Fingal County Council accused the DAA of “shocking” conduct in a complaint to the Department of Transport about the company’s campaign to lift the 32 million passenger cap at Dublin Airport, while the salary of the chief executive of the Royal Hospital in Donnybrook was increased in breach of the public pay scales. The Irish Times reports that it's the second hospital to have been found to be non-compliant.

Meanwhile, the rate of unemployment across the economy has risen to 5.3%, its highest level in four years, as it's reported that thousands of workers from overseas are being denied the opportunity to bring their families to Ireland, because the income requirements set by Government "have become impossible for them to meet."

Elsewhere, economist SInéad O'Sullivan credits Simon Harris is a 'skilled politician' but asks 'is he Minister for Finance material?' She argues that Finance "is not a ministry one ‘figures out’ over time. It requires deep fluency in how capital moves, how complex systems behave, how shocks propagate and how a small open economy survives."

Finally, Ed Power eulogises legendary bass player Mani (Stone Roses, Primal Scream) and his pride in his Irish roots, and it's still very chilly out there.

Your Zen this morning is a tune from Chris Thile, a tune from Richard Dawson, and a tune from ØXN, the latter two of whom shared the bill at the National Concert Hall last night, while Thile brought his mandolin-driven magic (Bach, folk and Radiohead all get a look in) to the same venue on Wednesday night. There was tangible magic in the air at both.

Have a lovely weekend.

NS