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While the threat of the Covid Pandemic is still present and restrictions are changing by the day, the fact remains that a lot of people can technically work from virtually anywhere these days. If you had a choice, where in the World would you rather be based to work remotely?While we dream, we’ve taken a look at some countries that are actively encouraging remote workers to spend time with them as they try to boost their local economies.Barbados – Welcome StampThe Barbados Government recently announced the introduction of a 12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp. This new remote work programme establishes a visa to allow people to work remotely in Barbados for a maximum of 12 months. The visa is available to anyone who meets the visa requirements and whose work is location independent, whether individuals or families. More Information <a href="https://barbadoswelcomestamp.bb/">HERE </a>Iceland - Work in Iceland programIceland allows remote workers to stay for up to six months. To apply, you must work for a non-Icelandic company or be self-employed and have appropriate health insurance. More information can be found <a href="https://work.iceland.is/working/icelands-remote-work-long-term-visa">HERE </a> Mauritius - Premium Travel VisaApplicants must earn their income off-island and can stay for 1 year.Details are scarce, and the application form is still in the works. But according to Mauritius&#39; Economic Development Board website, the only requirements are that applicants work for themselves or companies outside of Mauritius (aka that their source of income is and remains outside of the island); that they provide proof of their long-term stay plans, such as a rental home; and that they have travel and health insurance. More information <a href="https://www.edbmauritius.org/premium-visa">HERE </a>Cayman Islands – Global Citizen Concierge ProgramOffer for remote workers to stay tax free for up to two years. More information <a href="https://www.visitcaymanislands.com/en-gb/global-citizen-concierge/">HERE </a>Antigua and Barbuda – Nomad Digital Residence ProgramThe program that will allow people to work from there for up to two years. To get this special resident status, workers must prove that they can support themselves as well as any family members joining them. They must also prove that their employers are based outside of the Caribbean country, and must maintain health insurance throughout their stay. More information <a href="https://antiguanomadresidence.com/">HERE </a>Dubai in the United Arab Emirates - One-year Virtual Working ProgramThe visa issued will allow remote workers and their families to stay in the city for up to a year, while working for companies that are based overseas. If approved, they&#39;ll be able to open a local bank account, get a local phone number and internet access, and enrol their kids in school. Best of all, Dubai doesn&#39;t charge any income tax. More information <a href="https://www.visitdubai.com/en/business-in-dubai/dubai-for-business/work-remotely-from-dubai#:~:text=Your%20virtual%20working%20programme%20is,telecoms%2C%20utilities%2C%20and%20schooling.">HERE </a>Estonia - Digital Nomad Visa ProgramThe digital nomad program will be open to all EU and International travellers. Launched officially in August, they say the program is the first of its kind in the European Union.Applicants must prove that they can do their job remotely, and that they are either employed by a company that&#39;s registered outside of Estonia, self-employed with a business that is registered outside of the country, or that they are freelancers that work mostly with clients based outside of the nation. More Information <a href="https://e-resident.gov.ee/nomadvisa/">HERE </a>Bermuda - Residency Certificate PolicyThe policy allows remote workers and students to live on the Caribbean island for up to a year. In order to qualify, the applicant must be older than 18, have health insurance, supply proof of employment and/or enrollment in an educational program, and show sufficient means and/or a continuous source of income, according to the Government of Bermuda. More Information <a href="https://www.gov.bm/articles/one-1-year-residency-certificate-policy">HERE </a>MexicoLive and work in Mexico for up to four years with the country&#39;s temporary resident visa. Their temporary resident visa allows visitors to live in Mexico for a year and after that, it could be extended for an additional three years. More information <a href="https://fmm-mexico.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA3NX_BRDQARIsALA3fIIPzujtxTFPQrwzdOjZQbBSFmWbyb6pbeme7OQxfflKlibqmlTCZ_AaAuqPEALw_wcB">HERE</a>These are just a few of the options – As a member of the EU and if thinking you’re thinking about remotely working in another EU Country, check out this site for information regarding working and living in another EU Country – <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=851&amp;langId=en">HERE </a>

Destinations around the World  welcoming Remote Workers

An Irish company based in Cork is urgently seeking experienced Aran Hand Knitters to help them complete an order of Aran hand knitted Hats, Scarves, Jumpers and Cardigans for a company in America for Autumn/ Winter 2021.All you need is your own needles, all wool will be supplied.This work is not limited to this year, if you are successful, more work is envisaged for 2022. The Hand Knitted Aran was made popular again recently by Taylor Swift enjoying a revival on an unprecedented scale in the US. When Taylor Swift dropped her album Folklore in July, its title and the Aran jumper she wore for an accompanying photoshoot were a combination calculated to signal authenticity. But Swift was not the first musical artist to use the garment to bolster such a message. In the early 1960s, Irish musicians the Clancy Brothers, who emerged in the hip Greenwich Village folk scene that would also make Bob Dylan, famously wore Aran jumpers on the Ed Sullivan Show.The garment signals both heritage and modernity, the hand-knit is made from báinín (undyed yarn) and was first made for the islanders’ fishermen.The jumpers became a favourite for American visitors, they&#39;d buy them in the dozen on their visits to Ireland.If you would like to find out more information please contact Helen Moynihan on 087 2231919 or send her an email helenbweeng@gmail.com

Experienced Aran Hand Knitters Required

<h2>The National Minimum Wage increased on 1 January 2021 from €10.10 to €10.20 per hour.</h2>All employees in Ireland who currently earn €10.10, should see a 10 cent increase in their hourly salary. Employers in Ireland must comply with the National Minimum Wage Act, with the exception of certain employment of people under the age of 18 or people employed pursuant to Employment Regulation Orders and registered employment agreements. Employers should be sure to raise salaries to meet the new minimum wage. Intra-Company Transfer Permit and Contract for Services Permit holders allow employers to count certain allowances, such as housing or health insurance, toward meeting the minimum salary threshold required for the visa category. Employers should adjust the base remuneration to meet the higher national minimum wage before adding the allowances.Employers should identify employees whose salaries require adjustment and make the appropriate increases to meet the new statutory minimum wage. Employers should also consider this when hiring any new employees.Back in Oct when it was first announced, Minister Heather Humphreys said that the move would benefit 122,000 low-paid workers.She said; “I also want to ensure that the increase in the minimum wage does not result in employers having to pay a higher level of PRSI charge solely due to this increase,” she said.“I will make regulations that will increase the employer PRSI threshold from €395 currently to €398 from 1 January 2021.”The recommendation for a 10c rise in the minimum wage was made last month by the Low Pay Commission.However, trade unions withdrew at a late stage from the government-established commission. This followed a disagreement between the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and other members over the proposed rate of increase. The move led to clashes in the Dáil between the Taoiseach and Mary Lou McDonald. The Sinn Féin leader accused the government of turning its back on workers.   Micheál Martin, on the other hand, accused Sinn Féin of trying to make political capital from the dispute. More information on Employment Rights and Conditions, Pay and Employment can be found here;<a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/pay_and_employment/pay_inc_min_wage.html">https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/pay_and_employment/pay_inc_min_wage.html</a>

Minimum wage increased from €10.10 to €10.20 per hour

What better way to spend your time, if you’re finding yourself at a lose end during Lockdown. Check out the many volunteer opportunities available on websites such as I-VOL or Volunteer.ie. You can take part in important research, light up someone&#39;s day by writing letters to people in various care centres. Use your skills by doing some social media management for important support services. There’s so many different opportunities.The Irish Genealogical Research society are looking for volunteers to help with creating hugely important databases of genealogically valuable records. More hands are always needed to move these projects along. Current projects include a Registry of Deeds and Early Irish marriages.Transcribe a story in Irish or English from the Dúchas Schools Collection and discover traditional lore, crafts, customs and local history.Help the National Biodiversity Data Centre with their new initiative ‘Backyard Biodiversity’, to record species found in gardens. The scheme seeks to obtain sightings of 20 recognisable species that can be found in urban and rural gardens. This is something that the whole family can get involved with.Take part in the Be My Eyes project where every day, sighted volunteers lend their eyes to solve tasks big and small to help blind and low-vision people lead more independent lives. Be My Eyes is a free app that connects people for visual assistance through live video calls.Count penguins in remote regions to help Oxford University, understand their lives and environment. Penguins are globally loved but under threat. Why are penguin populations are in decline? Help monitor penguins and answer this question.The National Library of Ireland also need help with dating and providing information on images. They use ‘The Commons’ on Flickr to upload hundreds of photos, prints and manuscripts. The public are then invited to help date and provide information on the images, helping add to the National Library’s archive.Read more and volunteer through the following sites;<a href="https://www.i-vol.ie/advanced-search/">https://www.i-vol.ie/advanced-search/</a>and<a href="https://www.volunteer.ie/volunteers/microvolunteering/">https://www.volunteer.ie/volunteers/microvolunteering/</a>

Ever thought about volunteering – well now you can do it virtually.

Pamela Doyle

<h2>SIPTU calls for the fast tracking of recruitment for thousands of health care staff in the fight against COVID-19</h2>SIPTU representatives have called on the management of the Health Service Executive (HSE) to fast track the recruitment of thousands of additional staff as a matter of urgency in the fight against COVID-19.SIPTU Health Divisional Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “The health service is under incredible pressure right now and health care workers are extremely fearful that they will not have the numbers to meet the challenges from the next wave of this virus. The health service cannot close, health care workers have worked around the clock fighting COVID-19 every day since early 2020 and face the new year with possibly their gravest challenge yet. They are exhausted and must have the necessary resources to ensure we win this battle while we await the roll out of the vaccine in the weeks and months ahead. The Department of Health and HSE must now do all in their power to ensure health care workers have the necessary resources needed to provide life-saving care on the frontline.”The Government pledged an additional €4 billion for the health service in Budget 2021. The funding was earmarked to prioritise the development of health services in the community, deliver 2,600 additional beds and recruit up to 16,000 additional healthcare staff. SIPTU is demanding these initiatives are fast tracked so that the health care workforce is fully supported in the challenging weeks and months ahead.He added: “Since the budget announcement in October, our members have seen little evidence of additional recruitment to assist the front line workforce within the health service. It is essential that roadblocks are removed for vitally needed healthcare workforce supports. Our members within the Acute, Community, Primary, Mental Health and National Ambulance Service settings urgently need additional resources. National approval for local recruitment must be issued to ensure additional staffing levels can be secured in the shortest timeframe possible.” Date Released: 04 January 2021Source; <a href="https://www.siptu.ie/media/pressreleases2019/mainnews/fullstory_22204_en.html">https://www.siptu.ie/media/pressreleases2019/mainnews/fullstory_22204_en.html</a>

Calls to fast track recruitment for Healthcare & Ambulance Services

Have you tapped the huge potential in telling as many people as possible that you know personally about your job search? This is especially worthwhile in such a small country like Ireland where if you don’t already know somebody in your desired industry or job, you probably know somebody who knows somebody. This might sound like the headbangers whose claim to fame is that their sister’s fourth cousin’s uncle is the president of Ireland. But hold your cynicism for a second. Any human connection is better than no connection. People like to work with, hire, do business with people they already know including people who the people they know, know! This is about trust. Those who can be even reasonably trusted get more doors opened for them and faster. But this won’t happen by itself. First we need to make an ask. In other words, let people know we&#39;re on the lookout for opportunities so that they can open them for us. Or they can connect us with their friends who can.People love to help. It’s important we reframe this idea of asking for help. Think of it this way. By asking for help we are giving people the opportunity to help us. When we consider how much meaning, purpose, and how much of a kick we get out of helping others, why not give this same feeling to them by asking for a hand? Of course there’s a difference between making an ask and being a pain in the ass. As long as we show initiative and don’t expect others to do all of the heavy lifting for us, people are always happy to help.In order to make an ask we first need to have a general sense of what we are asking for. We don’t even need to be specific. For example, we don’t need to know that our former colleague has a sister who could get us an interview with a company we’d like to work for. How could we possibly know that information anyway? However we do need to have a strong sense of a general direction from our side. This direction might be knowing what role we’d like to work at, what industry we’d like to start in, the people or company we’d like to work for or even the location we’d like to be employed in. All we need is one general sense of our desire. After that it’s about naturally expressing this desire with as many people as you can. Not in the sense of complaining that we are not there yet. Nobody wants to listen to or help a moaning Michael. Instead with a sense of excitement about the possibility of your desire becoming a reality. That’s all we need to do. We often underestimate the power of speaking our desire. Perhaps no opportunities arise the first few times. But each time we speak our desire, we become clearer and clearer on what it is we want. On top of that, those we talk to can help us see different routes towards our goals we might never have considered. People are inherently helpful. When we affirm their good qualities and put things out there by making an ask, we can be surprised by how opportunities will seem to unfold out of nowhere.

Making an ask - An unconventional approach to your next job

Paddy O' Leary

<h1></h1><h2></h2><h2>Workers affected by updated Level 5 restrictions advised to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) ONLINE to ensure payment is made as quickly as possible.</h2>Today, the Government reintroduced Level 5 restrictions of the Plan for Living with Covid across the country. These restrictions come into effect at midnight 30th December and will remain in place until 31st January 2021.The measures taken will have an impact on the economic life of the country and consequently people whose jobs are affected by the restrictions can avail of income support through the Pandemic Unemployment Payment for the period they are out of work.Minister Humphreys said:<blockquote>“The decision taken by Government today reflects the seriousness of the situation we currently face. I recognise that this decision will have an impact on people’s livelihoods and this is why I want to remind people who have lost their job that they should apply for PUP income support. The quickest and easiest way to do so is online via <a href="www.MyWelfare.ie">www.MyWelfare.ie</a>”</blockquote>The Minister continued:<blockquote>“I have put arrangements in place to ensure that those who require PUP income support will, provided they are eligible, receive this as quickly as possible.”</blockquote>People who have been made unemployed from 30th December and who apply online by 5pm on 31st December will receive a payment on Tuesday 5th January once they are eligible.People who are diagnosed with the Covid-19 virus or who have to self-isolate and are medically certified by their doctor, also have the option of applying for the Enhanced Illness Benefit online at <a href="www.MyWelfare.ie">www.MyWelfare.ie</a>.Full information on the Enhanced Illness Benefit is available here. To contact the Department of Social Protection by phone, the helpline number is 1890 800 024, from 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).To find out what supports are available for me during the COVID-19 pandemic go to <a href="https://services.mywelfare.ie/en/topics/covid-19-payments/">www.MyWelfare.ie </a>or go to the Citizens Information website <a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/covid19/covid19_overview.html">HERE</a> <a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/covid19/covid19_overview.html"></a>

Apply online for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment 

<h2>Three Enterprise Ireland supported companies based in Galway are in the process of creating 30 new high-quality jobs</h2><li>Palliare, a medical device company, has hired 10 new employees in recent months</li><ul><li>Flexwork company, Ronspot, intends to have a total of 10 new employees on board by Spring 2021, and has hired five people since September. Ronspot is a technology company which enables the flexible workplace between office and home</li><li>Venari Medical filled three new positions in October and have plans to recruit up to 10 new employees in the coming months</li></ul>Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, said:<blockquote>&quot;This is very positive news for Galway. These three Galway-based companies are working in high growth areas and their success shows the power of indigenous enterprise. Congratulations to the teams at Palliare, Ronspot and Venari Medical on these milestones, I look forward to seeing your continued growth.&quot;</blockquote>Enterprise Ireland Regional Director Michael Brougham said:<blockquote>&quot;This has been a challenging year for businesses but many Irish exporting companies are continuing to grow and recruit talented, innovative employees. Palliare, Ronspot and Venari Medical are in the process of filling 30 new positions. Some have already been recruited and others will be filled in the coming months. This is really positive news for Galway and the western region. It proves that local innovation is having a global impact and these companies are competing and winning in international markets.&quot;</blockquote>Caroline O’Dea of Managing Director of Palliare said:<blockquote>&quot;Further to recent US FDA clearance of our EVA15 insufflator product, we are now ramping up our manufacturing operation in preparation for a US launch early in 2021. We have also continued to grow our R&amp;D capacity further to the company securing EU Horizon 2020 funding to complete development and release of the EndoTrap and LeakTrap surgical safety products. We are grateful for the support from Enterprise Ireland and Western development Commission as we progress into the market.&quot;</blockquote>Michael Furey of Ronspot said:<blockquote>&quot;The support Ronspot has received from Enterprise Ireland has been crucial to our growth and for allowing us to make long term plans for servicing our market and international customers. As a native Galwegian I am passionate about developing the region and creating jobs and value. There is some amazingly talent to draw on and having the right supports in place helps it all fall into place.&quot;</blockquote>Stephen Cox of Venari Medical said:<blockquote>&quot;We gained seed investment of €4.5 million this year to focus on preparation for First In Human clinical trials of our BioVena™ medical device next year. BioVena™ is a novel Class II catheter which uses the body’s natural response for the office-based treatment of chronic venous disease and venous leg ulcers, which affects 1 in 4 adults across the globe. We’ve recently added three talented R&amp;D and Quality Engineers to our Galway team based at the new Innovation Hub at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT). We are looking to expand again in 2021 with hires across R&amp;D, Quality and Regulatory Affairs to bring BioVena™ through international regulatory approvals and commercialisation, and to further internal innovation in the development of new novel product lines for the treatment of unmet endovascular needs.&quot;From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Published on 30 December 2020Last updated on 30 December 2020</blockquote>

30 new jobs across 3 Companies in Galway

The government has today agreed that Level 5 as set out in the Plan for Living with COVID-19 will apply nationally.This will come into effect at midnight tonight, 30 December for all measures, with the exception of non-essential retail and gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools. These businesses should close from close of business on 31 December. Level 5 restrictions will remain in place until midnight on 31 January 2021.The government has considered a number of factors in arriving at this decision, particularly NPHET concerns that the epidemiological profile of COVID-19 has continued to deteriorate very substantially.It is recognised that this decision will have an impact on people’s lives and livelihoods, but the clear message is that we must all now stay at home, with the exception of essential purposes, in order to stop the spread of the virus. Supports such as the PUP and the CRSS will continue to be made available to those impacted. A double payment of the CRSS, up to a maximum of €5,000 a week will be available to those subject to restrictions this week and next week. Furthermore, businesses affected will be able to avail of commercial rates relief for the first three months of 2021. The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) is also available to help maintain people in jobs, along with extensive tax warehousing arrangements, reduced VAT rates, the spend and stay scheme, a range of reduced cost loans, grants and voucher schemes.The government further agreed that the ban on air travel and passenger travel on ferries from the UK will be extended to 6 January. As a similar new strain has been identified in South Africa, this ban will also apply to South Africa until 6 January.<h2>Overview of restrictions</h2><h3>Family and social gatherings</h3><ul><li>no visitors are permitted in private homes/gardens (except for essential family reasons such as providing care to children, elderly or vulnerable people, or as part of a support bubble)</li><li>no social/family gatherings should take place in other settings</li><li>people may meet with people from one other household in outdoor settings when taking exercise</li></ul><h3>Weddings and funerals</h3><ul><li>weddings planned up to and including 2 January may proceed as planned, up to a maximum of 25 guests. Weddings from 3 January may proceed, but with a maximum of 6 guests</li><li>funerals may have up to 10 mourners</li></ul><h3>Domestic travel restrictions</h3><ul><li>people will be required to stay at home except for travel for work, education or other essential purposes, and will be permitted to take exercise within 5km of home</li><li>people away from their place of residence on 31 December will be permitted to return to their place of residence</li></ul><h3>Retail and personal services</h3><ul><li>all retail, other than essential retail must close from close of business on 31 December</li><li>all non-essential services remain closed</li><li>click and collect services will be available</li></ul><h3>Work</h3><ul><li>work from home unless essential for work which is an essential health, social care or other essential service and cannot be done from home</li></ul><h3>Schools, early learning and childcare services, higher and adult education</h3><ul><li>early learning and childcare services open with protective measures</li><li>schools open from 11 January with further review on precise situation in advance of that date</li><li>higher, further and adult education should remain primarily online</li></ul><h1>Statement by An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin on the re-introduction of Level 5 restrictions of the Plan for Living with COVID-19</h1><h1></h1>From Department of the Taoiseach By: An Taoiseach; Micheál MartinPublished on 30 December 2020Just eight days ago, I stood here and explained why we needed to introduce a range of strict new controls in the effort to curb this latest wave of COVID infections.I explained that while we didn’t, at that stage, have evidence that the new, more virulent strain of COVID was in our country, the safest and most responsible thing to do was to proceed on the assumption that it was already here.Unfortunately, that fear proved to be correct.On Christmas Eve, we received the news we had feared – confirmation that the new strain is indeed in our country.While international research into this new variant is ongoing, it is already very clear that we are dealing with a strain of the disease that spreads much, much more quickly.Indeed, it is spreading at a rate that has surpassed the most pessimistic models available to us.With the disease spreading much faster, the threat of our health system being overwhelmed and the risk of increased sickness and death among our vulnerable and older populations is obvious.And it has become urgent.In the week before Christmas, we were seeing about 5% of tests coming back as COVID-positive.Yesterday, 18% of those tested were infected with the disease.Over the last seven days, more than 8,000 cases have been confirmed. That is a 61% increase on the previous week.This latest surge is different to the second wave. We are seeing rising incidence of the disease across all age groups, especially those aged 19-24 and a very worrying increase among those aged 65 and older.During the second wave, there was a long delay between an increase in cases and an increase in hospital admissions.This time is very different.We are already seeing a sharp rise in the number of hospital admissions. This morning, there were 454 COVID patients in hospital. It has almost doubled in a week.The Reproduction number is currently estimated at between 1.6 and 1.8.The situation is extremely serious.The numbers will deteriorate further over the coming days.As we have navigated the different phases of this crisis together, I have always been clear that we will do what we need to do to suppress the virus when it is growing;and it is now growing exponentially.The truth is, that with the presence of the new strain and the pace of growth, this is not a time for nuance in our response.We must apply the brakes to movement and physical interaction across the country.We must return to full scale, Level 5 restrictions for a period of at least one month.In practice, that will mean the following further restrictions:<ul><li>from this evening, no visitors are permitted in private homes or gardens, unless they are providing care to children, the elderly or vulnerable, or are part of a support bubble</li></ul><ul><li>no social or family gatherings should take place in any setting. There will be an exemption for weddings, where up to 6 guests will be allowed, and funerals, where up to 10 mourners will be allowed</li></ul><ul><li>you should stay at home, except for travel for work, education or other essential purposes, or to take exercise within 5km of home</li></ul><ul><li>all non-essential retail and gyms will close tomorrow at close of business</li></ul><ul><li>all public health analysis is showing that schools are safe, and schools will reopen, but slightly delayed to 11th January</li></ul><ul><li>by extending the break by 3 days the new restrictions I am announcing this evening will be in place for more than 10 days when schools open. Families will have had an opportunity to ensure that their contacts are minimised before children return to school.</li></ul>The last time that we faced such restrictive measures was when this disease first exploded in our midst in early 2020.I am deeply conscious that we are in a very different space now.We are all weary, from the bottom of our hearts, of this disease and the impact it has had on our lives.The next month, as we face into these strictest controls in the depth of winter, is going to be very tough for everyone.But there is another key difference between then and now.After a year of the most extraordinary effort by the most talented scientific minds on earth, we have safe and effective vaccines.We have the most technologically advanced factories in history working around the clock producing this life saving intervention, and we have a global supply chain distributing it around the world.For the first time since this awful disease landed on our shores, we truly have an end in sight.Thousands of vaccines are arriving here weekly, and by the end of January, I am confident that many tens of thousands of our most vulnerable citizens and our healthcare workers will have been vaccinated.The vaccines are now being administered efficiently and safely, but this will take time. The virus can still do immense damage until we have progressed much, much further with the vaccination programme.We are a society that looks out for the people around us.And what we are doing now with these new restrictions is working to keep as many of our parents, grandparents, neighbours and friends safe until such time as they have been vaccinated.This disease and the response it requires is causing massive disruption to our society and it is undermining our economy.It is having an effect on the mental health of young and old that we will not understand for some time to come.It is costing billions of Euro.But the most important responsibility that we all share is to protect the lives of those we love.The actions that we are taking – as a society and as individuals – is saving lives.We will rebuild the economy, we will repair the damage to our society.We will come to terms with this crisis and make sense of the trauma we have all been through in due course.We will do all these things, and we will start them this coming year, because the vaccine now exists.But right now, this is what we must do.We must stay at home and eliminate contact with others now, to make sure that as many of our people as possible are still with us to enjoy the better, brighter days that are up ahead.<blockquote>Beidh spiorad na meithle, aire, cúram agus foighne ag teastáil san míonna amach romhainn go dtí go dtiocfaidh éifeacht na vaisciní i bhfeidhm. Idir an dalinn, caithfimid a bheith ciallmhar agus cúramach agusna srianta Leibhéal a Cúig seo a leanúint. Táim cinntego dtiocfaimid slán. Caithfimid a bheith dóchasach.</blockquote><blockquote>Mar a deir an seanfhocal, is é an dóchas lia gach anró.</blockquote><blockquote>Beannachtaí na hAthbhliana oraibh uilig.</blockquote>Go raibh maith agaibh.Source: https://www.gov.ie/en/publications/

Level 5 to come into effect midnight 30th December 2020

2020, the year of Lockdowns, adjusting to working from home, losing jobs, losing loved ones, home schooling, staying away from family and friends, travel plans dashed.  It’s affected us all differently – but one thing for sure is that none of us have escaped being impacted in some way or other.  During the Christmas break it could be a great time to disconnect, recharge the batteries and take time out for yourself.Hopefully the following tips will help; - Properly disconnect, switch off devices unless they’re really necessary. - Take a walk, without the phone.- Only send crucial messages or emails to your staff or work colleagues.- Wrap yourself in a warm blanket and read a book.- Bake cookies.- Que the music – line up all your favourites.- Play a board game.- Put on your favourite Christmas Movie.- Breath - try the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybOi4hjZFQ&amp;list=PLIv3RMSL1EWaTO17ptnaWdcooou4rfrgz&amp;ab_channel=WimHof">Wim Hof method</a> – for breathing exercises.- Get in the sea/lake or take a cold shower to reset the mind.- Develop a night routine before bed - 1 hour before bedtime no screens (TV, phone), stretch, meditate, read fiction (hardback). - To also help with sleep, cut out caffeine for a couple of days and see can you notice a difference.Whatever you decide to do, have a wonderful break this Christmas, keep the spirits up and hopefully 2021 will be kinder to us all.<ul> </ul>Mind yourself, Love from the JobAlert.ie Team

Tips on how you can be kind to yourself over Christmas & New Year

This article is the second of a series of four articles titled ‘An unconventional approach to your next job’ dropping each week for the rest of December. “What do you do?” We’ve all heard and asked this question too many times than we’d like to remember. Some might say it’s a way to get a sense of who somebody is, what they’re about. It helps in continuing the conversation when we meet new people in the hopes that what they do is somehow fundamental to who they are. While our work can be the source of great meaning and purpose in our lives, we are not our job. We are not the amount of hours we clock in, the money we’re paid or even the things we get paid for. We as individuals and our lives are not defined by how we happen to make a living. A job also doesn’t need to provide us with all we want out of life. If we are to wait around until we find the perfect job that ticks all of our boxes, we might sooner end up in a box before we find what we’re looking for. We are not saying that a job isn’t important. Of course it is. But as most of us during this last year are beginning to realize, there is much more to life than what we get paid for. 
So instead of asking “what do you do?”, we might ask “what do you create?”. If you find yourself or the other person giving you a knee-jerk bullshit response, in some form of “I’m not creative”, it is your responsibility to rid them of this self-limiting belief immediately. Creating or being creative is not limited to the traditional art forms and whether you are a professional at it or not. Creativity is by definition, as wide and varied as you can imagine. Some people might create delicious homemade bread, others create a loving home for their family, others still might create comedy sketches. The point is we don’t all need to become ‘professional’ for us to experience the value in the act of creating. Of course, being paid a living for these passions can be a bonus, but monetary payment doesn’t need to be the standard from which we measure the value of creating itself. It&#39;s important to remember the great satisfaction we can get out of other areas of our lives independent from our jobs. 
So if we let go of the idea that our job needs to tick all of the boxes, how else are we to decide which position is right for us? There are no universally correct answers to this question. This requires an honest look at the totality of our own current life which includes our relationships, our hobbies and passions, our health and our job. In this way we can assess which boxes are or can be ticked by different aspects of our lives. This then takes the pressure off on how much a job needs to provide for us to be satisfied. For example, perhaps we’re a football coach in our local town. This will probably provide us with plenty of meaning and social value. If we already get these benefits from a hobby like coaching, we may not need to get it from our job. Instead we can really narrow down on what is currently lacking in our lives and decide upon our next job by considering which one would best provide what we want. While at the same time letting go of the imaginary notion of a perfect job which allows us to get on with the less desirable aspects and focus on the positive ones. You might have got to the end of this article now without the sense of completion inside that usually comes from finding an answer or next course of action. It might be worth repeating, we&#39;re not giving you any answers because we trust you can do that for yourself.

You are not your job - An unconventional approach to your next job

Given that tens of thousands will lose their jobs yet again on Christmas Eve the Department of Social Protection has provided details of the arrangements for the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP).It said: “In essence, anybody who applies for PUP online via www.MyWelfare.ie anytime up to and including Christmas Eve will receive that payment within a week of their application.A person who makes a new application for PUP in the period from the 18th December up to and including close of business today the 22nd will receive their payment on the 24th of December.A person who makes a new application for PUP by close of business on Wednesday 23rd December will receive payment on Wednesday 30th December.A person who makes a new application for PUP by close of business on Thursday 24th December will receive a payment on Thursday 31st December.A person who makes a new application for PUP on any date from the 25th to close of business on 31st of December will be paid on the normal PUP payment date of Tuesday the 5th of January.Applications can be made on line here; <a href="https://services.mywelfare.ie/en/topics/covid-19-payments/">https://services.mywelfare.ie/en/topics/covid-19-payments/</a>

Christmas Eve Lockdown Workers will receive PUP Payment within 1 Week

<h1></h1><h2>Ireland placed on Level 5 Restrictions of the Plan for Living with COVID-19 - with a number of specific adjustments</h2>The government has today agreed that from midnight on 24 December until 12 January, Level 5 restrictions will apply nationally. There will be a number of specific adjustments to Level 5 and, in addition, certain transitional arrangements will apply during the Christmas period.The government has considered a number of factors in arriving at this decision, including NPHET concerns at the rapid increase in COVID-19 case numbers over recent days, the nature of social interaction likely to take place over the Christmas period involving mixing between younger and older people and the risk that this could lead to a wave of infection with a higher risk age profile.The government has also considered the economic and social impacts of the re-introduction of Level 5 restrictions. A double rate of Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) will be paid for two weeks to businesses that are forced to close as a direct result of government restrictions on 26 December. Commercial rates relief will apply for affected areas for Q1 2021.The adjustments to Level 5 are as follows:<ul><li>non-essential retail may remain open. The retail sector will be requested to defer January sales events</li><li>gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools may remain open for individual training only</li><li>hotels may only open for essential non-social and non-tourist purposes except for guests who already have a booking and are due to check in up to and including 26 December</li><li>you must remain within your county (as opposed to within 5km of your home) apart from travel for work, education or other essential purposes</li><li>non-contact training in pods of up to 15 may take place outdoors</li><li>no matches/events should take place except for professional and elite sports and horse racing and greyhound racing behind closed doors</li></ul>The specific transitional arrangements for the Christmas period are as follows:<h3>Hospitality</h3>From 3pm on 24 December:<ul><li>restaurants and pubs operating as restaurants will close</li><li>hotels may provide food and bar services to guests only after that point</li></ul><h3>Social/Family Gatherings(*)</h3>(*) For those who are part of a support bubble, the bubble counts as one household.Up to and including 26 December:<ul><li>visits from up to 2 other households will be permitted</li></ul>Up to and including 31 December:<ul><li>visits from one other household will be permitted</li></ul>From 1 January:<ul><li>no visitors are permitted in private homes/gardens (except for essential family reasons such as providing care to children, elderly or vulnerable people, or as part of a support bubble)</li></ul><h3>Travel</h3><ul><li>travel outside your county will continue to be permitted up to and including 26 December. Those away from their place of residence after that period will be permitted to return to their place of residence</li></ul><h3>Religious services</h3><ul><li>Christmas religious services may take place, but will move online after 25 December when places of worship may remain open for private prayer</li></ul><h3>Weddings</h3>Up to and including 2 January 2020:<ul><li>weddings can have up to 25 guests</li></ul>From 3 January:<ul><li>weddings can have up to 6 guests</li></ul>The government has also agreed that the current restrictions on travel from Britain to Ireland should remain in place until at least 31 December, but kept under constant review in the light of unfolding information and circumstances.From Department of the Taoiseach 22 December 2020Addditional Notes;<h3>Level 5 provisions</h3><ul><li>up to 6 guests only are permitted at weddings</li><li>up to 10 mourners only permitted at funerals</li><li>religious services are online but places of worship may open for private prayer</li><li>no organised indoor or outdoor gatherings should take place</li><li>no matches or sports events are permitted, with exemptions for professional, elite sports and horse racing and greyhound racing behind closed doors</li><li>non-contact training can take place outdoors in pods of up to 15 people. Individual training only is permitted indoors. No indoor exercise or dance classes are permitted</li><li>hotels, guesthouses and B&amp;Bs are open for those with essential non-social and non-tourist purposes</li><li>nightclubs, discos and casinos remain closed</li><li>personal services must close</li><li>people should continue to work from home unless essential for work which is an essential health, social care or other essential service and cannot be done from home</li><li>public transport capacity should be restricted at 25%</li><li>outdoor playgrounds, play areas and parks to remain open</li><li>LTRC Facilities visiting: suspended, aside from critical and compassionate circumstances</li><li>childcare services, early learning and schools remain open</li><li>higher, further and adult education should remain primarily online</li><li>museums, galleries, libraries and other cultural attractions are closed</li></ul>Official link; <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/a1f21-ireland-placed-on-level-5-restrictions-of-the-plan-for-living-with-covid-19-with-a-number-of-specific-adjustments/">https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/a1f21-ireland-placed-on-level-5-restrictions-of-the-plan-for-living-with-covid-19-with-a-number-of-specific-adjustments/</a>

Lockdown - what exactly has been announced 22nd December 2020

💶🌟 COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT – THREE €100 ONE4ALL Gift Vouchers 💶🌟
Firstly on behalf of the entire team at JobAlert.ie we would like to thank everyone who entered into our competition. The response was just fantastic right across the country and your support is greatly appreciated.
With that being said, there can only THREE winners... The winners of the €100 Gift Vouchers are.....
<h1>Pauline Reilly</h1><h1>Amy O&#39; Brien</h1><h1>Shauna Dunleavy</h1>Congratulations to you all! Please get in touch with us on Facebook and we will arrange for your vouchers to reach you as soon as possible! 
Merry Christmas from all of us here at JobAlert.ie 🎁🎄

ONE4ALL Gift Voucher - Winners Announcement!

This article is the first of a series of four articles titled ‘An unconventional approach to your next job’ dropping each week for the rest of December. 
What if someone was to tell you that you’ve spent enough hours racking your brain over what your life long career should be. What if we were to tell you that life long careers are complete nonsense. A rare case. You’ve better odds of winning the Irish lotto than you do of finding and keeping the same job for your entire life. Unless you get lucky and die on your first job that is. This type of thinking is a couple of generations old. In fact it isn’t even yours, so why think it? This thinking belongs to your Grandparents who grew up in a different world where resources were scarce and manifestation slow. Things happen at a much faster rate these days, companies come and go, people outgrow their jobs, have different careers at different points in their lives or change industries multiple times. So the next logical question is, where does this leave us? Or more importantly, what are the alternatives?
One alternative is to think instead in terms of life stages or phases. The benefits of thinking in terms of your next project, life stage or phase is that it breaks things down into nice, easily digestible chunks. Rather than asking yourself the question ‘What do I want to do with my life’, we instead ask something like ‘What would I like to do with the next couple years of my life’ Or ‘How do I envision my dream life going 3 years from now?’ or ‘What project would I like to take on for the next six months?’ Now that’s more digestible than a three in one on a Saturday after a well earned night on the town. Can you already sense how much better these questions feel when asked? Immediately the pressure is off. We’re not talking Mount Everest, we&#39;re talking about a tough but doable hike up the Sugar Loaf. And who knows, maybe we can get enough Sugar Loaf’s under our belt, and Everest will be within our reach. 
This all sounds very reasonable, you might say. But what does it actually mean? It’s up to you to decide what that could mean. We’re not here to give you all the answers. Instead our aim is to provide new questions and perspectives you may not have considered yet so that you can breathe some fresh life into your job search. The bottom line is, if you are reading this in between jobs at the moment, then you have a massive opportunity on your hands. An opportunity to reinvent yourself for the next stage of your life in whatever way you like. You may be struggling financially but you are most definitely time rich. This resource that you have in abundance can be used to get clear about how you see your next life phase. Some people like journaling, others like talking to friends to brainstorm about ideas, others again prefer to think in nature. Your preferred tool is irrevelant, your objective is everything. What will I aim at for the next six months, one, three or five years. We all know how easy it is to get stuck in a boring habit of checking any and all jobs, while we slowly lower our standards as the time we’re between jobs lengthens. It’s for this very reason it’s so important to remember the gift of freedom we have to even consider these sort of questions. If you’ve gotten this far and have realized the opportunity that lies ahead of you, there’s only one question left, what are you going to do next?

Forget the question ‘What will I do with my life’

Business owners across Dublin, Wicklow, Meath &amp; Kildare, would you like to grow your business and increase revenue?  Would you like help to identify innovation opportunities to grow your business and improve profitability?Businesses are invited to participate in the LEO Breakthrough Innovation 2021 Programme. This 4 week initiative helps to drive business growth and build competitive advantage particularly during this ever changing business environment.Participants are brought through a disciplined framework to discover and analyse where the innovation potential lies within their enterprise and how they can capitalise on those opportunities to strive for growth.Aimed at established businesses, the programme will help you to take your enterprise to the next level by delivering sophisticated breakthrough innovations.This programme is for you and your business if:<ul><li>You have a burning ambition to grow your business</li><li>You find yourself wishing you could create more value or improve or transform your enterprise</li><li>You wonder is there a better way of doing business</li><li>You struggle to identify the right innovation opportunities</li><li>You are unsure where within your organisation, with whom or how to innovate for breakthrough impact</li><li>You lack a disciplined approach to tackle the innovation challenge</li></ul>Participation, Commitment and OutcomesThe programme is heavily funded, your commitment is just €50 and 25 hours, including 2 workshop days and multiple 1:1 touch points with a qualified mentor.The Breakthrough Innovation Programme will help you discover innovations that will effectively drive your long-term growth and survival.Fully immersing yourself in the Breakthrough Innovation Programme and following through on your Implementation Plan will yield revenue growth, export growth, improved profitability, greater efficiency, more employment and more engagement with the innovation ecosystem, including Dublin City University and Trinity College Dublin, to drive fresh impetus into your business and ultimately lead to a more sustainable enterprise, delivering value to customers.To find out more and to register your interest for one of the 2021 intakes go to <a href="https://www.breakthroughinnovation.ie/">https://www.breakthroughinnovation.ie/ </a>or email info@breakthroughinnovation.iePast participants have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are highly recommending this programme to other businesses. Read some testimonials <a href="https://www.breakthroughinnovation.ie/testimonials">HERE</a>

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