Ivana Bacik has become The Labour Party\'s 7th sitting member of the Dail, having been elected to the Dail tonight (09/07/2021) in a By Election in Dublin Bay South. She top the poll of 1st preference votes with 30% support, far exceeding her party\'s performance in recent polls which put them between 3% and 6% support. Government party Fine Gael were in second place with 26% support, while opposition party Sinn Fein had just 16% of the vote. While The Green Party lost its footing in this constituency it still did far better than the Fianna Fail party, which only managed a 5% of the vote. Trinity College Dublin will now have a by-election to vote in a new member of the Seanad.

The north pole has stated that it does not envisage the normal services being provide on Christmas Day. The North Pole\'s Secretary of Christmas Day Travel has said that as an older person Santa is in the high risk category. The Secretary has consulted with North Pole Health Exercise and Training (NPHET) who have informed her even on in a good year Santa is old and obsess, and this year he failed to keep up his usual routine. It had been suggested by some governments around the world that Mrs Claus could take over, however according to one source close the north pole, she just as old and as fat. They are optimistic that they can make it happen this Christmas Day.

The Irish government have announce their budget for 2021. The budget was announced by the Minister for Finance, Pascal Donohoe and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Micheal McGrath. Outline the budget the Minister for Finance said that it was for both the possibility of a hard Brexit and the COVID crisis. The Minister for Expenditure followed by calling for a green economy. Sinn Fein\'s Spokeperson said that the budget did not provide certainty for the public. Labour\'s Ged Nash said hat the budget did little to address the problems in the health system. The Social Democrat\'s Roisin Shorthall concurred that certainty has not been provided to people.

Ireland\'s Sam Bennett has taken home the Green jersey from the Tour De France. The Tipperary man took the Yellow Jersey in the 10th and final stages of the race. Slovenia\'s Tadej Pogacar took the top place overall bring him the Yellow Jersey, having won 3 stages over the course of the race, stages 9, 15 and 20.

Dublin City and County have be designated at level 3 of the Resilience and Recovery Plan for Living with COVID-19. The measure come into place from Midnight tonight. Dublin will remain at Level 3 for a period of 3 weeks, until Friday, 9th October. It will be then reviewed based on the status of the virus and the public health advice. Schools and early learning centres will remain open but all Third Level colleges will be closed.

BBC Northern Ireland have announced their autumn line up today, 10th September 2020. They hope to bring some fun and escapism to audiences. Focusing on fresh comedy, light-entertainment and new faces. Shane Todd will cast an eye over the BBC NI archive in Previously with Shane Todd, mentalist Joel Mawhinney is set to uses his skills in Life is Magic and well known faces will be seen on This Sporting Life and Gloria - My Life on TV.