Monthly Archives: October 2012

The austerity measures being imposed on the country are causing unnecessary suffering and have no purpose because the programme itself is failing, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) has told the European Commission.

In a letter sent to István Székely, the European Union representative on the troika of the EU, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund, Ictu general secretary David Begg said Ireland would not quickly or easily recover from the scarring effects of structural unemployment or the breaking up of families as a result of emigration.

He said Ictu believed jobs were “the central economic objective and that this should be the guiding light on the road back to fiscal prudence rather than the deficit reduction being the main objective”.

But…but, how can he say that?

Enda’s getting an award and everything….

Austerity failing to achieve results, Ictu says (Martin Wall, Irish Times)

(Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland)

Graham Quinn writes:

Priory Hall residents don’t hold your breath. above is an image of the other Priory Hall – the Quay Street apartments in Dundalk. ALSO built by Tom Mcfeely and ALSO evacuated due to fire safety concerns (about 18 months before Priory Hall).
The apartment block then became a Disneyland for anti-social behavior attracting local junkies, teen drinking parties as well as thieves who completely stripped the building of fixtures and fittings before ripping all the cables from the walls.
The final straw for the local council came during the summer when one of the top floor penthouses were set alight and completely gutted by rapscallions. last week council workers moved in to brick up doors and barricade windows meaning this local eyesore is here to stay.

 

Leo Varadkar (top) tried to secure a salary package of more than €400,000 for the new Dublin Airport Authority boss [Kevin Toland, above]– well above the €250,000 cap set for the position.

Mr Varadkar’s request was flatly refused and Mr Toland, who was never actually offered the higher salary, still took up the post.
But the Department of Transport’s requests to Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin, for Mr Toland, didn’t stop there.
Mr Varadkar attempted to obtain a relocation expenses payment of  between €12,000 and €25,000, for Mr Toland.

Then he tried to secure a guarantee from Mr Howlin that Mr Toland’s salary would never be reduced.

As the last details of the package were being prepared, he [Varadkar] wrote: ‘Seems rather trivial that Department of Public Expenditure should seek to micro-manage these things. Surely, they are busy with more important matters.”

 

Varadkar Tried To Break Pay Cap For airport boss …And New DAA boss Still Accepted Job When Howlin Blocked The Giant Salary (Ken Foxe, MailIOnline)

(Photocall ireland)