The Government has set aside 90 minutes of Dáil time this evening for “statements on the sustainability of services provided by section 39 and section 56 organisations on behalf of the HSE and Tusla." The Irish Times continue to cover the indefinite strike action HERE. Fórsa were also present at the Dáil yesterday for a briefing on Community and Voluntary workers

Fórsa’s head of education Andy Pike is quoted in the Journal.ie as Minister for Special Education Josepha Madigan said that the 1,216 SNA positions will be put in place from September 2024. Andy is quoted saying that the aloocation of SNA's in the budget “probably doesn’t go far enough but is welcome”. He also said that the additional SNA posts should be some assistance to schools but  that there is already a recruitment issue in the sector.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said that there will be a shortfall in the health budget next year. Just a day after budget allocations were announced, Mr Donnelly has admitted that the funding estimated by his department to be required by the health service for next year was not granted in the budget. The Department of Health sought more than 2 billion extra in the budget but got just 708 million.

Israel's Energy Minister has vowed that his country would not allow basic resources or humanitarian aid into Gaza until Hamas released the people it abducted during its surprise weekend onslaught. "Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electric switch will be turned on, no water tap will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home," Israel Katz said in a statement.

The death has been confirmed of Kim Damti, the 22-year-old Irish-Israeli woman who had been missing since the Hamas attack on an outdoor music festival.

The chief executive of the Peter McVerry Trust has raised concerns about the “potential mismanagement” of donations made to the homelessness charity, as well as “repeated and long-standing governance failings” over several years.