Emmet Malone's coverage of the new public sector pay agreement in the Irish Times includes this piece yesterday on the potential implications for our members in the voluntary sector, and news of the delayed implementation of the recent pay deal for members in the sector.

The extensive coverage of the agreement includes Kevin Callinan's interview on RTÉ's Claire Byrne programme on Friday morning and this psychedelic fever-dream of analysis by David McWilliams.

The Irish Times editorial describes the deal as a "predictable compromise" that members should "grab with both hands." I spoke to Matt Cooper on Today FM's The Last Word on Friday evening, alongside Business Post editor Daniel McConnell.

Predictably, the BP editor is hostile (to the idea of any kind of pay deal I reckon) and his editorial yesterday describes it as "a bad one for the taxpayer." and reports the different responses from Ibec and Isme as a 'split' in opinion on the pay deal by the employer bodies.

Niamh Griffin followed up her coverage of last week's Fórsa/Unison event with this piece on the continuing effects of the recruitment moratorium, drawing from her interview with our man in Cork Eddie Walsh. Meanwhile, the Irish Times reports that IALPA is en route to the WRC.

Elsewhere, the Indo reports that the introduction of statutory sick leave has led to many retailers experiencing an increase in sick leave taken by staff, and complaining that some employees are treating the new benefit as “additional holiday leave”. 

Zen

I've really been enjoying John Francis Flynn's latest album, Look Over The Wall, See The Sky. This track is, all at once, moody, defiant, celebratory and wild. The way you would be when you're Within a Mile of Dublin.

Have a great week.

Niall