Fórsa's general election opinion survey was emailed to over 53,000 public servants yesterday as part of the union's efforts to influence parties and candidates in advance of the formation of the next government. We received nearly 4,800 responses by mid-afternoon.

Over at Liberty Hall, Siptu formally launched its campaign to stop next year's planned rise in the State pension qualification age.

Meanwhile, FG strategists won't welcome news of likely fresh delays and cost overruns at the new children's hospital. And virtually no one will welcome economist John Fitzgerald's warning that many election promises - including rent controls and subsidies to young home buyers - would probably make the housing crisis worse.

Northern Ireland's civil servants are on strike today in a dispute over pay, but your brown bread is secured after Hovis workers baked up a better settlement yesterday. They kneaded that.

By way of pre-Zen, have a look at this short and uplifting video about a massive victory for the Fórsa-supported Lady Health Workers of Pakistan.

And finally, the great Jan Van Eyck's Adoration of the Lamb (1432) is being returned to Ghent's Saint Bavo's cathedral today, after a restoration that's proving as controversial as it is revealing. It's a remarkable and beautiful work of art, and I'd definitely recommend a visit if you're in the vicinity (less than 30 minutes by train if you find yourself in Brussels). In the meantime, here's the Zen version.

Stay off the mint sauce on Sunday!

Bernard