The Oireachtas Register of Members Interests was published yesterday which showed that 20% of TDs are landlords, but that this figures rises to over 25% of cabinet members. 

Solidarity TD Mick Barry has said that such a cabinet was never likely to introduce legislation which decisively shifts the balance of power between tenants and landlords or introduces measures which would seriously reduce rents. 

The Irish Independent recently published a brief interview with former Bank of Ireland boss Richie Boucher.  He waxed lyrical on his view of the flexibility of lifestyle and menu of life choices available to young people today.  The interview is worth reading for an insight into the self-satisfied, tone-deaf opinions of a member of Ireland’s ruling class.

Ahead of lunchtime protests today by members of the Teachers Union of Ireland against pay rates for new entrants, Solidarity TD Mick Barry has criticised the government's two-tier pay scales and increased precarity for young teachers. 

He also called on the public to support the protests which he said were ''defending public education.''

Ruth Coppinger received a letter from the Minister for Education this morning stating that there is to be a review of the Education and Training Boards (ETB) funding religious based youth leadership programmes.

The review follows Ruth raising the matter in a Dáil question on 18 January following Freedom of Information requests from Atheist Ireland regarding the funding of religious training courses.

Following the release of documents which show that only 18% of those who take part in the JobPath scheme find a job, Solidarity TD Paul Murphy has called for the scheme to be scrapped. 

He has also pointed to the link between the scheme being launched and the sharp rise in the number of penalties being applied to those on social welfare and claimed that people were being harassed and bullied by the companies who run the schemes Seetec and Turas Nua.

Today the Irish Time published an Ipsos/MRBI opinion poll on abortion rights. The poll found that when 'don't knows' are excluded 65% of people support the recommendations of the Committee on the 8th Amendment to allow unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks. 

When don't knows were included the results were 56% 'support', 29% 'against', 15% 'don't know'.

Minister Eoghan Murphy's 'affordable mortgage' scheme has been criticised by Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger. 

The scheme which was announced this morning, however, Solidarity have said that it won't provide one affordable home, rather it will 'funnel' money into developers' pockets and maintain the property bubble.

The Dublin West TD said that to make homes really affordable the market must be tackled and highlighted a proposal they had made to Fingal County Council to provide 'below market cost' housing in Damastown.

Solidarity TD for Cork North Central, Mick Barry, last night called for 'significant increases' in pay for nurses and health staff. He said that the health system is currently losing staff due to low wages. 

Solidarity TD Mick Barry has called on Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney to raise the jailing of 16 year old Ahed Tamimi with Benjamin Netanyahu during a state visit today.

Ahed Tamini is one of thousands of children who have been arrested by the Israeli forces over the last number of years, and is one of over 300 currently in prison.

He also condemned the decision to ban Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign from entering Israel.