In the Indo this morning Ann Marie Walsh, with slim information, is talking up the possibility of strike action at Ryanair. In the Dáil, Sean Haughey TD had a question for the Minister for Education & Skills, Joe McHugh, about the concerns of special needs assistants.

The Irish Times reports that health spending has sharply accelerated in recent weeks, "leading to fears in Government of further overspending in the sector this year." Pat Leahy's analysis is headlined Health service overruns follow familiar pattern.

Elsewhere, very bad news about the air quality as we enjoyed that glorious burst of sunshine over the Easter weekend. It was revealed in the Dáil yesterday that agricultural activity in continental Europe is understood to have contributed to air pollution breaches at Easter and in February.

A Sinn Féin Bill to prevent employers deducting or withholding tips from employees was passed yesterday by the Seanad despite Government opposition. In the Seanad debate on the National Minimum Wage (Protection of Employee Tips) Bill 2017, the most surprising interjection (for me at least) came from Senator Michael McDowell.

The Irish Times reports that McDowell, criticising Social Protection Minster Regina Doherty for putting a “money message” on the legislation, required for Bills that will have an impact on the exchequer, he said that “in a society transforming itself to a cashless society it is wholly wrong that that entirely positive development is used as a licence to plunder workers’ pockets.”

The #mytipmyreward campaign has been backed by the One Movement group, with stellar work throughout by our colleague Fiona Dunne.

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Elsewhere, Fórsa's Sligo Health and Local Government branch has published the second episode of their Stronger Together podcast. Listen here or via the embedded link here:

Welcome news that the Government is to establish a new Citizens' Assembly to examine and make recommendations on the issue of gender equality. Not before time and let's hope there's a realistic commitment to implement the results of the assembly's work.

Elsewhere, Boris Johnson has launched himself at the Conservative party, spinning all sorts of yarns about what he'll do. This blog unpicks the Johnson strategy, and makes for an interesting read (with thanks to Brian Sheehan at IRN for that link).

Your Zen this morning is prompted by the sad news of the passing of Philomena Lynott, mother of Thin Lizzy legend Phil. Her obituary piece in the Irish Times describes her as "The keeper of the flame, the mother who with a vice-like grip held on to the memory of her famous son, and who refused to allow his vibrant personality to fade." A formidable keeper of that flame, Philomena lambasted the US Republican Party for using Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back in Town at its convention.

This morning, in her honour, here's Phil singing his great love letter to Dublin, Old Town. Have a good day.