Dublin

A community forum chairperson wants the Minister for Justice to meet local leaders after petrol bomb and gun attacks in Ballyfermot and Inchicore. Separately, a charity is using additional chaplains to support residents dealing with trauma linked to homelessness in Dublin. Residents in both areas now wait to see whether that meeting happens.

Dublin City Council's planning committee backed a motion asking the Minister for Housing to widen the legal definition of dereliction. The change would cover vacant buildings that cause local problems but fall short of the current legal thresholds. Wider rules could give the council more ways to address unused and neglected buildings in the city.

Authorities carried out 31 searches in Balgaddy, Lucan, as part of Operation Tara. They seized more than €469,000 of controlled drugs, €3,330 in cash and a Surron electric scooter. The warrants covered 11 houses and 20 locations, showing the operation's wide reach in the Lucan area.

Irish National Opera has bought the former Methodist Church on Abbey Street Lower for €2.5 million. It plans to turn the building into a performing arts venue for recitals and rehearsals. Groups often struggle to find city spaces, and councillors have welcomed the purchase.