Friday round-up

A new report has found that one in three jobs in Ireland is at high risk of being affected by digitalisation over the next five years . The study by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs also found that those most at risk of displacement by digital technologies are those with lower levels of education.The analysis says digital technology is rapidly changing how, where and when we do work and increasing efficiency and productivity levels.

 

Graham Dwyer features on most of this morning's front pages. Mr Dwyer has won an important legal battle against the State and the Garda Commissioner as part of his bid to overturn his conviction for the murder of childcare worker Elaine O’Hara. Mr Justice Tony O’Connor found Dwyer is entitled to limited declarations that sections of Ireland’s data retention laws are inconsistent with EU law.

 

The Health Service Executive has spent almost €250 million on agency personnel in the first nine months of this year, according to figures released last week. These figures showed the spend across the country's hospitals to September came to over €114m. However, Community Health Organisations, which deliver non-hospital care around the country, spent just short of another €120m. The total agency bill came to €234m.

 

Mandate members working in Tesco Sligo are on the picket-line again today in an action that could lead to it spreading to its other 150 stores. They claim they will no longer be given the right by the company to be represented by a trade union. Mandate’s Ciaran Campbell says if there’s no progress, they’ll step up their action.


The Irish Independent reports that the HSE has written to GPs to advise them that the additional free smear tests offered by CervicalCheck will no longer be available after December 31. The tests, which women could avail of outside the normal schedule, were offered in the wake of the CervicalCheck scandal.

 

Irish Water features heavily again this morning. Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy has declined to commit to a date for a constitutional referendum on keeping water services infrastructure in public ownership, according to unions who met him on Wednesday. Speaking to RTE Fórsa official Peter Nolan said local authority staff have growing fears that the mass move of council staff to Irish Water could be a stepping stone to water privatisation unless a referendum takes place first.

 

The IMO has responded to the announcement of the HSE's €30m winter plan claiming that it will only provide “a temporary relief” for some patients. The IMO is concerned that short-term reactive planning is harming long-term patient care.

 

Our zen this morning airs on the controversial. Baby Shark is back and they're feeling festive. Apologies in advance.

 

Enjoy the weekend.

 

 

 

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