Then you will return, my sun-and-stars by Niall Shanahan
Kevin Callinan spoke to Matt Cooper on Today fm's The Last Word last Thursday (9th May) about the issue of working hours and national agreements. ISME's Neil McDonnell also took part in the discussion, and called for a new benchmarking process for public sector pay.
In the Irish Independent John Lynch writes "Why there's now little security in outsourcing as a business model." Once considered the Holy Grail of cost saving measures, the Thatcher-era business model "eventually revealed a grubby underside" says Lynch, and cites "spectacular failures" in areas like rail, water and the criminal justice system. Well worth a read, particularly in the context of the discussion last week in Kilkenny about revitalising local authority services.
Elsewhere, Sadaka - the Ireland Palestine Alliance has said about 270 Palestinian children will be detained in Israeli prisons during the Eurovision Song Contest, which takes place this week. Sadaka is running a campaign called 'Nothing to Sing About' on Dublin buses to raise awareness.
Your Zen this morning marks the release of what critics are describing as one of the greatest concert movies of all time, and with some justification. Sydney Pollak's documentary film of the recording of Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace album has never previously been released.