The latest in the nurses and midwives dispute has seen the Labour Court adjourn the hearing over pay and staff shortages until next Monday. The INMO general secretary emphasized its executive council has only suspended the industrial action and not yet called it off. The union have also criticized the decision to close a hospital ward in Limerick which resulted in the loss of 17 funded medical beds.

In other health related news, another blow to the National Children's Hospital as the the project director resigns from his role after over five years in the job.

New figures from Eurostat show that Irish wages rose faster than the EU average last year with workers' pay growing 3.6pc. However, almost two-thirds of Irish people struggle to pay all household bills with their regular income and use savings or borrowings to make ends meet.

Despite this, the majority of Irish people are happy to pay increased taxes in order to resolve the housing crisis, a survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has found.

The Friday briefing in Congress takes places this Friday 22nd. Its focus is on affordable childcare and the presentation will be delivered by the department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Elsewhere in Dublin, Luas drivers are set to ballot on a plan to put fresh sandwiches and ready meals in vending machines to end a long-running row over their lunch breaks and avoid industrial action.

Aker and Petrofac on the other hand, have not managed to avoid the same, as a 24-hour strike is taking place on a number of North Sea oil platforms in a row over rota changes after talks between the company and Unite union and broke down on Monday without agreement. 

And finally, today's Zen is a quick 90 second, very soothing song from an artist I had the pleasure of seeing in Vicar Street on Monday night. This is Arms Unfolding by dodie.