. FBI chief denies Trump’s claim that Obama tapped phonesOpens in new window ]

The FBI is disputing Donald Trump’s claim that Barack Obama had his telephones tapped during the election, according to reports.

The head of the FBI has asked the Justice Department to dispute the unsubstantiated allegation, the New York Times said.

Mr Trump turned to Congress on Sunday for help finding evidence to support his claim, but the move has potential risks for the president, particularly if the House and Senate intelligence committees unearth damaging information about Mr Trump, his aides or his associates.

4. Hailo brand drives off into sunset as MyTaxi arrivesOpens in new window ]

Hailo is to officially become MyTaxi and roll out a number of new services for users this week, in a move that will see customers in Ireland able to use its app to hail cabs in more than 50 cities across nine countries.

The rebrand comes following Hailo’s all-share merger with Daimler’s MyTaxi subsidiary last August, a deal that created Europe’s largest e-hailing company with 100,000 drivers and 6.2 million registered users.

As of this week, Hailo customers will be encouraged to migrate over to the new MyTaxi app with the company’s chief executive, Andrew Pinnington, optimistic that most users will do so within a few months. Both apps will be in operation initially although the Hailo version is to be phased out over time.

5. Citizens’ Assembly to be balloted on abortion recommendationsOpens in new window ]

Members of the Citizens’ Assembly will be balloted next month on recommendations that they will give to the Government on the future of the constitutional amendment on abortion.

The 99 members will agree on the issues to be included in a ballot, and on the precise wording of the ballot, and that will be voted on, assembly chairwomanMs Justice Mary Laffoy said.

The result of the vote will form the recommendations given to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

And finally, the weather:

Today will be cold, with some frost and icy patches in ulster in Leinster, according to Met Éireann.

It will be cloudy and misty elsewhere with a risk of thunder and sleet on high ground.

There will be more showery weather in western areas early this afternoon, which will extend further eastwards later, with some hail in places.

Top afternoon temperatures 5 to 9 degrees.