Members of Fórsa, the INMO and SIPTU trade unions have commenced a daily lunchtime protest at the Sisters of Charity’s headquarters at Gilford Road in Sandymount, Dublin. The ongoing lunchtime protests are taking place because Sisters of Charity staff have been denied fair redundancies despite a Labour Court recommendation last month requiring the HSE and Sisters of Charity to come to a fair conclusion. #PayUpSisters 

HSE chief executive Paul Reid will today tell Oireachtas members that Ireland should prepare for further waves of Covid-19 in the months ahead. Meanwhile, NPHET have raised concerns over increased Covid rates in four more counties.

Fórsa’s School Secretaries branch is to immediately survey its members on the resumption of industrial action in which members were engaged in January and February this year. The union is scheduled to meet Department of Education officials at the WRC on Thursday  to resume talks on the continuing dispute over a long standing two-tier pay system. 

Also in education, Fórsa, has welcomed yesterday’s announcement by Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, Josepha Madigan TD which will see the launch of a new National Training Programme for SNAs. Read more on that here.

Growth in the cost of building commercial property slowed dramatically in the first half of this year due to Covid-19, according to figures from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland. Elsewhere, The Times says that the State should take advantage of the softening in construction costs, and commence a large-scale building programme via local authorities.

The Indo reports that Bus Éireann inter-city services face substantial cuts due to the impact of Covid-19. Expressway routes between Dublin and Cork, Dublin and Galway, and Dublin and Limerick are likely to end early next year and the Dublin-­Belfast service will be ­suspended indefinitely.

Five former Debenhams workers in Waterford have started an occupation inside the store at City Square Shopping Centre in the city. The occupants are calling for talks between KPMG, Debenhams and the shop stewards & their representatives, Mandate Trade Union, to discuss how online business could be used for their agreed redundancy package for staff.

And finally, Social Inclusion Week kicked of yesterday which, running under the banner of 'Belonging, Including, Participating’, aims to promote and celebrate diversity in Dublin. Read more on that here. 

The Police bring us our zen today with 'Message in a Bottle'. The band had their first No.1 hit with the earworm 41 years ago today. 

Have a good day folks.