What the papers say: Monday's front pages

Ellen O'Donoghue

A variety of topics feature on Irish front pages on Monday, including hospital security spending and several stories about Jeffrey Donaldson.

The Irish Times lead with key safety features in a new railway IT system failing tests, rescuers scrambling to locate survivors in Venezuela, and Ireland retaining an out-of-date air navigation system to thwart Russia.

The Irish Examiner lead with one-off rural homes limits being eased, survivors being willing to fight the Bessborough plans, momentum to push for an EU-wide ban on trade with Israeli-occupied territories, and six hospitals spending €42 million on security amid rising attacks.

The Irish Independent lead with trans­port bosses being in line for three pay rises in a row if they hit per­form­ance tar­gets.

The Echo lead with a 20 per cent increase in crime detections in Cork city and the Health Minister saying it is "immoral" to use taxpayers' money to have empty hospital beds in Mallow while patients are on trolleys in Cork hospitals instead of being transferred.

The Belfast Telegraph lead with Jeffrey Donaldson being expected to appeal against his rape and child abuse convictions.

The Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Daily Star also lead with Donaldson stories, amid calls for the Police Ombudsman to investigate the PSNI and what it may have been aware of regarding his child sex abuse offences.

The Irish Daily Mail report that Cabinet is to be told that they can make tax cuts in this year's Budget.

The Herald lead with a 22-year-old woman who was left with facial scars after she was slashed dur­ing an alleged attack on Dub­lin’s O’Con­nell Street.