RTÉ's WIll Goodbody was at Dublin Airport early on Saturday morning  to report on the strike action by Aer Lingus pilots, and described the scene in grimly funereal terms.

A number of voluntary hospitals, including Tallaght, the Mater, St James’s, St Vincent’s in Dublin and the Mercy in Cork, are warning they may be forced to “restrict, delay or potentially close services” as a result of large scale financial deficits which now stand at more than €340 million. 

In other news, it's reported that thousands of private sector workers, due to turn 65 next year, look set to be affected by a delay to legislation intended to provide them with the option of working until they reach the State pension age on their 66th birthday. 

The latest inflation figures reveal a fall to 2.8% and continues on a downward trend following an unprecedented year of rapidly increasing prices, and while this remains high (relative to the European Central Bank’s target of 2%) and higher than at any stage since the financial crisis in 2008, the latest figures show average wage growth slightly ahead of inflation and real wages up by about 1% over the year.

However, while headline inflation is coming down, house prices and rent continue to rise, and the gap in living standards between owners and the rest widens. Writing in the Irish Examiner, NERI's Cíaran Nugent says until the housing crisis is addressed, the cost-of-living crisis will continue to get worse for a growing share of the Irish population. 

Another figure revealing something about the experience of deprivation in Ireland, and which our dietitian members are probably acutely aware of, is that more than a third of patients are malnourished when being admitted to hospitals and the level is increasing, according to new research. 

Elsewhere, the news from France is grim as Marie Le Pen’s far-right party wins a historically high 34% of the vote in France, in the first round of snap parliament elections, and as the Luas marks 20 years of operation, skin and hair continue to fly over the new Dublin traffic plan.

Zen

Your Zen moment this morning delivers some Glastonbury joy. Here's a taste of Fontaines DC buzzing and glorious set in a weekend that saw wonderful performances by The Mary Wallopers, Lankum, IDLES, Jessie Ware, LCD Soundsystem and PJ Harvey among a host of others.

Have a lovely week.

Niall