Preschool workers from across Ireland will be voting on strike action today over the lack of reforms in the childcare sector. A number of issues have been highlighted including the lack of funding, low pay for staff, increased levels of administration and the non-payment of grants from the government.

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) will meet Minister for Health Simon Harris TD on Friday to discuss the Government’s proposals on a new consultant contract. It comes as the consultant and non-consultant hospital doctor committees of the IMO continue their preparations for industrial action, which is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks. 

The ITUC has called on the governments of the US and Iran to put people and the values of peace and human rights above aggression and threats of war. Read more about that here. 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin will meet later today amid heightened speculation that an early general election is increasingly likely. The outcome of the meeting between the two men could well determine the timing of that election and the fate of the 32nd Dáil.

The number of passenger journeys on public transport jumped by almost 24 million last year when compared with 2018. According to figures from the National Transport Authority (NTA), the 9 per cent year on year increase is “by far the largest since” it began keeping records a decade ago.

Dublin's oldest working charity had its windows smashed and staff threatened by vandals yesterday, forcing it to shut down. The Mendicity Institution in The Liberties opened in 1818 and has been helping people in Dublin for more than 200 years and serves 700 meals a day.

Two men were arrested after three tourists were driven away in a shuttle bus that was allegedly hijacked at Dublin Airport in the early hours of yesterday. The incident led to a massive cross-Border chase but no one was harmed.

In a bid to reduce Ireland’s plastic waste, the government has today announced a number of measures to change consumer and business behaviour. Single-use coffee cups could be hit with a levy of 25 cent.

And finally, our zen. On this day in 1976 Queen were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. The single enjoyed a nine week run on the chart selling more than a million copies by the end of the month.

Have a good day.