In other news today, almost 40% of Irish housing transactions are now settled at 10% above the original asking price, while universities are to be required to phase out car parking, while a growing number of students commute long distances to college due to accommodation shortages. 

Elsewhere, there's more opinion on remote and hybrid working, and attempts by employers to snuff it out, while the Irish Times editorial identifies a clash of culture on this issue emerging between Irish workers - who account for the highest proportion of WFH workers in the EU - and the US multinationals upon which, the paper reminds us, the State's fortunes depend.

Meanwhile, the Government has breached its own rule set in 2021 of limiting annual growth in spending to 5% per year, former minister for finance Michael McGrath has defended Government spending ahead of next month's budget.

RTE reports that more than 6,000 former employees of CIÉ are calling on the company to increase their pensions, after over a decade and a half of a freeze in their payments. 

Zen

Your Zen this morning is a quietly inspiring story of an unlikely yet enduring freindship.

Have a great week.

Niall