Leo Varadkar will make a statement to the Dáil this afternoon and take questions from TDs about how and why he disclosed a confidential document to a third party last year. The Tánaiste is due to give a 20-minute statement in the Dáil chamber at 4.10pm.

Some good news for pensions, Cabinet meets this morning with Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys where she is expected to bring a memo proposing the formal establishment of a Commission on Pensions. Read more on that HERE.

The Examiner reports that student nurses who are on the front line of the fight against Covid-19 are still not being paid, but they are hopeful the minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will listen to their pleas. Meanwhile public health doctors are to ballot for industrial action on November 16. The decision was made by the doctors who are members of the Irish Medical Organisation. The ballot comes after a long running campaign by public health doctors for the status of a hospital consultant and higher pay.

Mandate has again written to Taoiseach Micheál Martin urging the Government to come up with "exceptional and creative" measures to resolve the long-running dispute with former Debenhams workers after talks on Friday at the Workplace Relations Commission failed to resolve the row. 

The Times has this piece on Covid-19 school absences.

And finally, RTÉ reports that motor insurance companies have come under criticisim with new research showing that premiums increased by over a third between 2009 and 2019, despite the cost of claims per policy falling by 9% over the same period.

Our zen this morning is brought to us by Patrick Dexter, a cellist in the West, who graces his Twitter feed with snippets of music from his cottage overlooking Clew Bay. He truly offers moments respite from the chaos of the day.

Have a good day folks.