Thirty-five nurses at Dublin's Mater Hospital are trapped in a "visa limbo" due to administrative delays in the work permit system, according to the INMO and SIPTU. This news comes as the Psychiatric Nurses Association announced that its 6,000 members have voted by 95% to take industrial action in the New Year because of shortages of nurses in the health service. The INMO ballot result is due later today. 

Staying with health, the examiner reports that new hospital services and projects could be cancelled or significantly delayed as a direct result of the runaway €1.4bn cost of the national children’s hospital. However, sources suggest that Cabinet Ministers will fiercely resist attempts to delay building projects in their departments to pay for the project.

In the latest Brexit news, Labour and the Conservatives were embroiled in a high-stakes row over whether to stage an immediate vote of no confidence in the government after the opposition chose not to table a binding vote on the issue last night.

Black non-Irish people are more likely to be discriminated against when seeking employment in Ireland than white Irish people a report prepared for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission by the Economic and Social Research Institute has found.

"Teachers are generally considered well-to-do, even affluent, but nobody reveals their money worries lightly and there are very many more financially burdened teachers than people realise." This Irish Times article written by an anonymous teacher highlights the current struggle to achieve pay parity. 

As Christmas approaches, Amazon sales continue to fall as the public boycott the company over its warehouse working conditions, aggressive anti-tax lobbying, impact on local business. 

Some wholesome content for today's Zen. I came across this video on Twitter over the weekend (thanks to Niall for sharing!) of a baby hearing its mother's voice for the first time after they receive a cochlear implant. The expressions on their face as they discover this whole new sense is enough to melt anyone's heart.

And finally, you'll find a bonus festive Zen in the cover photo showing a family's unconventional annual Christmas card tradition.