1. Reduced the pay of the Taoiseach andministers

2. Cut spending on ministers’ transport

3. Reformed the way senior civil servantsare appointed

4. Cut retirement packages for secretariesgeneral

5. Introduced pay ceilings for seniorpublic servants

6. Reduced the number of Oireachtas committees

7. Reduced future public service pensions costs

8. Published legislation to reduce judges’pay

9. Put a pay cap on semi state and publicsector bosses

10. Announced a sweeping programme ofpublic sector reform

See the links below for further information on the progress made to date by Labour in government.

1. Reduced the pay of the Taoiseachand ministers Government cuts Ministers’ pay http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2011/03/government-cuts-ministers-pay/

New Govt takes pay cut on day one http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0310/1224291780303.html

Taoiseach takes power and a pay cut http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/taoiseach-takes-power-and-a-pay-cut-2573396.html

2. Cut spending on ministers’ transport €4m savings on Ministerial transport

http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2011/03/e4m-savings-on-ministerial-transport-shatter/

Mercs and perks and leadership http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0318/1224292506442.html

Facing our reality – Cutting cars is symbolic but welcome http://www.examiner.ie/opinion/editorial/facing-our-reality–cutting-cars-is-symbolic-but-welcome-148431.html#ixzz1ee8ChMkn

It’s end of the road for ‘Mercs and perks’ http://www.independent.ie/national-news/its-end-of-the-road-for-mercs-and-perks-2581133.html

3.Reformed the way senior civil servantsare appointed Minister Howlin announces reformed Top Level Appointment Committee terms

http://per.gov.ie/2011/04/15/reform-of-top-level-appointments-committee-tlac/

Civil servants lose ‘closed shop’ power http://www.independent.ie/national-news/civil-servants-lose-closed-shop-power-2614046.html

Reform of State boards http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0415/1224294726027.html

4. Cut retirement packages for secretariesgeneral Minister Howlin announces reformed Top Level Appointment Committee terms

http://per.gov.ie/2011/11/08/minister-howlin-announces-reformed-top-level-appointment-committee-tlac-terms/

Civil service golden goodbyes axed http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/civil-service-golden-goodbyes-axed-2928907.html

5. Introduced pay ceilings for seniorpublic servants Minister Howlin announces pay ceilings for CEOs of Semi States and SeniorPublic Sector Posts

http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2011/06/minister-howlin-announces-pay-ceilings-for-ceos-of-semi-states-and-senior-public-sector-posts/

Howlin announces civil service cuts http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1108/breaking25.html

6. Reduced the number of Oireachtascommittees New Committee System the first step in the Government’s plan for radicalOireachtas Reform

http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2011/06/new-committee-system-the-first-step-in-the-governments-plan-for-radical-oireachtas-reform-kehoe/

Abolition of Seanad and cut in TD numbers among reforms http://www.examiner.ie/text/ireland/kfeyqleyeykf/

7. Reduced future public service pensions costs Minister Howlin Publishes the Public Services Pensions Bill

http://per.gov.ie/2011/09/29/minister-howlin-publishes-the-public-services-pensions-single-scheme-and-remuneration-bill-2011/

New pensions for public sector http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0929/breaking20.html

No more golden handshakes: Civil servants wave goodbye to generous severancepayments http://www.independent.ie/national-news/no-more-golden-handshakes-civil-servants-wave-goodbye-to-generous-severance-payments-2928902.html

8. Published legislation to cut judgespay Minister Howlin publishes legislation toimplement the outcome to the Referendum on pay of Judges

http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2011/11/minister-howlin-publishes-legislation-to-implement-the-outcome-to-the-referendum-on-pay-of-judges-2/

Law cutting pay of judges likely to be in force by January http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1119/1224307821920.html

New judges to face salary cut as part of public pay proposals http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0613/1224298812689.html

9. Put a pay cap on semi state andpublic sector bosses Minister Howlin announces pay ceilings for CEOs of Semi States and SeniorPublic Sector Posts

http://per.gov.ie/2011/06/22/minister-howlin-announces-pay-ceilings-for-ceos-of-semi-states-and-senior-public-sector-posts/

Howlin says semi-state pay will be cut http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/howlin-says-semi-state-pay-will-be-cut-152133.html

Rabbitte calls for end to ‘ridiculous’ payfor semi-state bosses http://www.examiner.ie/breakingnews/ireland/rabbitte-calls-for-end-to-ridiculous-pay-for-semi-state-bosses-510571.html

Public pay rates should be known, Howlin says http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0624/1224299525047.html

Top civil servants accept pay cuts, says Howlin http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0623/1224299456229.html

Public pay cap details unveiled http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0622/breaking34.html

10. Announced a sweeping programme ofpublic sector reform Reforms will ensure a better public service- by eliminating duplication, wastage, and will save the exchequer billions.

http://www.labour.ie/blog/2011/11/17/howlin-launches-programme-of-public-sector-reform/

Howlin pledges better service http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1117/breaking46.html

Public service staff to be cut by 18,000over the next four years http://www.independent.ie/national-news/public-service-staff-to-be-cut-by-18000-over-the-next-four-years-2937541.html

“Our next policing committee meeting is scheduled for the 10th of October and I have no doubt that the issue of the station closure will be the hot topic of the night,” said Cllr O’Byrne.

The Town’s Joint Policing Committee (JPC) was first formed in 2009 and comprises of members of the town council, the Oireachtas and An Garda Siochana as well as locally appointed community representatives.

Cllr O’Byrne went on to say, “The JPC is supposed to be a link between the community and its policing force and it is the perfect forum for members of the community and local representatives to question An Garda Siochana about the service they provide.”

“I know many people will have very strong feelings about the potential closure of the station in Passage West. The policing committee meetings are open to all of the public and anyone may address the meeting if they have something to say. On a personal level I feel that if there is a good management plan in place the station closure may not have any adverse impact on policing in the area,” Cllr O’Byrne concluded.

The next joint policing committee meeting will take place in Passage West Town Hall on Monday 10th October at 8pm. For further information or to submit a question to be answered at the meeting you can contact the chairman, Cllr David O’Byrne at wdobyrne@gmail.com.

The theme of the evening will be how to optimise the use of social media and the importance of developing a strategy around the use of social media.  Most businesses have developed a website but now businesses are looking at ways of connecting with customers using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and building contacts through networking sites like LinkedIn.  By the end of the evening, we hope that the business women and aspiring entrepreneurs attending the event will have an understanding of why it is necessary to look at developing an integrated social media strategy for their business.

This event is part of the ‘Catalyst’ project which SECAD has set up the to provide information, tools, networking and learning opportunities, and advice to women who are starting out or want to grow their business.  It will provide opportunities for members to build connections with other businesswomen and aspiring entrepreneurs in their own area and throughout South and East Cork.

We look forward to meeting you and we would be delighted if you would let other women in business in Carrigaline and the surrounding areas know about the event and encourage them to attend.

For further details please contact Sinéad Conroy at 021 461 3432 or email sconroy@secad.ie.

 
Who?

It is aimed at:
-       Women who are thinking about starting their own business.  These budding entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to meet with women who are already in business and to hear their stories.
-        Business women who want to grow their business and take it to the next level.
Why?

Research has shown that women approach being in business in a different way.  Women have different motivations for going into business and different pressures in their personal lives.  Members will be able to take part in training, mentoring and networking events designed specifically for women.
 
Where?

Networking events will be held in:
-     Ballincollig                                     -     Carrigaline                         -     Youghal
-     Cobh                                                -     Midleton
 
Training will be held in central locations.
 
How?

-     Networking Events                   -     Training Events              -     One to One Mentoring

When?

The first networking event will be starting soon.  Please ring Sinéad in SECAD at 021 4613432 or email sconroy@secad.ie to register your interest.

Cork County Council – Opening Hours – Waste Facilities

South Cork Christmas 2010

Note on Hours of Opening:

The following opening hours to the public will apply to all sites on the dates that they are open unless otherwise indicated above:

Monday – Saturday – 09:00 am to 4:30 pm

Labour Party member of Passage West Town Council, Cllr David O’Byrne has welcomed the announcement from the Department of Education that final contracts for the new Star of the Sea primary school are to be signed this week.

Cllr O’Byrne said that he is delighted for the people of the town who have been fighting for the new school for over a decade. “The signing of the contract is an important milestone in our hopes for a new school. I am very happy that we will finally see some progress on the ground.”

Cllr O’Byrne went on to say, “What is needed now is a clear timeline for the project outlining when construction will finish and when students can expect to move into their long awaited school.”

David concluded with praise for the parents and staff of the school and harsh words for the government, “All the credit for getting the school project to this point goes to the parents and staff of Star of the Sea, I hope we will not see the pathetic sight of Fianna Fail ministers and TDs climbing over each other to claim credit and looking for photo opportunities. We don’t need a turning of the sod ceremony, we need construction to start.”

PRESS STATEMENT BY BRENDAN HOWLIN TD
Labour Party Spokesperson on Constitutional Matters and Law Reform
Sunday, 7 November, 2010

Dave outside new prefabs in Star of the Sea

Today’s revelation that almost half the budget for the School Building Programme remains unspent highlights the contempt with which this Government treats children, parents and school communities around the country.

Ireland, unlike nearly every other EU Member State, has a growing population. 2008 saw the highest birth rate since 1896, according to the CSO. In two years time, 74,500 children will start school yet so far this year we have not spent €331 million of the budget for new school buildings.

In the meantime, children are attending school in buildings that are simply not fit for purpose, including in many cases, pre-fabs and temporary buildings that are costing the exchequer almost millions every year. The government needs to spend its allocated budget on schools in full each and every year.

At a time when the Government claims that our public finances are under huge strain, scams like this should simply not be allowed to continue. We can no longer afford this folly. I am calling on the Tánaiste to guarantee that this unspent money will be carried over to her Department’s budget next year.

Labour believes that as part of a national recovery strategy, work should get under way immediately to providing permanent accommodation for our school children. It makes sense to spend the allocated resources, put builders back to work, get them off the dole, and generate some much-needed economic activity all around the country.

STATEMENT BY RUAIRI QUINN TD

Labour Party Spokesperson on Education and Skills
Thursday, 04 November 2010

The following is an overview of how the Labour Party proposes to begin the process of fixing our economy and getting this country back to work.

Balance of Adjustments

Balance of adjustment between revenue raising and lower spending
we should aim for an even split between additional revenue raising and lower spending – roughly 50:50.  Given the scale of the deficit, we need to spread the burden of adjustment for it to be economically or socially credible.
Lower capital spending to the Eurozone average

 
In respect of capital spending, it is clear that the Government will have to go back to the drawing board once again.  Our present level of capital spending is still high by European standards, and unfortunately that will now have to be reviewed.
A reduction of approximately €2.5 billion over three years would leave us with a capital spend of just under 3% of GNP – or approximately the same as the Eurozone average (NOTE; this will be balanced by investment through Labour’s Strategic Investment Bank)
Suspend borrowing for payments into the Pension Reserve Fund
It no longer makes sense to make payments into the Pension Reserve Fund.  We are now borrowing money on the international markets at interest rates of 6% to invest back into the international market place through the purchase of shares by our own Pension Reserve Fund.  Borrowing at these rates for this purpose is the wrong way to use our depleted resources and should be suspended until we return to some form of normality. 
Proposal for a Comprehensive Expenditure Review

 
in the area of current spending, we must stop lurching from Budget to Budget, with crude cut after crude cut.  What we now require is a proper Comprehensive Expenditure Review with a three-year time horizon, such as has been carried out by the new Government in the UK, but using the Canadian model.
Efficiencies in the Public Sector can yield €2.8bn over 3 years
The revised estimates for 2010 show that total current spending, excluding social welfare and public sector pensions, was budgeted to be some €31.6 billion.  A programme to reduce both pay and non-pay costs by only 3% per annum would yield savings of €2.8 billion over three years, including payroll reductions of €1.4 billion.
 
Voluntary redundancy scheme in the public service

 
At this stage, however, it is unlikely that the necessary payroll reductions will be achieved through natural wastage and redeployment.  . A voluntary redundancy scheme in the public service will, I believe, be necessary.  The scheme should be strictly confined to areas of identifiable over-staffing, and should be tailored to ensure that critical front line public services do not have their essential staffing levels eroded.
Significant savings can be made in the Health Budget
There are a number of areas that have long cried out for reform, particularly including the cost of drugs in the health service, which the IMO estimate could be cut by €300m through use of generics.  Professional fees are also a serious issue – the Bord Snip report estimated that GMS fees could be brought down by €370m over time.
Social Welfare reduced by anti-fraud measures and rent supplement
The social welfare budget must also be curtailed.  It is possible to achieve considerable savings in Social Welfare by reforming the way in which the system works.  Labour’s Spokesperson on Social Protection, Deputy Roisin Shortall has recently produced a report for the Oireachtas Committee showing that major savings can be saved by more robust and modern enforcement of anti-fraud measures.  Savings of at least €100m can be made in this area.  A second area for potential savings is Rent Supplement.  The state is now spending half a billion euro a year supplementing the cost of private rented accommodation at a time when there is an overhang of residential property.  A saving of at least 10% of this amount, or €50m should be achieved in this area.
Cutting tax relief on pensions can save €500m
Some €3 billion is being spent in the area of tax relief on private pensions, which should be curtailed by at least 500m, particularly by limiting the total amount of relief that can be claimed by any individual, so as to make the system fairer. 
Big money to be saved on property based tax reliefs

 
The reliefs for property-based investment which are now costing €380m should simply be scrapped, and interest relief on rental income from investment property must be significantly curtailed by at least €430m.  …… The relief on patent royalties which is an avenue for avoidance and that costs €50m should be abolished.
Minimum effective tax rates to ensure fairness in the tax system
We have proposed a 48% tax-rate for the highest earners (Note; which would yield €410m).  We also need a system whereby a minimum effective tax rate is applied to high earners to limit the total relief that any one person can obtain from all tax breaks combined………….There needs to be more equality of treatment of earned and unearned income, so that income from capital gains is subject to PRSI and levies in the same way as earned income.
Other revenue raising measures
There is room to increase the tax on second homes. It should also be possible to phase in water charges on a metered basis as part of a broader reform of how we manage and deliver this vital environmental resource.  And, we should plan to bring in a new bank levy, once the capital levels in the banks are adequate. 
 
Pay freeze needed for the next three years
Wages may fall on average next year, but underneath that average we are likely to see wage pressures re-emerging in more sheltered sectors.  As of right now, the Government effectively has no pay policy, outside the public service.  I favour a return to social dialogue, in a new format with a  far more limited agenda than before.  I would like to see a negotiated pay freeze for three years.

Temporary Fees Commission necessary for sheltered sectors of the economy

In this economic emergency, emergency measures are needed, including the state exercising its right to control fees in areas such as law and medicine, though a temporary Fees Commission. ……  The medical consultant  who charges 150 euro for a ten minute appointment has to be reined in. 

Support needed for small business

Ireland needs to do more to keep the companies that we do develop and grow, rather than getting a start-up to a certain size and then selling the company to a multi-national.  We need to look at providing more support to firms that are over the size limit to avail of support form country enterprise boards, but who are not now getting back-up from enterprise Ireland. (Note; A central issue is credit for business which Labour’s Strategic Investment Bank would alleviate)

Helping people who can’t find work

What we need, as outlined in Labour’s policy document ‘Just the Job’, is a range of schemes, meeting a range of needs.  This does cost money, but relatively small amounts.  Our proposals would cost approximately €230m in the short term but would save money because people will get off the dole queues quickly.

FOR GREATER DETAIL ON ALL OF THESE POINTS SEE THE FULL TEXT OF EAMON GILMORE’S DAIL SPEECH ON THE ECONOMY AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK:
 
http://www.labour.ie/press/listing/128817722264268035.html