Semi-states in line for financial stock take [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 05 July 2010
THE Government is creating an expert group to "assess the value" of semi-state companies – and hasn’t ruled out a sell-off which could yield billions of euro.
It is insisting, however, that the main purpose of the group will be to examine the financial position of the semi-states and determine whether "efficiencies" can be made.
Economist Colm McCarthy, the author of last year’s Bord Snip report which advised the Government on ways to chop public spending, will be a member of the group and may chair it. Tánaiste Mary Coughlan said the Government wanted "an inventory" of state assets as it prepared to decide on how best to save €3 billion in December’s budget.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Tánaiste announces targeted derogation from moratorium [education.ie]
- Published: 05 July 2010
Primary and Post-Primary Schools with significant level of vacancies allowed to fill promotion posts
General moratorium on filling promotion posts in schools must continue
The Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan TD, announced today that she had agreed with the Minister for Finance arrangements for a limited derogation from the general moratorium on the filling of promotion posts in schools.
'The impact of the moratorium is uneven across schools.
'For some schools, between this year and the coming school year, the level of retirements will create a significant number of vacancies.
'The changes that I am now making will allow those schools to fill a limited number of vacancies while the overall number of promotion positions continues to reduce,' said the Tánaiste.
Full Story: www.education.ie
Taxpayer foots bill for 2,300 appointees to state agencies [tribune.ie]
- Published: 04 July 2010
TAXPAYERS are funding over 2,300 people serving on the boards of state agencies and most of them are political appointees, a new report on non-commercial state agencies has revealed.
Health minister Mary Harney has had 397 board members appointed to the 31 agencies under her remit, the report by Muiris Mac Carthaigh of the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) says.
With annual fees of around €14,000 a year paid to each person appointed to a state board, the total cost to the taxpayer for board members alone, comes to over €32m a year.
This does not include the estimated 12,500 employees in state agencies costing around €600m a year.
Mac Carthaigh makes no mention of fees, but suggests that the average number of board members be cut down from 12 to nine or even six, based on state boards in Australia.
Full Story: www.tribune.ie
‘Choice’ between meal or going to school on time [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 02 July 2010
THE Department of Justice is reportedly "forcing" asylum seeker families to make a stark choice — send their children to school on time or go hungry.
Migrant support group NASC Ireland claimed two dozen children, aged between five and 12, are being failed by the state.
They are residents at an accommodation centre in Cork’s Kinsale Road where breakfast is not served until 8am.
According to the independent organisation, children at the site are regularly late for school at St Nicholas, Christ the King and Togher boys and girls schools if they decide to have breakfast.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Teacher unions open to reform talks [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 02 July 2010
ALL four teacher unions are now open to discussing possible work reforms, despite three of them rejecting the Croke Park public service pay deal in recent ballots.
The leaders of two unions yesterday reaffirmed their opposition to the agreement, but indicated they would seek greater detail on the proposed reforms from Department of Education officials so they can consult their members on the issue.
The position adopted by the executive of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) may be seen as a reversal of its decision not to enter negotiations last week.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
