Ahead of the commencement of today's Dáil debate on a new Pay-Related Jobseeker’s Benefit, the ICTU is calling on Government not to undermine its own efforts to improve income security for workers.

This is reported by RTÉ, which highlights union concerns over the top rate of payment, which has been capped at €450. RTÉ also reports that craft apprentices are being exploited as cheap labour by some employers, according to Connect trade union. 

The Irish Times has this opinion piece on the new health regions by Dr Sara Burke, who says their design "lacks accountability, transparency and integrity" and that research has identified deficiencies in the policy process.

Sticking with health, the PAC is to be told today that there are further delays to the completion of the National Children's Hospital, while the Indo reports that hospitals in Cork and Limerick would get the biggest share of additional inpatient beds over the course of a decade if a plan to ease overcrowding becomes reality. 

New ESRI research identifies the link between poor quality housing and low wellbeing, with a specific focus on the damaging impact on mothers’ mental health of living in a home that is cold, damp and overcrowded. Meanwhile, a new report by Irish Life says women will have to work an extra eight years on average to earn the same pension pot as a male colleague.

Zen

Your Zen moment today is about comedian PJ Gallagher's recent documentary on RTÉ about mental health. It's a deeply personal and insightful hour of telly, available on the player and well worth watching.

Have a great day.

Niall