More than 12,000 local authority workers will refuse to respond to politicians’ queries and requests for information during a campaign of industrial action from Monday. Fórsa wrote to TDs, senators and councillors yesterday informing them of an indefinite ban on non-statutory political representations after serving notice on their employers last Friday. More on that here.

The Government has decided to hold two referendums on the issue of gender equality, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said with votes expected to be scheduled for November. However, the wording for both still has to be finalised.

The national commercial building vacancy rate has hit a record high of 14.1%, an increase in the twelve months to July 2023. The pandemic’s fallout, including the move to remote working and online shopping, are cited as likely factors contributing to the growing rate.

Elsewhere, the UK is to rejoin the EU's flagship scientific research scheme, Horizon, the government has announced. This means UK-based scientists and institutions will be able to apply for money from the £85bn fund from today.

And Met Éireann has forecast that today’s temperatures will range from warm highs of 24 to 28 degrees.

Finally, the largest ever Andy Warhol exhibition, and the first to open in Ireland in 25 years, is set to run from October 6th to January 28th, 2024, at Hugh Lane Gallery.

Andy Warhol Three Times Out has been five years in the making and includes more than 250 works on loan from the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and from other museums and private collections in the United States, Canada and Europe. You can find out more and book your tickers for it here. 

Have a good day folks!