Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary

This just in.

Ryanair has confirmed in writing that it recognises the trade union IMPACT as the representative of the airline’s pilots for collective bargaining purposes.

With immediate effect.

In a statement released in the past few minutes, IMPACT says:

“IMPACT says it has accepted an invitation from company management to attend a meeting on 3rd January 2018 to agree a comprehensive recognition agreement that will establish collective bargaining procedures in the airline.

“The union cautioned that it expected management to reach agreement on procedures quickly so that the parties could move on to negotiate substantial issues around pilots’ pay and working conditions.

“On this basis, IMPACT said the company’s confirmation that it recognised the union, with effect from today, and would conclude a comprehensive agreement, meant the danger of industrial action had receded for the present.

“IMPACT official Ashley Connolly said union recognition in Ryanair was an historic achievement that would resonate beyond the company.

“‘This advance is good news for Ryanair pilots, passengers and shareholders. We also think it will assist thousands of workers elsewhere, who want independent workplace representation but whose anti-union employers had been encouraged and emboldened by Ryanair’s previous antipathy towards IMPACT and other unions.

“‘This breakthrough, which was made possible by the principled resolve of Ryanair pilots, should be an encouragement to workers across the economy. IMPACT will now immediately start work to make union recognition in Ryanair a practical reality by working with management to establish a formal collective bargaining agreement, and then by using this opportunity to win improved security, terms, and working conditions for the airline’s pilots.'”

Ryanair confirms recognition of IMPACT in letter (RTE)

George Soros and Colm O’Gorman, of Amnesty International Ireland

Readers may recall how Amnesty International Ireland is continuing to resist demands by the the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) to return a €137,000 donation to fund their campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment from George Soros’ Open Society Foundation.

Yesterday.

Catherine Sanz and Michael Cogley, the Times Ireland edition, reported:

The OSF (Open Society Foundation) contradicted a statement issued by Sipo last Wednesday claiming that Sipo had received written confirmation from the donor that the funding was explicitly for political purposes. Sherry Perreault, head of ethics and lobbying at Sipo, said there had been “a bit of wordsmithing” from the OSF on the matter and that Sipo had verified documents relating to the donation.

“There was documentary evidence received by the commission which was verified by the donor,” she said. “By virtue of verifying this information, the donor essentially clarified the intent.”

Fund backs Amnesty’s defiance of watchdog (Catherine Sanz, Michael Cogley, The Times Ireland edition)

Further to this…

Jonathan Birchall, Lead Communications Officer at OSF in New York, has released the following statement:

“The Open Society Foundation wishes to clarify that it has at no time confirmed to Ireland’s Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) that a €137,000 grant given by our Women’s Rights Program to Amnesty International Ireland (AI) in 2016 was for political purposes.

“Open Society has written to the regulator asking for any public statements to the contrary to be corrected.

“The grant in question was to fund AI’s My Body My Rights campaign, which seeks to mobilize support for a repeal of the 8th Amendment to the Irish Constitution, which effectively bans all forms of abortion in Ireland in violation of women’s and girls’ human rights.

“In asserting that the grant was for “political purposes” SIPO’s head of ethics and lobbying, Sherry Perreault, was quoted in The Times of Ireland on December 20 as saying that there was “documentary evidence received by the commission which was verified by the donor” which “essentially clarified the intent.”

“The Open Society Foundations is concerned that the regulator may be referring to internal documents that were stolen from our servers and illegally published on the DC Leaks website in 2016, reportedly by hackers working for the Russian government seeking to publicly discredit our human rights work around the world.

“As Open Society has noted to SIPOC in correspondence, these documents were not dispositive of our intent as a donor. Rather, they were part of an ongoing discussion on how best to strengthen women’s reproductive rights across Europe.

“In addition, it was Amnesty who first approached Open Society, in a general call for expressions of interest for a grant that was not specific to abortion.

“Furthermore, the legal scope of the grant given to Amnesty International is determined by the language of the grant agreement, and not by any other document. The Open Society Foundations trusts that SIPO will rely only on this document to determine whether the terms of this grant comply with Irish law.”

Previously: Above The Law

In London.

Sligo’s Laura Gaynor, who’s working as a production trainee at BBC, takes us on a tour of BBC’s HQ.

As Gaeilge.

Yay!

Previously: From Sligo To London

Laura Gaynor on Broadsheet

‘Happy’ not good enough for ye?

FIGHT!

Update:

Oh.

Yesterday.

The section of the new Royal Canal Greenway from Maynooth to Kilcock in County Kildare is now open for public use.

Eventually it is expected the Greenway will run from Dublin to Galway.

Transport minister Shane Ross said:

“This provides a timely opportunity for people to walk or cycle off any excess calories incurred during the festive season.”

Fight!

From top Gerry Robinson and Jean Wilson and her son Bobby; Irene Crolly and Darina Clavin.

Kildare section of Royal Canal greenway open (Paula Campbell, Leinster Leader)

Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

Broadsheet.ie