Ingrid Miley

Industry and Employment Correspondent

The Accommodation and Food Service activities sector has the highest number of PUP recipients

Pandemic Unemployment Payment cost exceeds €6 billion

The cost of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment Scheme has this week topped €6 billion since it was launched in March of last year, according to the latest figures from the Department of Social Protection.

Coronavirus • 22 Feb 21

Fórsa voted to back it by a margin of almost 96% (pic: RollingNews.ie)

Public service agreement expected to be ratified

The proposed public service agreement 'Building Momentum' is now certain to be ratified tomorrow after the largest public service union Fórsa voted to back it by a margin of almost 96%.

Business • 22 Feb 21

The vote by the INMO's 40,000 members boosts ratification prospects because three of the four largest public service unions, the INMO, SIPTU and the INTO, have now backed the agreement

INMO votes to accept new public service pay agreement

The proposed public service agreement "Building Momentum" is almost certain to be formally ratified next Tuesday after the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation overwhelmingly endorsed the deal by a margin of 95%.

Ireland • 19 Feb 21

Revenue carried out 360 construction site visits in 2020 - down from 1,673 in 2019

Significant drop in on-site visits by Revenue in 2020

The number of on-site inspections carried out by the Revenue Commissioners fell dramatically in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to chairman Niall Cody.

Ireland • 18 Feb 21

Healthcare workers have complained that they are being offered the Astra Zeneca vaccine

Concerns over Covid-19 vaccines for healthcare workers

Health unions have queried why frontline healthcare workers are being given what they describe as the "least efficacious" vaccine when they are the workers most exposed to Covid-19.

Ireland • 18 Feb 21

Rehab Group says the electrical assembly plant has been loss-making for a number of years

37 job losses at Rehab Logistics plant in Limerick

SIPTU has strongly criticised the disability support organisation Rehab for making 37 employees in Limerick, most of whom are disabled, redundant on reduced redundancy terms.

Munster • 18 Feb 21

Gerry Light also queries whether the Government's position has been overly driven by the concerns of employers

Govt accused of resisting EU changes to minimum wages

The Government has been accused of abdicating its moral and political responsibility to vulnerable and low paid workers by resisting a proposed EU directive aimed at ensuring adequate minimum wages in member states.

Business • 18 Feb 21

Over 666,000 workers are currently entirely reliant on the State for income support

3,666 decrease in PUP recipients over last week

Almost 477,700 people are set to receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week - a decrease of 3,666 over the last week, according to the Department of Social Protection.

Business • 15 Feb 21

Unite says the RSA has been arbitrarily cancelling tests due to low temperatures, despite the fact that weather conditions were dry and safe

Driving test cancellations over cold weather criticised

The Road Safety Authority has admitted that 484 driving tests were cancelled last week for weather related reasons including unsafe conditions, ice and snow at test centres.

Ireland • 15 Feb 21

ICTU's Patricia King said no worker should be penalised by being placed on the PUP

ICTU warning over reduced redundancy for workers on PUP

Hundreds of thousands of workers could lose out on redundancy payments if their employment is terminated because time spent claiming the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will not count when calculating entitlements.

Ireland • 13 Feb 21