Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty has announced that self-employed workers will become eligible to claim a jobseeker's welfare payment from November, based on their social insurance contributions. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) welcomed the change, but criticised the Government for failing to increase the rate of insurance contribution for the self-employed, which remains at just over a quarter of that paid by employees.

Siptu has warned of a potential nursing shortage at the new national children’s hospital, while criticising the proposed ratio of 90:10 between nurses and healthcare assistants proposed in the national children's hospital workforce framework report. Siptu said the children’s hospital could potentially face a shortfall of almost 400 nursing posts in the pediatric hospital when it opens, as a result of the staffing proposals.

Bombardier has suspended compulsory redundancies in its Northern Ireland plants, and will also reinstate 32 workers who had lost their jobs as part of an ongoing global restructure. Both Unite and the GMB union had been scheduled to ballot Bombardier workers on Monday about potential strike action over the group’s redundancy proposals for workers in its Belfast based operations.

The Irish Times reports that Dublin City Council (DCC) has opted not to acquire units for social housing at three new docklands developments. It says the council has instead decided to acquire cheaper units at alternative sites in the city, as its plans for social integration continue to be frustrated by premium docklands prices.

Today's picture is of a giant teddy bear in Mexico, measuring 20 metres in length and four tons in weight, it entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest of its kind.

Finally, today's zen comes from Muddy Waters, who died on this day in 1983.

Have a good day folks.