While contentious issues such as remote working will continue to cause friction, new workplace problems are emerging, according to those working in human resources and recruitment. A “cultural clash” with Gen Z employees, redesigned roles due to AI and an increase in racially motivated grievances are among key issues affecting workplaces in 2026, according to those working in human resources and recruitment. As Ireland remains at near full employment, she says it is “very easy” for employees to leave for more favourable conditions. Noting a continuing “push” from employers for increased time in the office, she says the issue of remote working, and the conflict that push can bring, will continue to be “contentious”. Damien McCarthy, founder and chief executive of consultancy firm HR Buddy, says one of the most significant developments this year will be reviews of the right to request remote working.

Man Utd hold 'concerns' over midfielder's development as transfer U-turn madeSekou Kone joined Lausanne-Sport on loan in January but has been left out of the Swiss club's UEFA Conference League squadView 2 Images Sekou Kone has been handed a blow for the second half of the season. (Image: Ash Donelon, Manchester United via Getty Images)Manchester United are said to harbour 'concerns' regarding the predicament loanee Sekou Kone faces following his exclusion from Lausanne-Sport's Conference League squad. Lausanne were permitted to register a maximum of three new players following the January transfer window, but chose not to feature Kone. ‌The 20-year-old spent the winter period training with the ineos-owned club before finalising a transfer in January, joining on loan until the campaign's conclusion. The forward joined Lausanne on loan from United immediately after finalising a transfer from Le Harve in the summer.

Met Office maps show exactly when and where snow will fall in WalesA yellow weather warning for snow comes into force on Wednesday afternoon, but we're likely to see some snowfall before thenView 9 Images The Met Office forecast map for Wales at 6pm on Wednesday (Image: Met Office)The Met Office has issued a weather warning for snow with forecasters cautioning that significant disruption could affect substantial parts of Wales on Wednesday and overnight into Thursday. The yellow warning predicts that a spell of rain and snow may cause disruption across most of the country for 14 hours. ‌Snow accumulations of 2-5cm could develop relatively widely across locations above 150-200 metres, with potentially 10-15cm above 250-300 metres throughout parts of mid and south-east Wales. According to the Met Office, Wednesday could see 2-5 cm of snow accumulate quite widely above 150-200 metres, with perhaps as much as 10-15 cm above 250-300 metres in mid and southeast Wales. “Initially, we may see some snow over the highest parts of southern England, such as Dartmoor, but the main chance of snow will be across higher parts of the Midlands and mid and southeast Wales.

Lorraine Courtney: If Ireland v Israel goes ahead, it will be the young men in green who will bear the moral fallout – that is deeply unfairUpcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures between the international sides are an abdication of Ireland’s moral outrageIrish supporters display a ‘Show Israel the red card’ banner before kick off in the Republic of Ireland v Hungary World Cup qualifier in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium last September. Photo: GettyLorraine Courtney Today at 06:30They say sport and politics don’t mix. Last week’s draw placing Ireland alongside the Israel national football team in the UEFA Nations League has been greeted with a shrug from officialdom.

Martin Staines (53) suffered a fatal reaction to polyethylene glycol, an agent present in a pain injection he received at St James’s Hospital in Dublin. Photograph: Family handoutSt James’s Hospital in Dublin has apologised for failings that led to the death of a man who went into anaphylactic shock when he was given a steroid pain injection more than 10 years ago. Counihan said the hospital should have known the patient was allergic to the ingredient contained in the injection. In the letter of apology, read to the court by counsel Declan Buckley, St James’s Hospital expressed sincere condolences to the Staines family. Noting the settlement and approving the division of the solatium, the judge expressed his deepest sympathy to the Staines family.

The latest residential property price index indicated that the headline rate of property price inflation accelerated from 6.8 per cent to 7 per cent in December. Photograph: iStockThe median price of a home in Dublin has hit €500,000, as a shortage of homes continue to dog the wider market. Graphic: Paul ScottNationally, the median price paid for a home last year stood at €387,000. Prices in Dublin rose by 5.6 per cent while prices outside Dublin were up by 8.1 per cent when compared with December 2024. “Prospective sellers will be cheered by the uptick in the rate of house price growth,” he said.

Much of that is down to the slow pace of rolling out the national charging network, but equally, Irish EV buyers are worried about the potential for battery unreliability. It might be about to become rarer still, certainly if CATL is right about its new ‘5C’ battery pack. CATL, or to give it its full name; the Contemporary Amperex Technology Company Limited, is one of China’s biggest, and therefore one of the world’s biggest, EV battery makers. That 2.3 per cent figure is higher than the 1.8 per cent that GeoTab last measured in 2024. Given the average Irish national annual mileage of 16,000km, that equates to 106 years of continuous driving and fast-charging.

A pivotal member of a tracking team that combed through remote scrubland for missing boy Gus Lamont has revealed for the first time that police are now acting on his intelligence as the search intensifies. 'We were due to go and search the conservation park last Thursday, with a group of private volunteers,' Mr O'Connell said in a lengthy statement. 'After Gus went missing, I offered my services to the police due to my training. 'In the case of Gus, if police are now acting on our intel, I call that a win. On Wednesday police revealed a second family member of missing boy Gus Lamont was no longer cooperating with authorities.

Gogglebox star Raza Siddiqui was hospitalised after cracking his ribs in a horrific fall, his family have shared in an update. The Siddiqui family have become firm favourites in that time, but on Tuesday they took to Instagram to address Raza's absence so far this season. Sharing pictures from his hospital bed, the family confirmed that Raza is 'smashing' his recovery and is set to return to Gogglebox later in the series. Sweet snaps showed Raza cuddling with his nephew Theodore on the sofa, as well bravely smiling from his hospital bed. Last year, the Siddiqui family were flooded with support from Channel 4 fans after an emotional announcement.

By Cillian Sherlock, Press AssociationThere are gaps in accountability for addressing racism across Government departments, according to a new report. Joseph’s report also finds that structural and intersectional racism persists, with significant disparities in employment and education outcomes. She says that hate speech legislation remains outdated and that data collection on racism and ethnicity remains insufficient. One of the other key findings is that “rising anti-migrant sentiment and far-right activity pose increasing risks to social cohesion”. It added that, under the Department of Justice, “critical gaps remain” in community trust, racial-profiling oversight, migration policies, renewed deportations, living conditions of asylum seekers, internal diversity and delays in updated hate speech legislation.

Peru loses another presidentYesterday’s vote in Peru’s congress to remove interim president José Jerí from office after just four months means the country will today get its eighth leader in a decade. One of the world’s biggest copper producers, Peru’s economy grew by 3.4 per cent last year with inflation at just 1.7 per cent. The scandal surrounding Jerí’s dealings with Chinese businessmen comes amid heightened scrutiny of Peru’s relationship with China, which overtook the United States to become its biggest trading partner in 2015. China controls one of Peru’s biggest copper mines, buys 70 per cent of its copper, owns its largest electricity generators and accounts for 33 per cent of its trade, compared to the US’s 14 per cent. Let this be a cautionary tale for the region and the world: cheap Chinese money costs sovereignty,” the US state department said.

Need to knowPlymouth planning: Millennium Building structure works and city's new branding planned for Armada WayWork could change look of the entrance to iconic buildingThe Millennium Building is being renovated. Pre planning advice sought from the council is related to structural steelwork required to support the existing façade and the projector room at the Millennium Building. In September it was announced that Nudge Community Builders had taken on the Millennium Building, following a £600,000 joint investment from social impact investor Resonance and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. It plans to turn the Union Street building into community spaces for young people and the wider community, including a music venue, workshops and a café bar. Plymouth City Council has applied for permission from its planning department to erect the boards.

The signal receiver made by the Irish company Taoglas is tiny, cheap and almost weightless. This includes the type of antennas made by the Irish company. A GPS antenna made by Irish company Taoglas that is being used in the manufacture of Geran-2 kamikaze drones in Russia. The investigation obtained data from Ukrainian intelligence that analysed the exact make-up of Geran-2 drones that had been recovered intact after failing to detonate. They include a 450kg shipment of electrical connectors of the type used in Geran-2 drones.

Virgil van Dijk 'really gutted' as significant Liverpool injury blow confirmedLiverpool have been hit by another significant injury, with captain Virgil van Dijk reflecting on the cruel loss of Wataru Endo on his first Premier League start of the seasonView 2 Images Virgil van Dijk has spoken about Wataru Endo's injury (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Liverpool's squad have been left "really gutted" after losing Wataru Endo to a significant injury. ‌Endo has only made 12 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool this season due to competition for places. But Liverpool captain Van Dijk says he will be a big miss, given his experience and personality around the dressing room. Latest Reds news and more on our dedicated Facebook pageJose Mourinho accused of trying to 'justify' racism with Vinicius Jr comments READ MORE :“It's a shame, we were all really gutted after the [Sunderland] game," Van Dijk said. "I had a similar injury when I was at Southampton, a foot injury, and it's not an easy one to take.

A modern property market requires a modern buying systemSponsored contentProperty Insights by Johnny Gannon, Fair Deal PropertyIreland’s property market has undergone enormous change over the past decade. The ESRI’s findings highlight the opportunity to modernise and improve how property transactions are completed. In many overseas markets, property transactions benefit from greater digitisation and earlier verification of key information. Importantly, the Irish property market itself remains strong and highly functional. The direction of reform is clear and represents a welcome step forward for buyers, sellers, and the long-term efficiency of Ireland’s property market.