Non-essential retail shops, hair and beauty providers, gyms and leisure centres are among the businesses that are reopening their doors to the public across the country today following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. Cinemas, churches, museums and galleries will also be able to reopen, but pubs serving food and restaurants will remain closed until Friday.

Meanwhile, RTÉ reports that a plan for the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine will be finalisied by the end of next week. 

Public health doctors are to strike for three days in January. The country’s 91 Specialists of Public Health Medicine  are taking the action as part of their 17-year battle for consultant status and contracts.

Unilever will give the push for a four-day working week one of its biggest boosts yet when the consumer goods group launches a year-long trial of the practice in New Zealand next week. 

Forestry Industry Ireland has told the Taoiseach that the forestry industry in Ireland is in a “full-scale crisis”, with 12,000 jobs in rural Ireland under threat.

The Examiner reports that eight in ten women have said that their caring responsibilities increased during lockdown. 

Elsewhere, ICTU has said that while the extension of Parents' Leave is positive, the gap in payment rates must be addressed. Read more on that here.

And finally, Germany has banned pro-Nazi groups that ‘want to re-establish dictatorship' according to The Guardian.

Vanilla Ice brings us our zen this morning with 'Ice Ice Baby'.  The 90s throwback is 30 years old this month. 

Have a good day folks.