On Friday, in the Irish Times, Emmet Malone reflected on the aftermath of the recent fuel blockades, speculating about the nature of protest in its aftermath. He said that senior trade union officials believe the Government and employers will have to recognise the realities facing workers in advance of talks on a new public-sector pay deal, while Kevin Callinan says that while cost-of-living will top the agenda of pay talks, broader issues like housing, public transport infrastructure and childcare provision must also be addressed.

Elsewhere, Fórsa sounded caution on the outsourcing of housing maintenance work by local authorities, as Dublin City Council looks to "build up its pool of contractors to which it can assign maintenance work," while Andy Pike comments on a piece by RTÉ on the experience of SNAs who've been injured at work.

Fórsa commented elsewhere on a report by Seán Murray in the Irish Examiner about how Ireland’s public sector recruitment body, Public Jobs, has had to  issue an apology after over 12,000 applicants to a civil service panel ranked incorrectly in order of merit due to an “administrative error.”

Meanwhile, The Journal continues its focus on the experience of commuters facing higher fuel costs and strong calls for greater access to remote and hybrid work options, following Fórsa's call last week to increase remote work options as a response to the fuel crisis. 

Your Zen this morning is a trailer for a new film, the eerie Rose of Nevada. Critics are buzzing. It's in cinemas this week.

Have a great week.

NS