On Saturday May 18th  the trade union led Raise the Roof initiative will stage a mass rally in Dublin in protest at the ongoing and worsening housing emergency. The rally will start at Parnell Square at 1pm and Fórsa is urging its members to support this national demonstration. For more information click here.

Probation reform in the UK is on the agenda in The Guardian this morning. The publication details how the supervision of all offenders in the community will now be be undertaken by the state in a major renationalisation of the probation sector. Under the new proposal the private sector will still play a part in the provision of services but the core function of the service – supervising and managing about 250,000 offenders in the community – will once again be publicly provided.

The 'More Power To You' campaign gets a mention in the Westmeath Examiner, ahead of the public meeting this evening in Mullingar.

RTÉ reports that members of the National Children's Hospital's Development Board and officials from the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health are due to appear before the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) this morning. In a submission to the committee, the HSE has said there was no conflict of interest involved when staff at the consultancy firm, PwC, carried out a review into the cost overruns at the National Children's Hospital, having been involved in advising the HSE on how to proceed with the project just months earlier.

The European Commission has agreed a €50 million exceptional aid fund for Irish beef farmers. The money is to compensate farmers for the fall in beef prices suffered as a result of Brexit. The Government will be allowed to top-up the fund to bring the total amount to €100m.

The Examiner reports that there are fears for up to 200 jobs within the Football Association of Ireland as a result of its "extremely precarious financial situation". SIPTU is now looking to arrange an urgent meeting with the Minister for Sport Shane Ross to discuss the matter.

In other sporting news Limerick FC players will meet tomorrow to discuss possible strike action over unpaid wages, with chairman Pat O'Sullivan saying he has no idea if they will proceed with the measure. The First Division club have not paid their five professionals wages on time this year and expenses are also outstanding for the remainder of the squad.

Our zen this is a combination of an earworm and puppies. 

Have a great day folks.