Anne-Marie Walsh reports in the Indo again today on ICTU reaction to the Government's new measures this week to reduce business costs, including a three-year delay to the implementation of the Living Wage. Owen Reidy, speaking after yesterday's meeting of the ICTU executive council, "signalled that industrial unrest and strikes will loom if employers adopt the Government’s approach to pay", accusing "the Government of taking a “wrecking ball” to recent wins on workers’ rights."

The Connacht Tribune can barely contain its excitement that the Fórsa Education divisional conference hits Galway next week. I only sent them a diary reminder.

It's good to see a long-mooted tax on hotel guests in Dublin is to be developed by a county-wide local authority team, expected to be in place by September. It'll be opposed by the usual interests, but it will be a crucial source of income for the city, and unlikely to be too punitive.

Elsewhere, Politico reports that finance ministers from Spain and Lithuania "plan to challenge Ireland’s Paschal Donohoe's attempt to secure a third term as the leader of the powerful group of eurozone countries."

Zen 

As Zen took a little detour through Japan this week I'll leave you with this

Have a lovely Easter. 

Niall Shanahan