The Irish Examiner reports that contracts for Defence Forces personnel which were due to expire at the end of next year are to be extended, allowing around 500 privates and corporals to remain in service up to the age of 50, and the employers' body IBEC has also published the IHREC guidelines on the employment of asylum seekers.
Rory Hearne writes in the Irish Examiner that, for 90% of earners, the average rent in Ireland is now unaffordable, "forcing many to take on unsustainable debt levels and pay ridiculous house prices just to get out of the private rental sector," and that rising rents have pushed more tenants into poverty.
Zen
As this is my final Zen moment before the Christmas break, it seems appropriate to draw upon food and drink for inspiration. I finished reading Stanley Tucci’s excellent book Taste over the weekend. It's a memoir of sorts, as actor Tucci recalls a life through food, and serves up a number of vivid anecdotes and some recipes, all generously seasoned with handfuls of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Tucci had a bit of a moment last year with his preparation of a Negroni, and is a great advocate of a well prepared cocktail. The Tucci moment I urge you to seek out is his 1996 film Big Night. The film closes with this perfect single-take, almost silent, scene as Tucci’s character (‘Secondo’) prepares a omelette for his brother (‘Primo’) and their young busboy after a long fateful night at their restaurant.
The scene is a reminder of what it is to cook food for people you love. I hope it provides a little moment of inspiration for the season ahead.
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