This piece by The Times says that Ireland is an “outlier” in Europe because it has no system for granting seasonal employment permits for foreign workers in sectors such as fruit picking, according to officials from the Department of Business.

A report due to be published today calls for a national family homeless strategy with the child as its fundamental focus. The report on the impact of homelessness on children was carried out by the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs. The committee's report says the best interests of the child must be taken into account by local authorities when providing homeless supports. 

Fórsa, other unions and Dublin City Council have developed a new waste management proposal off the back of a cross-party composite motion calling for the remunicipalisation of household waste services.  

The Nevin Economic Research Institute has called the Government's response to the closure of two peat-fired power plants in the midlands a "test case" for the success of a so-called Just Transition for workers affected. 

The HSE will publish its Winter Plan today, to try to alleviate overcrowding levels in hospitals. The plan is supported by €26 million in extra funding that was previously announced.

Same-sex marriage campaigners in Northern Ireland are to launch legal action against alleged delays by the British government. 

A dispute between SK Biotek and trade unions has resulted in 150 employees being “temporarily” laid off with immediate effect. Siptu said that its 87 members at the SK Biotek pharmaceutical ingredients plant in Swords were refused entry to their workplace this morning. 

The Economic and Social Research Institute has said the Irish housing market is not overvalued at present. The ESRI's findings are contained in a new report on house price sustainability, and used a rent-to-house price ratio in Ireland for the years between 2010 and 2018 to explore how the housing market is developing across Ireland. 

The Examiner reports that Gardaí are warning sex workers to avoid online appointments following seven instances in which sex workers were robbed and assaulted when they turned up to meet clients who booked an appointment online.

Our zen today is brought to us by Ray Charles who went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Georgia On My Mind' on this day in 1960.

Have a great day folks.