Donie's Ireland daily news BLOG Sunday

500 Irish Nurses protest to oppose 20% cut in starting salary by the HSE

  

Some 500 nurses attended a protest in Croke park yesterday, where unions called on newly qualified nurses to boycott the HSE’s plan to hire graduates at 80 per cent of the current starting salary.

The demonstration followed the announcement by the HSE that it would hire 1,000 new graduates on two-year contracts at €22,000 a year, as opposed to the €27,400 for current entry-level nurses.

Nursing unions claim that the 20 per cent cut in salaries is tantamount to exploitation. They also believe that the new scheme will see 1,000 experienced agency nurses lose their jobs in order to make way for graduates.

The protest was organised by the Irish Nursing and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and the Psychiatric Nurses Association. Members were given yellow T-shirts with “right pay or no way” printed on the front and “80% no way” on the back when they arrived.

INMO president Liam Doran said nurses were continually leaving Ireland to work abroad and that the HSE’s latest initiative was not an incentive to stay and work in Irish hospitals.

As nurses made their way into the auditorium, they were greeted by recruitment agencies offering careers overseas.

Mr Doran said the agencies had asked to set up their stalls when they heard about the event. However, those manning the stalls told the Sunday Independent that they had been invited by the INMO.

The agencies were offering graduates higher salaries for travelling abroad, assistance with flight costs, subsidised accommodation and educational opportunities.

CCM Recruitment manager Breda Lanigan said nurses could earn almost double what the HSE was offering if they chose to work in Saudi Arabia.

She added: “They are getting about €3,000 a month tax-free in the Middle East and if a nurse has five or six years’ experience it goes up to €5,000 a month and even more. They come back and can put a deposit on a house or buy a new car and they are not starting at the bottom rung of the ladder.”

Lorraine French, from Wexford, who was told recently that her contract would not be renewed, said she was “completely and utterly insulted” by the salary the HSE was offering. She added: “I would rather work in McDonald’s than work for €22,000. You work 13 hours a day and it’s horrendous in the hospitals, it’s like Beirut.”

Lorraine Murphy from Cork qualified in September and said she would rather emigrate than take part in the HSE’s graduate scheme.

Not much joy for ordinary tax-payer ‘Irish companies must pay more tax’

 

The latest Irish exchequer figures provide little comfort for ordinary taxpayers

It will be alright again, not because they say so, but because of what you do to make it better. A couple of big companies paid a lot of tax in December.

That doesn’t make it a new beginning and it certainly isn’t the end of our troubles. More income tax was collected in 2012 than ever before, not because the economy is recovering, but because the Government increased income tax in spite of its promises. It just called the tax another name – the universal social charge (USC).

VAT increased too. But the Government increased the standard rate by 2 per cent last year, from 21 per cent to 23 per cent. The VAT take in January will be higher still because of the higher-than-expected retail sales for November and December, compared with 2011. But 2011 was one of the worst years on record since the downturn.

Brian Hayes, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, proclaimed that the Government had almost taken all it wanted in higher taxes. But for some that is already too much and the Government hasn’t left enough for them to claw their way back out of the holes that the global downturn forced them into.

It’s not that things won’t get better. They will, but we are paying too high a price. It is not the case that the Government have helped, however small its help might be. But ministers have been naive in negotiating a better deal for Ireland. They missed the best opportunities to cut a deal and have thrown away what bargaining power we had.

The two big companies that paid corporation tax of nearly €400m in December just shows just how much these firms are worth to the Exchequer. But while income tax is higher than it ever was, companies are contributing a lot less than they did before. Company tax generated nearly €6.7bn in 2006. Even with the windfall addition of €400m in December, it only yielded €4.2bn in 2012.

If companies paid a social charge like the USC, we would be €2bn a year better off than we are now. But that presupposes we wouldn’t scare them all away. Let’s hope the €400m extra isn’t a one-off and that this is the beginning of a positive trend. Companies must pay a lot more if things are to get any better for the rest.

The Government would like us to believe that things are better than they are. But even now we are spending €15bn a year more than we collect in tax. There’s nothing wrong with running a deficit if it helps build the economy. But it’s not helping.

Brian Hayes says the Government will focus on public sector reform to get the savings we need. If it is that easy, why haven’t we seen the benefits by now? Outrageous pensions continue to be paid. Ludicrous expense payments continue because nobody stops the waste.

They have cut spending in the public sector by €2.5bn a year, but that shows how much waste there was. They haven’t even started to cut most of the outrageous payments that the Croke Park Agreement is protecting. Clearly, they know where the problems are. But they are powerless to do anything about it. The country is being run by public servants, for public servants.

The Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, are positive about what they describe as a continued improvement in the public finances. I find it difficult to share their enthusiasm when businesses are still struggling to get out from under the burden of debt the Celtic Tiger created.

There is little in the exchequer figures to suggest that things are any better, at least not for those forced to do the heavy lifting. The Revenue Commissioners will collect what it is due and while the banks are still calling the shots, there just isn’t enough to go around.

Viable businesses have been pushed over the edge by a tax burden that is too high. Companies that are subject to tax at only 12.5 per cent have gone under. Imagine what it is like for businesses, families and individuals who are subject to tax at up to 55 per cent. There is not enough cash to pay off their own debts. There Government makes it worse still.

Companies can keep 87.5 per cent of what they earn. If the two companies that provided the €400m tax bonanza in December pay tax at 12.5 per cent, they keep nearly €3bn between them in profits after tax. The special corporation tax rate saves them more than €1.3bn a year, compared with what it could be. That is more than the Government is trying to raise in extra tax this year. Surely there is something left for a social dividend from companies.

We are well within our budgetary target that was set by the troika. We have performed so well that it has become embarrassing to ask for help or financial assistance. The French had to increase income tax on the rich to 75 per cent. Even Barack Obama has forced those with most to pay an extra 4.6 per cent to help the rest in the US. Why would the French agree to give us concessions when we don’t even need to increase tax on companies? We embraced austerity. Now we have to live with it.

The €6.467bn in costs to service the national debt took nearly 18 per cent of all tax revenue last year. That won’t get any better. If anything, it will get worse. The two ministers responsible find this to be acceptable. Over-runs at the HSE will absorb windfall gains in corporate tax.

We have already shown Europe and the financial markets that we are capable of meeting our commitments, no matter what it takes. The only thing stopping us re-entering financial markets is that our debt burden is still too high. So either the EU guarantees what we have or it writes down the debt. The prospect of the latter is now highly unlikely. That means the cost of servicing the national debt will continue to place an enormous burden on our resources for the foreseeable future.

If you entered the recession with a financial cushion, the Government hasn’t taken it all away. But if you are one of those who can no longer make ends meet, the exchequer figures have no lifeline for you. We have been promised access to finance from the banks and personal insolvency if you want to unburden yourself through official channels.

We have a functioning economy, but it hasn’t been fixed. The message from the Government is that there is a glimmer of hope, but not enough for everyone. Unless, like Michael O’Leary, you are willing to take the other guy’s lunch, you could be left behind. Find what you need and take it. There are no handouts anymore, unless you are still cushioned at the top.

Donegal County Counciller McConalogue horrified at attack on 96-year-old woman

     

Deputy Charles McConalogue picture on the right and local councillor Ciaran McLaughlin with a Garda outside the home of the 96-year-old who was attacked at the weekend. 

The “appalling attack on a 96-year-old woman” in Buncrana at 12.30am on Saturday has been slammed by a Donegal Dail Deputy who now wants the Justice Minister to rethink his plan to close five rural garda stations in Donegal.

“This horrendous attack has caused shock and distress right across the local community,” he said adding that the recent spate of burglaries in Donegal is causing “real fear and anxiety”.

“My thoughts are with this poor woman as she recovers from what was an extremely traumatic event,” said Deputy McConalogue.

McConalogue said the appalling attack on a 96 year old woman during a burglary at her home in Aghilly this weekend is further evidence that now is not the time to dismantle local garda resources.

“While the circumstances of this burglary are particularly upsetting, unfortunately too many people in this region have themselves been victims of burglaries in recent months. It is clear that in many cases criminal gangs are targeting vulnerable communities and waiting for the right time to make their move.

“The recent spate of burglaries in Donegal and across the North West region is causing real anxiety and fear for many people, particularly those living alone.

“What happened in Aghilly at the weekend must act as a wake-up call to the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter, who is currently engaged in a slash and burn of community garda resources.

“Many communities in Donegal have been left exposed by cuts to garda stations, patrol cars and garda personnel last year. And this year, Minister Shatter plans to shut down 5 more stations in Donegal including Malin, Annagry, Glencolumcille, Brockagh and Churchill.

“As if this wasn’t enough, we learned over the weekend that the Minister also wants to cut an extra 1,000 garda personnel this year, bringing the garda force to its lowest level in a decade,” he said.

The Inishowen TD added: “People cannot understand why the Minister’s response to a surge in burglaries in rural communities is to dismantle a garda force that took generations to build. I am pleading with the Minister to look at what is happening here in Donegal and in other rural communities nationwide, and to rethink his attack on rural garda

Alcohol second biggest contributor to fat (Calories value high)

    

Alcohol accounts for almost 10% of total calorie intake among drinkers, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has said.

While losing weight is one of the most common New Year resolutions, many people are unaware how many calories alcohol contains. Furthermore, when adding up the calories they have consumed, people often fail to include alcohol-related calories, it noted.

In fact, alcohol is second only to fat in terms of calorie value. It contains 7kcal/g compared to fat’s 9kcal/g.

“The calories in alcoholic drinks account for a significant proportion of a drinker’s calorie consumption while providing little, if any, nutritional benefit. However, recent reports have shown that people are unaware of calories in drinks and don’t include them when calculating their daily consumption,” explained Kate Mendoza of the WCRF.

She emphasised the importance of this because after smoking, being overweight or obese is the biggest risk factor for cancer.

“There is also strong scientific evidence that alcohol itself is a cancer risk factor – possibly through damaging our DNA – in cancers of the breast, bowel, mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus and liver,” Ms Mendoza said.

The WCRF offers the following tips for reducing alcohol intake:
-Choose the smallest serving size
-Dilute alcoholic drinks with a diet soft drink or soda water
-On a night out, alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

Visitors to Dublin Zoo up by 23.5% on 2011 ‘A record high’

  

Dublin Zoo has announced that 2012 was another record-breaking year for visitor numbers.

   The final footfall figure for 2012 was 1,029,417, up from 2011′s 1,005,776 visitors.

Leo Oosterweghel, Director of Dublin Zoo, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have welcomed even more visitors than last year. We would like to thank all our friends and supporters, old and new, who helped us achieve this new record. Reaching one million in 2011 was fantastic but to do it again and add to that number is phenomenal.

  “Our success can be attributed to the dedication and hard work of the team at Dublin Zoo. The team continuously strives to enhance the animal habitats and at the same time ensuring that visitors have an unforgettable experience which is value for money. 

“We are delighted to say that the Zoo is more popular than ever. We are extremely proud to be in a position to say that after a decade of continuous development that Dublin Zoo is amongst the best Zoos in the world.

“The Zoo belongs to the Irish people who have a great pride in such a world-class facility and we share our success with the generations who continue to support us.”