SIPTU staff at Shannon Airport are to ballot for strike action after the Shannon Group, which operates the airport, confirmed it was proceeding with a 20% pay cut. You can read more on that here.

GPs around the country have raised concerns about major difficulties in accessing hospital services. The chairman of the GP Committee of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), Dr Denis McCauley, said that while more patients are coming forward, the provision of non-Covid services in the hospitals is “still a major issue”.

Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has said students should be refunded for accommodation if another Covid-19 lockdown forces the closure of colleges, and also repeated his hope that the student contribution fee might be reduced, but defended the fact that fees would remain the same this year, even as colleges opt for a largely online learning experience.

The Revenue Commissioners have clarified the rules under which small business owners can avail of the new employment wage subsidy scheme (EWSS). The new subsidy, announced as part of the July Stimulus package, replaces the temporary wage subsidy scheme (TWSS), that was introduced earlier this year to help companies struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, the drinks industry has said the Government’s €16 million support package for pubs shows “short-term thinking” and has called for a reduction in excise tax.

Irish members of the European Parliament have written to the Taoiseach to ask for an exemption from the 14-day quarantine if they receive a negative Covid-19 test result in order to allow them to do their jobs “fully”, following on from the golfgate controversy. As it stands, Ireland’s public health advice says that any travellers arriving in Ireland from a non-Green List country must restrict their movements for 14 days.

As for today’s zen, the cast of Pitch Perfect had a virtual reunion to raise funds for UNICEF, with their cover of “Love on Top”. Enjoy!