The HSE is reported to be bracing itself for the "embarrassment of stolen patient data" being released from today, as it continues to deal with the fallout of the recent cyber attack, while a statutory investigation from the Ombudsman for Children’s Office will publish a report today that finds Cork City Council is violating the human rights of Traveller children.  

There's substantial coverage of aviation issues in today's papers and in some of the weekend media output. Ashley Connolly outlined Fórsa's concerns about the industry in this report by Ray Kennedy for The Week In Politics programme, which also featured IALPA's Simon Croghan for the Recover Irish Aviation campaign. Elsewhere, The Irish Times took a closer look at the pandemic experience of airline pilots.

Kennedy also has this piece for the RTE website, while The Indo reported on the Aer Lingus video message issued to staff on Friday evening, which painted a grim picture of the immediate future, and ruled out any reopening of its Shannon base. Barry Whyte in the Business Post (paywalled) writes that Government decisions on mandatory quarantine, as well as the possibility that US authorities may open up to transatlantic flights from Britain first, could lead to the relocation of Aer Lingus services out of Ireland.

The Business Post, meanwhile, reports the rude financial health of Ryanair, and the airline's recovery prospects, while the Indo reports that a US pension fund for police and fire officers is trying to sue the airline again for, among other things, recognising trade unions, claiming the move "ultimately wiped out “millions” in shareholder value." The airline is also in the news today following the effective hijacking of one of its flights, and subsequent arrest of an opposition blogger on board, by the Lukashenko regime in Belarus, in what's been described as a “reprehensible act of state terrorism.” 

It's also reported today that the Government will make a “very significant” decision on Friday to restore society to its pre-pandemic status by allowing the reopening of three of the sectors (including aviation) most adversely affected by lockdown by the end of July. Barry O'Halloran reports in today's Irish Times that hundreds of pilots will take part in a demonstration today ahead of an IALPA delegation travelling to Government Buildings where its president, Evan Cullen, will submit a plan for the safe reopening of aviation to Cabinet. That story is also covered by John Mulligan in the Indo.

Housing featured a little more than usual in Friday's bulletins, as Fórsa said the Government should grasp the opportunity to invest in public housing on foot of calls from the IMF to boost spending, we reported the Local Government motion to end the sale of public land to developers and Congress described Government measures to tackle the activities of investment funds that bulk-buy new-build housing as limited, minimalist and unlikely to be effective. 

Your Zen this morning brings us back to the role of Fórsa members in our health system. They are at the heart of it all. Good to be reminded of that ahead of Wednesday's divisional conference.

Have a good week.

Niall