The National Executive of Fórsa met yesterday and decided overwhelmingly to recommend acceptance of the proposed new public service agreement, while the Times and RTÉ reported that the Teachers’ Union of Ireland is to oppose the new public service pay deal. The proposals in 'Building Momentum' will be put to a ballot of the union’s members early in the New Year.

The Government’s plan for a phased end to Ireland’s Direct Provision system has been delayed until February 2021, Minister Roderic O’Gorman has confirmed. O’Gorman said that he has informed a number of migrant rights NGOs that the document will now not be completed until next year, despite a commitment in the Programme for Government that it would be finished by December 2020. 

The Government is to establish a €3 million training, upskilling and business start-up fund to assist the former Debenhams workers who lost their jobs when the company's Irish operation went into liquidation earlier this year with the loss of around 1,200 jobs. The proposal is part of a recommendation drawn up by mediator and Labour Court Chairman Kevin Foley following extensive engagement with the workers and their union Mandate, the liquidators KPMG, and various Government agencies in a bid to resolve the long-running dispute over enhanced redundancy payments.

A rally organised by the national campaigning organisation Uplift was held outside the Coombe Maternity Hospital yesterday to protest against a Covid-19 restriction that prevents women’s partners from being in the wards for full labour and after the delivery. Last week, the HSE confirmed that partners would be allowed to attend the 20-22 week scan of a pregnancy, but campaigners say this doesn’t go far enough. Fórsa’s own Linda Kelly has been quoted in this piece. 

And finally, today’s zen is the Doc Morris Christmas Advert for 2020 which has been doing the rounds on socials and just might be one of the best ones out there. Additionally, the Flirtations’  ‘Christmas Time Is Here Again’ was also released 51 years ago on this day and makes for a supplementary zen today. Enjoy!