The Medical Independent reports that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) has "raised concerns about the comparatively high” recruitment to management and administration grades within the HSE. The article includes information on hiring patterns across last year.

The Indo reports this morning that the European parliament approved a new directive on pay transparency last Thursday that must become national law within three years. The paper leads with news that "clear details of wages will have to be given in job ads under a new law being heralded as a “game-changer” for women." ICTU social policy officer Laura Bambrick  is quoted saying the directive was “excellent” and meant those who were underpaid and undervalued in their old job would not have this “follow them” to the next one.

Laura also spoke to RTE's Brian O'Donovan as he cast an analytic eye over the new Work Life Balance Bill, which passed into law last Wednesday.

The AGSI (Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors) conference gets underway today, and RTE reports that the organisation has called on the Garda Commissioner to withdraw a directive to members of the gardaí on gender identity in the workplace and adhere to the established industrial relations process for the garda roster. The AGSI is also unhappy about Sinn Féin's housing spokesman's tweet.

Elsewhere, the Irish Times reports that developers behind the State’s largest offshore wind farm have raised concerns about the lack of specialist resources, and maritime expertise in An Bord Pleanála.

Public library staff, meanwhile, have been issued with instructions to secure buildings, alert gardaí and avoid commenting to the media in response to rising numbers of protesters seeking to remove “offensive” LGBTQ+ books aimed at young people. 

Zen

As Easter approaches there's an abundance of reflection on the 25 years that have passed since the Good Friday Agreement was forged.

On that theme the Lyric Theatre in Belfast is staging Owen McAfferty's new play, Agreement, dramatising the final days and hours as the main players inched toward the peace deal. Pictured above is Packie Lee (of Peaky Blinders fame) as Gerry Adams.

I'm heading north to see it this weekend. 25 years ago I made the trip to Belfast to appear in one of Owen's early plays, MojoMickybo, crossing the border for the first time in my life into a changing city, forging lifelong friendships. A happy adventure.

Have a peaceful week.

Niall

Lyric Agreement Rehearsal Video from Lyric Theatre on Vimeo.