In other news, a senior Tusla manager has been struck off the social workers’ professional register by the High Court due to his involvement in events that led to false sexual abuse allegations against Sgt Maurice McCabe. 

Among today's top stories is news from the EPA that Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 6.8 per cent last year, and levels are now at their lowest in three decades, which should bolster Dublin Bus chief executive Billy Hann's call on Dublin city management not to “water down” the Dublin City Centre Transport Plan. 

Aer Lingus also sits among the day's top stories. There was a flurry of media activity at the IALPA office at Woodford yesterday afternoon following the publication of the Labour Court's recommendation on the dispute between IALPA and Aer Lingus. The airline quickly accepted the terms of the recommendation. The IALPA executive is expected to meet this afternoon to make a decision on its position, ahead of a ballot of pilots on the new recommended terms.

In the Indo, Anne-Marie Walsh writes that the recommendation has prompted "Fears of knock-on claims as pilots’ demands raise expectations among other workers." You can read that full article here.

Elsewhere, the National Women’s Council (NWC), is calling for the strengthening of specialist health services, as it says new mothers with severe and complex mental health needs are being “failed” by the State.

Criminal barristers are on strike today. Protests will be held at 16 courthouses nationwide, with further withdrawals of services planned on July 15th and July 24th. 

Meanwhile, outline plans for "a pre-election budget which will cut taxes and increase spending" will be published today after ministers approve the Summer Economic Statement.

Zen

While the summer weather hasn't been kind, most of the big summer concerts seem to have gone over without precipitative disruption, which is welcome. Mind you, Taylor Swift's triple-Aviva extravaganza looks like it might also have been a super-spreading event for the latest iteration of Covid.

But if the filter bubble of my Instagram feed is to be believed, the concert of the summer was delivered by Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, or CMAT to you and me. All the cool people are at it, so you might as well.

Wear a raincoat and have a great day.

Niall