Our colleague Aisling Cusack did very well yesterday in this discussion about the 4-day week on RTÉ's Claire Byrne programme. 

It's widely reported in today's news is that RTÉ has been accused of engaging in “sharp practice” by challenging a claim for retrospective pay and holiday entitlements by a former bogus self-employed worker at the station at a hearing before the WRC, as the Indo reports that the 'cash-strapped' broadcaster has put an estimated cost of €1.75m on its plan to hand out non-taxable vouchers valued up to €1,000 each to staff. 

Elsewhere, the Irish Naval Service faces the immediate prospect of having to send its ships on patrol without functioning weapons due to an almost complete lack of qualified personnel. 

Meanwhile, three proposed Traveller-accommodation sites at UCD, Stillorgan Grove and Enniskerry Road in south Dublin have been dropped from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s Traveller accommodation programme. 

Zen

This is the last edition of the briefing this year. Thanks for reading. 

I'll leave you with this full length concert performance by the inimitable Nils Frahm. The live album Paris has just been released.

Have a lovely Christmas, and best wishes to you and yours in 2025.

Niall Shanahan