May Day: what's happening and what it means

The car park will be closed to the public from Monday the 11th of Mayo for a period of two weeks. May Day has emerged this Friday as one of the stories drawing attention in Ireland.

Key facts

• The car park will be closed to the public from Monday the 11th of Mayo for a period of two weeks.
• This evening, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the Dublin Council of Trade Unions will hold their annual May Day rally at the Garden of Remembrance which will be followed by a march to Liberty Hall.
• May Day is a celebration of what workers can achieve when they stand together, but it is also a warning to any government that thinks workers will quietly absorb the cost of a crisis they did not cause," Mr Reidy said.
• The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) is marking May Day with a call for the immediate abolition of sub-minimum rates of pay for young workers.
• That’s according to Affordable Ireland, which will be taking part in the traditional May Day protest in Dublin this evening, along with various trade union groups.

What we know

Going deeper, this evening, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the Dublin Council of Trade Unions will hold their annual May Day rally at the Garden of Remembrance which will be followed by a march to Liberty Hall.

On the substance, May Day is a celebration of what workers can achieve when they stand together, but it is also a warning to any government that thinks workers will quietly absorb the cost of a crisis they did not cause," Mr Reidy said.

Beyond the headlines, the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) is marking May Day with a call for the immediate abolition of sub-minimum rates of pay for young workers.

More precisely, That’s according to Affordable Ireland, which will be taking part in the traditional May Day protest in Dublin this evening, along with various trade union groups.

It is worth noting that as Mayo Day is celebrated this Friday, a new five-year tourism plan has been launched for the North of….

By the numbers

At this stage, Rents topping €2,000 a month, wages that don’t stretch to the end of the week, and a generation of young people who have done everything right and still cannot afford to stay here.

On a related note, Ireland remains one of the only countries in the EU where young people under the age of 20 can be paid less than the minimum wage.

Going deeper, NYCI Director of Policy and Advocacy Kathryn Walsh said: "With over 27,000 young workers earning less than the minimum wage, this policy only serves to further undermine living standards and exacerbate the acute problems of inequality and poverty in Irish society.

On the substance, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke has previously said that the Government has deferred any decision on the sub-minimum wage until 2029.

The wider context

On a related note, Unions are calling on the Government to tackle the cost of living pressures being felt by workers.

Going deeper, it coincides with International Workers' Day, which is celebrated today.

On the substance, this year's protest will focus on affordability and the cost of living crisis.

Beyond the headlines, your browser requires one tap to start audio in a new tab.

More precisely, the theme of this year's march is 'Can You Afford to Live?', with a focus on how the affordability and housing crises are affecting young people.

The bottom line

• This evening, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the Dublin Council of Trade Unions will hold their annual May Day rally at the Garden of Remembrance which will be followed by a march to Liberty Hall.
• The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) is marking May Day with a call for the immediate abolition of sub-minimum rates of pay for young workers.
• As Mayo Day is celebrated this Friday, a new five-year tourism plan has been launched for the North of….
• Searches spiking right now: Unions to focus on cost-of-living supports on May Day, May Day traditions in Ireland: Superstition, symbolism and the first long weekend of summer, May Day demonstrations take place amid rising energy costs due to Iran war, National May Day protest to take place this evening.