Fórsa's director of training has created a training needs analysis survey for staff. The purpose is to identify general training needs amongst all staff and the results will be used to inform the design and delivery of a staff training programme for 2020. All Fórsa staff are encouraged to complete the survey here before this Friday. It should only take 5 minutes and is entirely anonymous – any problems, you can contact Linda Kelly.

The new National Childcare Scheme comes into effect today, having been in development for more than three years. Here are 11 essential points you need to know. It’s already come under fire for being discriminatory due to its use of the public services card as the sole means by which parents can access its subsidies.

In health, it has been revealed that there are more than 2,600 fewer staff working in mental health services than recommended in the official Government policy for the sector. Siptu has criticised this saying that “the system of approval for the filling of vacancies or for submitting business cases for the replacement of new/existing posts is designed to frustrate and most importantly not do what is needed, fill vacancies”. Health division organiser Paul Bell also said that the HSE is so slow to fill jobs that staff on maternity leave are often due back to work shortly after approval is given to replace them.

Some good news today sees Vodafone Ireland and Hewlett Packard Enterprise become the latest employers to introduce paid paternity leave, following in the footsteps of drinks giant Diageo. HPE has introduced six months' fully paid paternity leave as part of the company's "ongoing efforts of achieving meaningful inclusivity for everyone". While Vodafone Ireland is introducing 16 weeks' fully paid parental leave to all employees who are becoming parents.

The justice minister has said that comments about migrants by Fine Gael byelection candidate Verona Murphy, including that the Islamic State (Isis) was “a big part of the migrant population”, were based on “rumours and misinformation.” Despite this, the Taoiseach is standing by her after saying “Verona’s a very outspoken, very independent person. She’s not going to be the sort of person who toes the party line. And I think on some occasions she’s got it absolutely wrong. But she is the selected candidate and I will certainly be campaigning with her before polling day.”

And finally, today's Zen is Lewis Capaldi's new song, Before You Go.