The Irish Times leads with a story on a Government plan that would see certain key workers exempt from self-isolating in some circumstances, while the Irish Examiner reports that the State is set to introduce leave from work for domestic violence victims.
The Irish Daily Mail leads with Taoiseach Micheál Martin pledge to approach the children's vaccination campaign with 'sensitivity'. The Irish Sun reports a DNA breakthrough could lead to new leads in the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, while the Irish Daily Star leads with a story on the 25th anniversary of the murder of the French woman in Co Cork.
The Echo leads with long delays at Cork University Hospital (CUH) as some patients face waits of up to 16 hours to see a doctor.
The Irish Independent leads with a story on 136,000 people who will have to isolate at home this Christmas.
In the North, the Belfast Telegraph leads on record Covid cases in Northern Ireland.
Morning readers! Stay with @BelTel for all your breaking news.
Here's a look at the front page of the Belfast Telegraph this morning:https://t.co/3AlGJmrP8Y #Tellitlikeitis pic.twitter.com/HJ1zg6TBHn— Belfast Telegraph (@BelTel) December 23, 2021
In the UK, the spread of the Omicron variant dominates Thursday's front pages.
The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent and the i all lead with stories on how the risk of hospitalisation is lower with the new variant than it is with the Delta variant. However, they also report that health services in the UK are under serious pressure.
The Financial Times leads with a story on Turkey's currency crisis.
The Daily Star leads on busy motorways in the UK due to increased Christmas traffic.
