Let Love Rule
by Niall Shanahan

Good morning colleagues,

 

News coverage of the ICTU BDC focuses on violence against women in both the Irish Times and Irish Independent. The Indo story opens with a quote from ICTU general secretary Owen Reidy, who told delegates he wants his son "to respect strong women like Nikita Hand and not “thugs and gurriers” like Conor McGregor." Well said. Fórsa's motion to conference on health and safety was proposed by our colleague Hazel Nolan yesterday.

 

At the same time yesterday, a significant scandal came into view as HSE chief Bernard Gloster acknowledged “We took our eye off the ball” as he "sought to explain how the practice known as third-party insourcing had expanded into a multimillion euro industry living inside the public hospital system" (Irish Times).

 

Elsewhere, the Government’s trade forum has been told uncertainty over trade and economic policy has soared to highs not seen since the pandemic, while Carl O'Brien reports in the Irish Times that families of children with special needs say the “education system is broken” with many unable to access school places or support needed to help pupils with basic care needs.

 

Meanwhile, the state forestry company Coillte owns 14,500 hectares of the 26,000 damaged by Storm Éowyn, and has made “significant progress” in recovering its storm-damaged forests. 

 

The ICTU BDC will hear international motions in today's final conference session. Palestine will be on the agenda, as the death toll in Gaza passed 57,000 yesterday, while reports of a potential new ceasefire agreement remain unclear

 

Zen is short and sweet today. It was on this day 34 years ago I decided to Let Love Rule. It worked out pretty well.

 

Niall Shanahan 

 

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