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SELF-EMPLOYED WORKERS WILL soon be able to access jobseeker’s benefit after a new bill gained Cabinet approval this week. In April, the government promised to bring forward legislation to provide self-employed workers with a jobseeker’s benefit scheme.This followed on from the government announcing in Budget 2019 last October that self-employed people would be able to receive jobseeker’s benefits if they’re out of work. However, as Budget 2020 approaches, the new provisions have not yet been rolled out. Today’s announcement of the new scheme sets out that self-employed people will be entitled to benefits beginning in November.&lt;ad&gt;The publication of the bill today following Cabinet approval means the Oireachtas will soon vote on whether or not it should become law. Under the scheme, self-employed people will be eligible for €203 a week – this means that they’ll be receiving the same as other workers. The government expects that the new scheme will cost at least €31 million in 2020. Under the scheme, someone cannot work in any self-employed capacity and receive jobseeker’s benefit. Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, said that the self-employed will now be provided with “breathing space and support” if they find themselves out of work. “When the economy crashed in 2008, many suffered. Self-employed traders such as plumbers, electricians and painters all around the country suddenly found themselves with no work and with very little support from the State. This Bill seeks to rectify that situation,” Doherty said in a statement.Jobseeker’s benefit will be paid for nine months to people with 260 or more PRSI contributions – the duration is reduced to six months for anyone with contributions below this number. Like other employees, self-employed workers will be able to access increases for dependents or children.  Original source <a href="https://www.thejournal.ie/self-employed-jobseekers-law-plans-government-4701856-Jun2019/?utm_source=shortlink">here. </a>

Government to go ahead for self-employed to access jobseeker's payments

<h2>A new local company which will research, develop and manufacture cosmetics and oils from hemp plants said it hopes to create 30 new jobs over the next three years.</h2>The company, deDanú Limited, is also seeking to encourage farmers in the Midlands to grow hemp as a viable alternative to more commonly-grown tillage crops.&lt;ads&gt;Athlone woman Leah Fletcher and her Canadian husband James DeMello are the couple behind deDanú Limited, which has established a 10,000 square foot pharmaceutical facility in Monksland Business Park.It plans to roll out its range of cosmetics and oils, made from hemp and other organic ingredients, to Irish pharmacies before the end of this year.The company currently has four full-time staff and has contracted nine farmers in the Midlands. It hopes to recruit manufacturing and quality assurance staff in August, and has plans to create 30 jobs by 2022.&lt;ads&gt;Ms Fletcher is a mamber of a new Hemp Working Group, supported by farmers&#39; bodies Teagasc and the IFA, and said she was working to &quot;position Athlone as an incubator and hub for cannabinoid and hemp research&quot;.She believes there are significant opportunities for Irish farmers in this sector.&quot;We live in a time of vast uncertainty,&quot; she said. &quot;With tillage crops not yielding positive results as before, and dairy farmers becoming increasingly frustrated with the industry, there is an urgent need for Irish farmers to proactively protect themselves against potential instabilities further down the line.&quot;Hemp is a renewable and robust alternative to traditional crops. It offers solutions to our challenges around carbon tax, and it fits in perfectly with the newly released Climate Action Plan.&quot;Our company, deDanu Limited is working to establish itself as a model and example of how industry can build a circular economy.&quot;&lt;ads&gt;She acknowledged that there had been a taboo around hemp, which is a strain of the cannabis sativa plant species, but said that when farmers learn about the plants they become more willing to get involved in growing them.&quot;Once farmers learn about the chemistry in the hemp plant - i.e. that it isn&#39;t going to get anyone &#39;high&#39; - and discover its potential for their farms they are eager to get involved,&quot; she commented.&quot;We are offering significantly more per acre for hemp than they would get for any other tillage crop.&quot;However, she said there were &quot;inconsistencies&quot; in the Irish system which the Government ought to address in order to support the sector.&quot;There are a number of inconsistencies across Government departments that need to be addressed in order to allow us attract national and international interest in Irish hemp,&quot; she commented.&lt;ads&gt;&quot;Policies between the Health Products Regulatory Authority, Customs, and the Department of Agriculture need to be streamlined.&quot;Additional hemp cultivars should be allowed in order to give Irish farmers the opportunity to compete on an international platform. This is a simple fix that would have huge economic benefit.&quot;In recent years Ms Fletcher&#39;s husband, James DeMello, has been working to help Canadian cannabis companies develop business plans, raise capital, advise management and build international business strategy.Last week, he was among the speakers at a hemp summit which took place in the Teagasc Research Centre in Ashtown, Dublin.Mr DeMello&#39;s speech gave his insight into the global marketplace to identify the research, innovation and job opportunities which he believes are available to Ireland in this emerging industry.&quot;Multi-disciplinary collaboration is vital in our industry and Ireland has the opportunity to be a major international player,&quot; he said.Ms Fletcher and her husband have also formed a separate company, Arbutus Health, with the aim of removing barriers to medicinal cannabis access for patients.Source: Westmeath Independent &lt;ads&gt;

New Athlone hemp company plans to create 30 jobs

<h2>An Post Job Loses</h2>The Cork Mail Centre in Little Island is to close with the loss of 216 jobs, affecting 240 people. An Post officials travelled to Little Island last night to inform employees that the closure of the sorting centre will occur on a phased basis between September 2019 and March 2020.An Post said the closure will result in annual savings of €11 million.In a statement, An Post said staff will be offered:<ul><li>Exit packages of six weeks per year of service, up to a maximum of two years’ pay.</li><li>Redeployment opportunities with An Post’s networks in the Cork area.</li><li>Further education/re-skilling grants of up to €3,000 per person.</li><li>Help to secure jobs with new employers; a Jobs Fair and outplacement support.</li></ul>Speculation around the future of the centre, one of four nationwide, has been rife for some time.The possibility of job losses was raised in the Dáil last November. Labour Party TD Seán Sherlock told the Dáil that he had been informed that the Little Island centre had been earmarked for closure.He warned that this would “have a devastating effect on postal services in the southern region”.He said such a move would be “unconscionable”. Last night, An Post said it was engaged with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) “to ensure the best possible outcome for all the CMC staff”.It said the closure of a mail centre was considered by the Labour Court in its recommendation of September 2017. However, the remaining three centres — Portlaoise, Athlone and Dublin — are unaffected.An Post said the Cork plant was “operating at below 25% capacity as mail volumes decline at around 7% per annum due to customers moving from the old world of letters to the new world of parcels and e-commerce”.The company said the €11m annual savings that will result from the plant closure “will enable An Post to invest more rapidly in its parcels infrastructure nationally, locally, and in the automation of parcel sorting”.It said parcel volumes have grown by 60% since An Post actively re-entered the parcels market in 2017. The statement said the company intends to invest €15m in parcels infrastructure across Cork City and the wider region over the next three years.Cork’s GPO on Oliver Plunkett St is due to undergo a major refurbishment and over 1000 parcel lockers will be installed across and city an county to make collection more convenient for customers. Of the 240 people working at the centre, two-thirds are employed on part-time basis.Employees were told the news at around 11pm last night when most of the staff were in attendance as mail is sorted overnight.Garrett Bridgeman, managing director of An Post Mails and Parcels, said it was “a very tough day for the staff at Cork Mail Centre who have delivered a consistently high level of performance over the years”.“The closure is simply due to the global trend of mail volume decline which has led to significant over-capacity in the mails system.“Our priority is to look after our employees who have given great service to An Post by providing alternative employment options, good redundancy terms, further education grants and active access to other employers,” he said.An Post CEO David McRedmond, said An Post was responsible for its own finances and had worked hard to return to profit and growth.“The company’s task now is to develop long-term sustainability. Closing the Cork letters’ facility is a tough but necessary step as we invest in the new world of parcels for our customers.“I want to be sure of two things: first, sustainability is about decent work and we will look after our employees as well as possible; and second, I want Cork to be the first city in Ireland to benefit from the new parcels infrastructure for customers.”<h2>Argos Job Loses expected - Cork</h2>Argos says that it is working to minimise the job losses associated with the closure of its store in Cork city centre.The UK retailer confirmed that its premises in the Queens Old Castle on Cork&#39;s Grand Parade will shut in November, just before the Christmas shopping season. It has traded in the building for more than 20 years.A spokesperson for the company, which is owned by Sainsbury&#39;s in the UK, declined to confirm the number of people working in the store but said that it will offer staff the chance to be redeployed to their nearby branches in Blackpool and Mahon.The spokesperson did not elaborate on the reasons for the closure but said that Argos &quot;regularly review our estate&quot;.&quot;Our Cork Queens Arcade store will be closing in November. We will offer colleagues the opportunity to redeploy to their nearest store where possible,&quot; a spokesperson for the company said.Argos was bought by Sainsbury&#39;s in a deal worth €1.4 billion in 2016.It was reported in January of this year that poor sales at Argos had dragged down its parent company&#39;s trading in 2018.Argos&#39;s struggles reflected those of other high street stores in the UK, where Debenhams, Mothercare and Marks &amp; Spencers are also reporting difficulties.Lawrence Owens, CEO of the Cork Business Association, described the news as &quot;very disappointing&quot; for retail in Cork city.&quot;Argos has a long tradition of trading in Cork - they have been at the Queens Old Castle for 20 years,&quot; he said.&quot;The most worrying element of this, of course, is for the employees whose jobs are affected.Hopefully, any losses can be kept to a minimum and there can be some element of redeployment to other stores. Even one loss is too many.&quot;Mr Owens said that the departure of Argos from the site could be &quot;a catalyst&quot; for activity in that part of the city.&quot;It could regenerate the entire area,&quot; he said.&quot;You already have long-standing businesses like Finn&#39;s Corner and O&#39;Leary&#39;s Centra, which are huge successes, there, and then Cornmarket Street is just around the corner and has a really strong hospitality offering.The historic Queens Old Castle survived the Black and Tans’ burning of Cork in 1920 and was once a Penneys. It was converted to a shopping centre in the late 1970s, with 37 different shops and restaurants occupying space in the building.It ran into economic difficulties in the 1980s and closed its doors.Clarendon Properties bought the site 1996. It was remodelled and reopened on December 4, 1997, by footballer Roy Keane, with two tenants: Argos and Virgin Megastore.Source; Irish Examiner

Disappointing Job Loses in Cork - 216 at An Post & Argos also closes

<h2>The Government has promised to increase spending and cut taxes in the budget – if a ‘no-deal’ Brexit can be avoided.</h2>The Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe outlined his plans in the in the Summer Economic Statement in this afternoon.He said Budget 2020 will look very different depending on the outcome of the UK’s exit from the EU – currently scheduled for October 31st.&lt;ad&gt;If the UK leaves with a deal, the budget could include a €700 mincrease in capital spending alongside tax cuts amounting to €600m.Should the UK crash out however, that money will be used to for social welfare and supports for industries that will suffer because of Brexit.&lt;ad&gt;Describing Brexit as an “economic and political event that has never happened before,” Minister Donohoe said failure to agree a deal could cut economic growth by up to 3.5%.Ahead of the announcement, Labour leader Brendan Howlin said Fine Gael was attempting to ‘mend its broken hand’ by promising spending increases.“It is quite clear that they have no reputation leftAd in terms of prudent fiscal management of the economy,” he said.“They have burned money on any of the major capital plans under their purview.“The Children’s Hospital; the National Broadband Plan and, by the looks of it, Metro North.”Minister Donohoe insisted the economy is “being well-managed and is in a very different place to where it was a decade ago.”Source; Today FM&lt;ad&gt; In other related news articles;<h1></h1><h2>&#39;Boris effect&#39; threat to jobs, tax cuts and your pension</h2><h2>Minister faces calculated guess on Brexit outcome</h2>Irish Independent Article;Boris Johnson’s elevation to UK prime minister will threaten the annual €5 boost to pension payments and promised income tax cuts.The frontrunner to take the keys of Downing Street has made a fresh “do or die, come what may” commitment to take the UK out of the European Union at Halloween.A disorderly Brexit will plunge the Irish economy into crisis and leave the Government scrambling to deal with the impact of 55,000 job losses.“We are genuinely at a fork in the road as a country from an economic point of view,” warned Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe.&lt;ad&gt;The Summer Economic Statement predicts that if a Brexit deal is secured the country’s finances will remain in the black next year, with €700m available for a tax and welfare package.However, if the UK crashes out of the EU, our Government plans to borrow billions in order to establish “automatic stabilisers” and help prop up businesses.Mr Donohoe has compiled two budget scenarios - but will have to make a calculated guess on the direction of Brexit ahead of October 8.The country is on course to run a surplus of €1.2bn next year. But if Mr Donohoe believes a no-deal Brexit is the most likely outcome he is prepared to borrow almost €5bn.He said the &quot;first priority will be how we can protect our country&quot;.Fianna Fáil has indicated it will drop its annual demand for a €5 hike to the old-age pension.Its finance spokesman Michael McGrath said: &quot;Under no circumstances will we put at risk the Irish economy and the public finances.&quot;He also said it would accept an abandonment of the Rainy Day Fund.&quot;In reality if you have a disorderly Brexit the train comes off the tracks you&#39;re not going to be looking at putting money into the Rainy Day Fund,&quot; Mr McGrath said.The likelihood of a no-deal Brexit spiked yesterday as Mr Johnson called on his Conservative leadership rival Jeremy Hunt to commit to leaving the EU on October 31 &quot;deal or no deal&quot;.&lt;ad&gt;Mr Johnson said the two men should agree that the revised Brexit deadline must be met &quot;no matter what&quot; in order to keep promises to the British people.Mr Hunt has suggested he could seek an extension in order to get a better Withdrawal Agreement but this approach is unlikely to be acceptable to the EU.The Summer Economic Statement warns of competing threats to the current good health of the State&#39;s finances.&quot;On one hand, budgetary policy cannot add &#39;fuel to the flames&#39; of an economy that is already performing at full capacity… On the other hand, the possibility of a disorderly Brexit presents a clear and present danger to domestic living standards,&quot; it says.There will be an extra €2.8bn available for Budget 2020 but pre-existing current and capital expenditure will eat up €1.9bn of this.Another €200m will be set aside to accommodate funding requirements for the rollout of broadband and overruns at the National Children&#39;s Hospital.&lt;ad&gt;In a best-case scenario, Mr Donohoe plans to run a surplus of 0.4pc of GDP.However, this will change to a deficit of between 0.5pc to 1.5pc if the new UK prime minister leads it out of the EU without a deal. This amounts to a negative swing in the region of €6bn.The SES sets out how tax cuts amounting to €600m next year could be achieved with the help of revenue-raising measures similar to this year&#39;s tourism VAT hike.It is the Government&#39;s policy to raise the point at which workers start paying the highest rate of income tax from €35,300 to €50,000 over a number of years.In the Dáil though, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar admitted: &quot;That is not necessarily to say it can be started in the forthcoming budget, which will depend on other factors.&quot;Mr Donohoe said if the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement is approved then there will be scope for tax cuts but if it isn&#39;t &quot;we will be mobilising all of our resources to support the economy and to support the hard-working families&quot;.&gt;ad&gt;Asked whether householders should start to tighten their own budgets ahead of Brexit, the minister said he believes people already are.&quot;While we&#39;re seeing the spend within the economy is very much in line with our budgetary assumptions, it&#39;s also the case that the kind of growth that we&#39;re seeing in the economy is lower than it has been in previous years,&quot; he said.Mr Donohoe added that the Government &quot;needs to be even more careful in terms of commitments that are given and expectations that are created&quot;.He reiterated that there will only be one Budget for next year, even if he predicts the wrong scenario.Source: Irish Independent&lt;ad&gt;

Gov promises tax cuts in budget if Brexit 'no-deal" is avoided

<h1></h1><h2>Dublin jobs: AMBER to create 350 new research positions at Trinity College Dublin</h2>AMBER, the Research Centre for Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research at Trinity College Dublin, has announced that it will create 350 new research positions over the next six years.The second phase of the centre was launched on Monday and will be delivered with the help of €40 million in international research funding between 2019 and 2025.During phase one of the centre between 2013 and 2019, AMBER generated 14,279 jobs nationwide.&lt;ad&gt;These jobs were in sectors such as biomedicine, pharmaceutical, energy and ICT.The work of AMBER sees new material and technology created to minimise environmental impact while building a sustainable future.The aim of the centre is to provide solutions for current environmental problems and address what needs to be done for the future.For example, their scientists pioneer new technology that reduce power consumption in electronic devices and data centres as well as enabling better batteries for energy storage.The creation of the new research positions will also strongly contribute to the Government’s Future Jobs Ireland initiative by promoting interest in ICT, manufacturing technologies and energy, thereby ensuring that the economy is well positioned into the future.&lt;ad&gt;Minster for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD said: “The second phase of AMBER will contribute hugely to the Government’s strategy to prepare now for tomorrow’s world, through plans like Future Jobs Ireland and Project Ireland 2040.&quot;The work done by AMBER previously has helped position Ireland as a world leader in research, further strengthening our global credibility across a number of different sectors.”Professor Mick Morris, Director of AMBER, said: “As part of AMBER’s second phase, the centre will demonstrate significant impacts which will benefit individuals, communities, organisations and society both in Ireland and around the world.&quot;We will do this by delivering world-class materials science research and forming strategic alliances with industry, as well as significant collaborations with leading academics and clinicians.&quot;The quality of our scientific research is critical for AMBER in attracting and sustaining long term engagements with industry, providing a skilled workforce competing for non-exchequer funding and tackling global challenges.”Source; Dublin Live&lt;ad&gt;Jobs; <a href="http://ambercentre.ie/people/#vacancies">http://ambercentre.ie/people/#vacancies</a>

AMBER to create 350 new research positions at Trinity College Dublin

Around 15,000 people with autism in Ireland could be suitable candidates for lots of jobs, particularly in the data analytics and tech sectors.Specialisterne Ireland is a specialist employment agency that helps people with autism to access employment, and helps employers recruit and retain people with autism.Autism is an invisible disability, and the challenges for someone with autism in the workplace are social and sensory.&lt;ad&gt;&quot;The sensory issues are the obvious ones like sound or bright lights,&quot; Peter Brabazon, CEO of Specialisterne Ireland explained. &quot;You can accommodate those, they&#39;re not big challenges. The main challenge is around their social understanding of a situation.&quot;A person with autism does not understand ambiguity, and instructions need to be clear. For example, if a colleague asks for a copy of a report, it is important that they are clear when they want the copy of the report. People with autism have a greater aptitude in STEM fields - science, technology, engineering and maths.Mr Brabazon would like to see people with autism get opportunities that play to their strengths. &quot;The world of data analytics is growing and we want to grow with it because people with autism work well in the sector.&quot;Specialisterne Ireland meets around 170 candidates a year, and has enabled around 200 people to access employment to date.The agency partners prospective employees with austim with companies. &quot;Our distinguishing feature is that we support those people in work on an ongoing basis, sometimes over five years later, because change, which happens a lot in tech companies, is often a challenge.&quot;At any one time, Specialisterne has 50 people on its books.&lt;ad&gt;Companies have been receptive to employing people with autism.&quot;A lot of organisations have diversity and inclusion programmes, and we help businesses understand autism, and we help them recruit the person, through an autism friendly recruitment process.&quot;Usually someone in a company takes the lead, because autism is very common, and they may have children who are autistic, or they might be autistic themselves and understand what we are trying to do,&quot; Mr Brabazon said.Specialisterne is the winner of the Diversity in the Workplace award from the Analytics Institute of Ireland.&lt;ad&gt;Source; RTE

People with autism could be suitable for data analytics & tech jobs 

Female pilots employed by Irish-registered airlines are being told to choose between having an abortion or losing work if they become pregnant, the Irish Air Line Pilots&#39; Association (IALPA) has claimed.IALPA president Captain Evan Cullen told an Oireachtas committee that it was &quot;a matter of fact&quot; that female pilots working as self-employed contractors with airlines registered in Ireland have had abortions to avoid losing out on future work.&quot;That is an absolute. They have a choice, you either terminate your employment under this type of employment or you terminate your pregnancy.&lt;ad&gt;&quot;You can&#39;t have both. So that is absolutely what goes on,&quot; Capt Cullen told the Oireachtas Employment Affairs committee.Asked at the committee if he knew of any specific cases of this having happened, Capt Cullen said: &quot;Female pilots have told me that they&#39;ve terminated pregnancies because they had no entitlement to maternity leave and therefore no guarantee of a job after they came back.&quot;Capt Cullen said that &quot;all Irish airlines&quot; are involved in hiring contract pilots but he did not name any company.He declined to expand on his remarks when contacted last night.&quot;I can only refer you to the transcript of the Oireachtas committee,&quot; he told the Irish Independent.The claims were described as &quot;horrifying&quot; by Solidarity TD Paul Murphy.Labour senator Ged Nash, a former junior employment minister, who had asked Capt Cullen about the matter during the Oireachtas hearing, described the revelation as a &quot;very sinister situation&quot; and said it shows the impact of so-called bogus self-employment on workers. &quot;Workers who are considered by their employer to be independent contractors while displaying all the characteristics of an employee are left without any entitlement to social protection or trade union representation in order to have their rights protected and vindicated,&quot; Mr Nash said.Asked to respond to Capt Cullen&#39;s remarks last night, Aer Lingus said the practices he described &quot;are not in any way representative of the practices carried out within our airline&quot;. A spokesperson added: &quot;When a female pilot becomes pregnant their medical clearance to fly is suspended under the requirements set out by the Irish Aviation Authority.&quot;&lt;ad&gt;It comes days after the emergence of the Majella Moynihan case.The former garda who became pregnant out of wedlock after joining the force in the 1980s claims she was shamed into giving up her baby son for adoption. Ms Moynihan, from Kanturk, Co Cork, was subjected to an internal Garda investigation and alleges she was threatened with dismissal.She has already received an apology from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, and her case was described as &quot;wrong on every level&quot; by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar earlier this week.It has been claimed that the then Garda commissioner, the late Larry Wren, succumbed to pressure from the Archbishop of Dublin not to dismiss Ms Moynihan as it would have led to other female gardaí going to the UK for abortions.But Mr Wren&#39;s son-in-law Joe McConville yesterday denied that the former commissioner would have allowed the Catholic Church to dictate Garda policy.&quot;The allegation doesn&#39;t sit with his character,&quot; Mr McConville told RTÉ&#39;s &#39;Liveline&#39;.Source: Irish Independent

Female pilots told to choose between abortion and losing out on work

<h2>Over 226,851 people have engaged with the government’s JobPath service in the last four years.</h2>OF THE 226,851 people referred to the government’s JobPath service, only 14,617 (6.44%) held down a job for over a year. The latest figures released show that in the four years that the scheme has been operational, the government has spent over €182 million on it.Of the 226,851, only 74,000 are now engaged with the scheme, according to the JobPath figures. They also show that under the government initiative, 51,548 people commenced work, but over 101,303 people who were referred to JobPath in the last four years got nothing from the scheme.JobPath is an employment activation service provided to people who have been on the live register for more than 12 months and are trying to secure and sustain full-time paid employment or self-employment.The two private companies employed by the State, Turas Nua and Seetec, to operate the scheme have received €75.7 million and €73.3 million respectively to carry out its work.The two contractors are paid to work with both the jobseeker and employers to identify employment opportunities. They receive payments when someone who has taken part in the scheme gains proven employment.&lt;ad&gt;Period of employmentJobPath figures for the last four years show that of the 51,548 people who commenced work under the programme, the majority only stayed in a job for a period of 13 weeks (31,186).A total of 24,234 people sustained work for 26 weeks, while 18,808 sustained work for 39 weeks.Just 14,617 people sustained work for 52 weeks.&lt;ad&gt;Since the rollout of the scheme, questions have been raised about the payments the private companies get in relation to the number of jobseekers on the books. The latest figures show that 27,830 people were referred to JobPath more than once, with 27,476 referred twice. A total of 354 people were referred on the programme three timesSustainment payments are made to the companies over the course of a year in respect of each person who secures employment having engaged in the JobPath process.TheJournal.ie revealed last year that the private companies contracted by the State to run the scheme are entitled to €3,718 for every jobseeker that gains sustained employment for one year through the JobPath scheme. Those that refuse to engage with the scheme can have their social welfare reduced or cut off. &lt;ad&gt;“Earlier this year, Sinn Féin brought forward a Dáil motion which called for an end to JobPath referrals and an end to the mandatory nature of the scheme. This motion was passed by the Dáil, yet Minister Doherty chose to ignore the will of the Dáil and has to date, taken no action.“I am calling on Minister Doherty to open her eyes. JobPath has failed. It has to go,” Sinn Féin’s John Brady told TheJournal.ie.Despite the Dáil voting for referrals to JobPath to end, the government scheme is still up and running.&lt;ad&gt;Contract with private companiesSocial Protection Minister Regina Doherty said in a recent parliamentary question that the contract held by the two private companies commenced in 2015 and, under the terms of the contracts signed with the providers, will run for at least six years.“This includes a period of at least four years of client referrals to the end of 2019, and a run-off period of at least two years,” she said.Doherty added that the contract includes an option which could extend the term of referrals for two periods of up to 12 months each the end of 2019.The minister said: &quot;The process of procuring contracted public employment services for 2020 and beyond is in its early stages of development. My officials are working to design a procurement model that will balance the need for value for money for taxpayers with the importance of preserving high-quality employment advisory services.&quot;She added that as part of this process the ongoing requirements of the public employment service including the period for client referrals under JobPath are currently being considered.&lt;ad&gt;“To date no decisions have been taken in this regard. However, my Department is currently considering how best to continue to provide a high-quality public employment service that meets the needs of all jobseekers, while looking to provide employment services to those most distant from the labour market and to people who have not previously availed of these services,” she said.The Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee heard yesterday that the department had defended the success of the scheme stating that 20% of the people that go through the programme to get employment.Correspondence to members of the committee also stated that the department plans to carry out another report on the scheme to highlight the savings that it has yielded in terms of having people working for a period of time, rather than being on social welfare. Independent TD Catherine Connolly said she disagreed with the department’s defence of the programme, stating that having a State agency, rather than private companies, involved in employment would be a more “wholesome approach.She also said reports on the scheme “assess a spectrum of criteria to fit the result that is wanted”. She added that JobPath is “not giving value for money”. Source; journal.ieTo find jobs click here; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/">https://www.jobalert.ie/</a>

Majority of JobPath participants only stayed in job for 13 weeks

IDA Ireland secured 140 investments during the first half of 2019, with 13,500 jobs expected to be created as a result.That represents a 19% increase on the same period of last year, with a particularly strong performance recorded in the technology, financial services and life sciences sectors.&lt;ad&gt;The planned creation of 1,500 jobs by Salesforce in Dublin represents the biggest single investment secured during the period.IDA Ireland said there had also been a 32% increase in regional investment since its current five-year strategy began in 2015.During that period, 455 investments had been secured for regional areas.Regional investments during the first half of 2019 include the creation of 150 jobs in Castlebar, Co Mayo by Meissner and 150 jobs created by Rent The Runway in Galway.During the six-month period, Valeo also invested €44m and created an additional 50 jobs in Tuam, while GrandPad set up its European headquarters in Gorey with the creation of 75 jobs.JRI America added 100 roles at its technology centre in Tralee, while Allergan created 63 roles in Westport and J&amp;J Visioncare added 100 jobs in Limerick.IDA Ireland said that almost 27,000 jobs had been added outside of Dublin between 2015 and 2018.By the end of last year, IDA Ireland client companies employed 229,057 people across the country, representing 10% of the country&#39;s total workforce.However the agency also acknowledged the challenges facing the Irish economy in the coming months.That includes the impact of Brexit and a feared global economic slowdown, as well as moves to change the international tax rules around digital products and services.Alongside its mid-year results, IDA Ireland also announced that its CEO Martin Shanahan has renewed his contract with the organisation, which will see him continue in the role until 2024.Mr Shanahan said today that the market for foreign investment is evolving at a rapid pace and has never been as competitive.He added that &quot;none of IDA Ireland&#39;s projects are easily won&quot;. &quot;IDA Ireland has consistently said that unless Ireland stays competitive, we will not continue to see these investment numbers, it&#39;s as simple as that. Ireland cannot be complacent about its competitiveness,&quot; the IDA CEO said.&quot;There needs to be a continued relentless focus on competitiveness and IDA Ireland will continue to work with Government to ensure that those areas prioritised by investors are addressed,&quot; he added.Mr Shanahan also said that while the immediate outlook to year end 2019 looks positive, there are significant downside risks to FDI in the medium term.These include the potential softening of growth in the global economy, the impacts of Brexit within Europe, escalating international trade tensions and the country&#39;s own competitiveness. Source; RTE.ieJOBS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT THE COMPANIES MENTIONED ABOVE;Salesforce jobs - 159 open in Ireland: <a href="https://salesforce.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/External_Career_Site">https://salesforce.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/External_Career_Site</a>Rent the Runway - 8 vacancies open in Galway; <a href="https://boards.greenhouse.io/renttherunway">https://boards.greenhouse.io/renttherunway</a>Valeo - 5 vacancies open in Tuam; <a href="https://valeo.taleo.net/careersection/ex_ireland/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en&amp;location=94105120490&amp;location=94105120490&amp;radiusType=K&amp;searchExpanded=true&amp;radius=1&amp;portal=101430233">https://valeo.taleo.net/careersection/ex_ireland/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en&amp;location=94105120490&amp;location=94105120490&amp;radiusType=K&amp;searchExpanded=true&amp;radius=1&amp;portal=101430233</a>JRI America career page; <a href="http://www.jri-america.com/employment.html">http://www.jri-america.com/employment.html</a>Allergan careers page for Westport; <a href="https://agn.referrals.selectminds.com/jobs/search/4319296">https://agn.referrals.selectminds.com/jobs/search/4319296</a> J&amp;J Visioncare careers; <a href="https://jobs.jnj.com/jobs?page=1&amp;keywords=Ireland&amp;location=">https://jobs.jnj.com/jobs?page=1&amp;keywords=Ireland&amp;location=</a>Other jobs on our website; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/">https://www.jobalert.ie/</a>

IDA secured 140 investments since January, with 13,500 jobs expected

LinkedIn is adding 800 staff!The professionally-focused social network said it had already filled 300 of those positions, with a further 100 jobs - in areas including sales, finance and analytics - currently being advertised. It said the remainder of the positions at its Europe, Middle East and Africa headquarters in Dublin city centre would be filled by summer 2020. &quot;Our Irish office has become our second largest office in the world, after our global HQ, and our Irish members are some of the most active and engaged on our platform,&quot; said Sharon McCooey, head of LinkedIn Ireland. &quot;LinkedIn&#39;s ability to grow its team in Dublin at such an impressive rate in recent years is a great endorsement of the talented workforce in Ireland,&quot; commented IDA Ireland&#39;s CEO Martin Shanahan. &quot;This is yet another significant investment by the company in the country and clearly demonstrates LinkedIn&#39;s long-term commitment to Ireland,&quot; Mr Shanahan added. LinkedIn, which is owned by Microsoft, also announced this morning that Irish membership on its platform has now surpassed 2 million.Social-networking giant LinkedIn is to add to its 1200-strong workforce in the capital.The social-networking giant already employs 1200 people in its base in Wilton Plaza.Dublin&#39;s Lord Mayor Paul McAuliffe says it is a huge boost: &quot;Well I&#39;m really delighted to see this investment in Dublin.&quot;I know Silicon Valley and Dublin City are twin cities and we&#39;ve put a lot of investment into trying to attract companies like LinkedIn to Dublin.&quot;I had a great meeting with the co-founder of LinkedIn Allen Blue on a previous visit and it&#39;s fantastic to see them invest in their Dublin site.&quot;Here&#39;s what Linkedin says; There’s 20 million jobs on LinkedIn. Find one meant for you. #InItTogether

Founded in 2003, LinkedIn connects the world&#39;s professionals to make them more productive and successful. With more than 610+ million members worldwide, including executives from every Fortune 500 company, LinkedIn is the world&#39;s largest professional network on the Internet. The company has a diversified business model with revenue coming from Talent Solutions, Marketing Solutions, and Premium Subscriptions products. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, LinkedIn has offices across the globe. About LinkedInLinkedIn was built to help professionals achieve more in their careers, and every day millions of people use our products to make connections, discover opportunities and gain insights. Our global reach means we get to make a direct impact on the world’s workforce in ways no other company can. We’re much more than a digital resume - we transform lives through innovative products and technology.In Europe, 99% of organisations are SMBs, they are the powerhouse of the European economy, responsible for at least 2/3 of the jobs in the region. To help realising the LinkedIn Vision of creating economic opportunity, we support SMB employers in hiring the best talent. This is the fastest growing segment at LinkedIn.Here&#39;s just a sample of the jobs currently on offer;Associate Relationship Manager, Talent Solutions - Staffing Basic Qualifications• 1+ years of sales experience in a quota-carrying role• Fluency in English Senior Relationship Manager (Staffing), UK &amp; Ireland LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Mid-MarketBasic Qualifications• 5+ years of sales experience in a quota-carrying role• Fluency in English Sales Operations Associate - LinkedIn Learning SolutionsBasic QualificationsBA/BS degree2+ years of experience in management and strategy consulting, sales operations or investment bankingInbound Associate Relationship Manager (Spain),LinkedIn Talent Solutions, SMBBasic Qualifications·       1+ years of sales experience in a quota-carrying role·       Fluency in Spanish and English Senior Manager, Customer Success - LinkedIn Talent SolutionsBasic Qualifications·       5+ years people management experience within customer management, customer success or sales.·       2+ years experience of managing managers Associate Relationship Manager, Talent Solutions (Dutch)Basic Qualifications·       2+ years of closing sales experience·       Fluency in written and verbal English and Dutch/Flemish Linkedin Careers; https://careers.linkedin.com/Student Careers at Linkedin; https://careers.linkedin.com/students

UPDATE 800 announced in Dublin this morning at Linkedin

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has reiterated the Government&#39;s pledge to cut income tax over the next five years. In a speech given to the Fine Gael Ard Fheis last November, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the level at which people hit the higher rate of income tax will rise to €50,000 over the next five years if Fine Gael is in power. Speaking in the Dáil this morning, Mr Donohoe said if the economy continues to grow and the resources are available, it is possible to reduce the standard rate cut off point every year. The Minister said any cuts in the upcoming Budget depended on negotiations with Fianna Fáil. He was responding to Sinn Féin&#39;s finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty, who said if the Government went ahead with this plan then resources would have to be taken from other areas. Mr Doherty said it would mean that €2.5bn of tax would be foregone to the State at a time that there are huge pressures in public services, health, housing and the cost of childcare and insurance. He said the money was not there to provide for services that we need at the moment. Fianna Fáil&#39;s finance spokesperson Michael McGrath asked the minister about the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council report, which highlighted the volatile nature of corporation tax receipts. He said there had been a massive increase in the number of receipts in recent years and he said there is now significant risk posed to the public finances and the wider economy from that dependence on corporation tax. Mr McGrath asked the minister about his plans to manage that risk to the public finances and the wider economy. Responding, Mr Donohoe said a shock to the corporate tax base cannot be ignored particularly in light of change and uncertainty internationally. He said it was imperative to ensure that increases in public expenditure are sustainable. The minister told the Dáil, the rainy day fund had been set up and efforts had been made to broaden the tax base. Mr Donohoe said the Government was aiming to deliver a surplus of 0.2% of national income this year. He said a process was being put in place in order to get a better &quot;view&quot; of the sustainability of corporation tax receipts.

Minister for Finance reiterates Government’s pledge to cut Income Tax

<h1></h1><h2>Top engineering university to open jobs exclusively to women</h2>Eindhoven University of Technology aims to address ‘implicit gender bias’Job vacancies at one of Europe’s leading engineering universities will be open exclusively to female candidates for at least the next 18 months in order to overcome the institution’s “implicit gender bias”.The rector of the Eindhoven University of Technology, Frank Baaijens, said progress towards a better balance of men and women in academic roles had been stubbornly slow.Under the new recruitment policy, men will only be eligible for any academic post if no suitable female candidates emerge within six months of a job becoming available.The proportion of vacancies that will be open only to women will be adapted after 18 months of a five-year programme to reflect the success or otherwise of the scheme.About 150 jobs are expected to become vacant during the five years and each new female employee will be allocated an additional €100,000 (£90,000) to be spent on their mentoring and their own research.Baaijens said: “We attach great importance to equal respect and opportunities for women and men. And it has long been known that a diverse workforce performs better.“It leads to better strategies, more creative ideas and faster innovation. That’s why we’ve had measures in place for years to increase the low percentage of women among our academic staff, but we’re progressing too slowly.“We’re aware that we are suffering from an implicit gender bias. We are now using the fact that plans to expand our academic staff considerably in the coming years can be used as a means to make a big step forward in one fell swoop.”The policy will be enforced from 1 July. The university said it wanted at least half of all newly appointed assistant professors to be women over the next five years, with a 35% minimum for recruitment of associate professors and full professors.EU law allows the targeting of recruitment from underrepresented groups.Figures from the European commission suggested there was a majority of female scientists and engineers in only five EU member states: Lithuania (57% female), Bulgaria and Latvia (both 53%), Portugal (51%) and Denmark (just over 50%).In the UK, 41% of scientists and engineers are women – the EU average. The worst-performing countries include Hungary and Luxembourg (25%), Finland (29%) and Germany (33%), whose chancellor, Angela Merkel, is an accomplished scientist. In the Netherlands, 39% of engineers and scientists are female.There has been a long-running problem of women being attracted to science and engineering degrees only to subsequently fail to find employment.According to the latest statistics, about three-quarters of female graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics find jobs in those sectors after their studies – 10 percentage points lower than the employment rate of men with the same qualification.Source: The Guardian COLLEGE WEBSITE; <a href="https://www.tue.nl/en/">https://www.tue.nl/en/</a>

Dutch Engineering College open jobs to females only for the next 18 months

<h1></h1><h2>Are you a business or home owner who wants to cut down on energy costs - you may qualify for lucrative grants from the SEAI?</h2> As Ireland faces more pressure to become as environmentally friendly as our EU neighbours including the UK - for the moment - the SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) has a wide range of grants available to homeowners, business owners, communities and large industries who are willing to play their part.<h2>BUSINESS OWNERS</h2>From SMEs to Large energy users, funding opportunities apply to both the public and private sector and a wide range of businesses.<h1></h1><h2>Project Assistance Grants</h2>Spending over €250,000 per year on your energy bills? SEAI grants can help you develop projects to reduce energy consumption and costs.They offer grants to businesses and public sector bodies who are seeking to develop energy saving projects. The aim of these projects should be to achieve significant energy savings, and build good procurement practices.<h2>The benefits for your organisation</h2><ul><li>Significantly reduce energy costs</li><li>Enhance the organisation&#39;s reputation and image</li><li>Improve competitiveness</li></ul><ul><li>Improve the knowledge of your employees around reducing energy use</li><li>Improve your Display Energy Certificate</li><li>Ability to divert savings to other activities</li></ul><h2>SMEs can save up to 90% of their lighting electricity costs by upgrading to energy efficient lighting</h2>At SEAI, they want to help SMEs become more competitive and the SME Lighting Support Scheme can provide grant support to upgrade your lighting and reduce your electricity bills.Since the scheme launched in 2017:<ul><li>SEAI have supported 200 businesses through the scheme to date</li><li>SEAI have provided financial support of €1.5 million</li></ul><h2></h2><h2>Why lighting?</h2>Lighting is a significant cost for many SMEs, and is the second highest cost for many businesses after staff costs. New developments in lighting technology, particularly Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, means that businesses can reduce their lighting bills by up to 60% or more.<h2></h2><h2>What support is available?</h2><ul><li>The SME Lighting Support Scheme offers a grant of up to 30% of the eligible approved costs of upgrading existing lighting</li><li>Eligible costs include product and installation costs. For a full list of eligible costs, please see the Application Guide on the website link below.</li><li>The grant is for the replacement of existing fittings, not fitting out a new site, and the existing lighting must be in working order at the time of application</li></ul>Check out the SEAI website to find out more; <a href="https://www.seai.ie/grants/business-grants/lighting-support-scheme/">https://www.seai.ie/grants/business-grants/lighting-support-scheme/</a><h2>Energy Investment Projects</h2>Grants are available under &quot;The EXEED grant scheme&quot; for organisations who are planning an energy investment project. The EXEED Grant Scheme provides grant support of up to €500,000 per year.The grant level may be extended by 20% for small enterprises and 10% for medium enterprises. SEAI are now accepting grant applications for 2019.<h2>Who can apply</h2>This scheme is open to all organisations planning an investment in an energy project. This includes:<ul><li>public and private sector</li><li>new design projects,</li><li>major energy upgrades of existing buildings and assets</li></ul><h2></h2><h2>Types of projects</h2>Projects can be of any scale or complexity. The organisation must also be seeking EXEED certification distinction i.e. Designed, Verified or Managed.<h2>Homeowners</h2>Home owner can possibly qualify for these lucrative grants including the following, as well as a bonus for multiple upgrades:<ul><li>Insulation (30% of a home’s heat is lost through poorly insulated walls)</li><li>Solar Thermal</li><li>Building Energy Rating (BER)</li><li>Heat Pump System (alternative to fossil fuel heating.. grant values are €3,500 for any pump system going to water and for air to air €600)</li><li>Heating Controls (an upgrade grant is €700)</li><li>Solar water heating grant is €1,200 while you can obtain a rebate grant for a battery storage system of up to €1,000 plus you can get €700 for each Kilowatt (kWp) of solar PV installed – the power output of the panel - up to 2kW equal to about 6 solar panels. These can save c. €200 - €300 per year on your domestic electricity bill.</li>Do I qualify?In order to qualify for these grants, you must:<ul><li>Be a homeowner or landlord whose home was built and occupied before 2006, if applying for an Insulation or Heating Controls grant.</li><li>Be a homeowner or landlord whose home was built and occupied before 2011, if applying for a Heat Pump System or Solar Thermal grant.</li></ul>You can apply online for any SEAI grant here; <a href="https://hes.seai.ie/GrantProcess/ApplyForGrantAfterWizard.aspx">https://hes.seai.ie/</a>Insulation grants include:<ul><li>€400 for attic insulation</li><li>€400 for cavity wall insulation</li><li>€1,600 for &quot;dry-lining&quot; on an apartment or mid-terrace house </li><li>€2,750 for external wall insulation on apartment or mid-terraced</li><li>€2,200 for &quot;dry-lining&quot; on semi-detached or end of terrace house</li><li>€4,500 for external wall insulation on semi-detached or end of terrace</li><li>€2,400 for &quot;dry-lining&quot; on a detached house</li><li>€6,000 for external wall insulation on a detached house</li></ul>If you complete three upgrades, your grant value will be increased by €300, and with four upgrades, it will be increased by €400. Grants last for six months so the work must be completed by then.If your home was built and occupied before 2006, and you are in receipt of social welfare payments, you may be eligible for free energy efficiency improvements.Mobility Aids Grant SchemeThis scheme does what it says on the tin, offering financial help towards the cost of upgrading your home in line with your mobility needs, such as access ramps, suitable bathrooms or stair lifts. Although the scheme can cover the full cost of works needed, the maximum available grant is €6,000.Do I qualify?In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:<ul><li>Have a yearly income of less than €30,000.</li></ul>Housing Aid for Older People SchemeSimilar to the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme, this scheme exists in order to facilitate older people with more complex needs to live at home by upgrading their properties. The maximum grant amount available is €8,000.Do I qualify?In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:<ul><li>Be over 66 years of age (although exceptions may be made by local authorities).</li><li>Have a yearly income of less than €30,000 in order to qualify for the maximum grant rate of 95%.</li><li>Have a yearly income of between €30,001 and €35,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 85%.</li><li>Have a yearly income of between €35,001 and €40,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 75%.</li><li>Have a yearly income of between €40,001 and €50,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 50%.</li><li>Have a yearly income of between €50,001 and €60,000 in order to qualify for the lowest grant rate of 30%.</li></ul>Lead Pipes and Fittings Replacement SchemeThis scheme was introduced in 2016 and applies to those in low-income housing whose water quality is affected by lead in their pipes. The maximum grant available is €4,000.Do I qualify?In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:<ul><ul><li>Own your home and occupy it as your main residence.</li><li>Be replacing pipes that carry water used for human consumption.</li><li>Be able to provide evidence that lead contamination is a significant risk. </li><li>Have a yearly income of less than €50,000 in order to qualify for the maximum grant rate of 80%.</li></ul>Have a yearly income of between €50,001 and €75,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 50%.There you have it – there is no excuse now. You’ll be financially better off too!Check out the SEAI website to find out more; <a href="https://www.seai.ie/grants/business-grants/lighting-support-scheme/">https://www.seai.ie</a></ul></ul>

Grants available to Businesses and Homeowners for Energy Saving Upgrades

<h2></h2><h2>Restaurant association says education system is partly to blame for the staff shortages as the Chef Crisis worsens</h2>Mr Adrian Cummins, the association’s chief executive said &quot;a key obstacle is the fact that restaurants must pay apprentices while they are at college, unlike other apprentices where participants receive an allowance.&quot; He says&quot; it is now time for a review of apprenticeships to ensure culinary students receive the same benefits as apprentices from other sectors.&quot;The struggle is real for businesses, like restauranteur Liam Edwards, He gave the Irish Times his view on the &quot;Chef supply crisis&quot; saying ‘I’m certain there are no chefs left in country’. He normally works front of house at his seafood restaurant in Kinsale, but for the past three months he has been full-time in the kitchen, helping out his short-staffed team of chefs.I’ve no choice but to help out in the kitchen. I’m not even a qualified chef; I only know from watching others.” says Edwards, owner of Jim Edwards restaurant.&quot;I’m seeing restaurants closing a few days a week because they don’t have the staff or they’re trying to keep them fresh, the arrival of eastern European workers during the last economic boom meant shortages never got out of hand&quot;, he says.But with fewer foreign staff to choose from, close to full employment in the wider economy and and high living costs, Edwards say the shortages have now reached crisis point. “It is really at an all-time low.&quot; Official statistics back up Edwards’ experiences. In 2015, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs reported that the hospitality sector was facing a deficit of about 5,000 chef trainees annually.<h4>Deficit</h4>Three years on, the restaurant sector estimates that this deficit has climbed to about 7,500 a year.Yet just 1,800 chefs are qualifying each year from certified culinary training programmes.The Restaurants Association of Ireland says the education system is partly to blame for the staff shortages.Mr. Cummins says there used to be a good system in place known as Cert, the State tourism training agency, which was responsible for providing a trained workforce for the hotel, catering and tourism industry. It was abolished in May 2003.Cummins says a new system of apprenticeships has not filled the gap.A new commis chef apprentice programme was launched in 2017, while a chef de partie programme began in September last year.Like most other “earn and learn” apprenticeships, they involve a combination of learning on-the-job with an employer as well as studying in college.Numbers, however, are relatively small – about 117 are on culinary apprenticeships.<h4>Pay apprentices</h4>Mr Cummins says a key obstacle is the fact that restaurants must pay apprentices while they are at college.This is in contrast to other apprenticeships developed before 2016 – such those in the construction sector – where a training allowance is paid by the State to apprentices while attending off-the-job training. In some cases, a contribution towards travel or accommodation costs may also be paid.“This means some students in the culinary sector are at a marked disadvantage compared to their counterparts training in other industries,” says Mr Cummins.A spokeswoman for Solas – the State agency that oversees further education and training – confirmed that the State pays for training in pre-2016 apprenticeships, while the employer pays in post-2016 apprenticeships.“This was a policy decision taken as part of the apprenticeship review in 2014,” she says.These new apprenticeships were developed in consultation with the education and industry and were aimed at allowing more flexibility in their design.<h4>Foreign workers</h4>Mr Cummins says it is now time for a review of apprenticeships to ensure culinary students receive the same benefits as apprentices from other sectors.Edwards, meanwhile, says in the short-term restaurants need access to foreign workers.He has applied for a work permit for a chef in Turkey. That was five months ago; however he is hopeful the chef will be able to join his team shortly.“It will help,” says Edwards, “I used to have a staff of eight chefs. It’s now down to four, and one part-time. But I feel the wages and working conditions we’ve offered are still very good.”Source of Article; Irish TimesFor chef jobs and apprenticeships check out; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/">https://www.jobalert.ie/</a>

More Culinary Students Required as Chef Crisis Worsens

<h2></h2><h2>Civil engineers, quantity surveyors, construction project managers and mechanical/electrical engineers with BIM experience added to the Critical Skills Occupations List to combat current skills shortage in the construction industry. </h2>These changes mean that non-EEA nationals with these skills will now be able to apply for a Critical Skills Employment Permit to work in Ireland.A number of occupations were also removed from the Ineligible Occupations List and will now be eligible for a General Employment Permit including sheet metal workers, crane drivers, plasterers, bricklayers, pipefitters and welders.The changes follow engagement by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation to combat skills shortages in the industry. A report in May showed that 10,600 extra workers joined the construction workforce in 2018, up 8% year on year and bringing the total workforce to 145,500. Cost of ConstructionThe report also showed that the cost of construction rose by 7.7% in 2018 and was forecast to rise by 6.5% 2019, indicating that the increases were being caused by the high demand for construction services, skill shortages in the sector and wage increases.Hubert Fitzpatrick, Director of Housing, Planning &amp; Development at CIF, said: “The Irish economy has been growing strongly over the past number of years and it is clear from these figures that the construction industry has been growing with it. We’ve seen an extra 10,600 workers join the construction industry last year, which is helping to meet the 20% increase in investment in the sector.”“With investment in the industry expected to reach €41 billion in 2023 and construction costs continuing to increase, we need to encourage more people to enter the construction industry, so skill shortages are not holding back growth, both of the industry and the economy as a whole. We’re confident that the employment permit changes we have secured will help to address this issue and that Ireland will start to see more skilled workers enter the construction industry.”If you are looking for a Job check out our website; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/"></a><a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/">https://www.jobalert.ie/</a>For more information on Critical Skills Employment Permits <a href="https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Permit-Types/Critical-Skills-Employment-Permit/">CLICK HERE</a> <a href="https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Permit-Types/Critical-Skills-Employment-Permit/"></a>

Construction Roles added to Critical Skills Occupations List 

Director & Ideation Manager

Pamela Doyle

<h2>The Freight Transport Association of Ireland is calling on the Government to provide urgent funding and support to reverse the current skills shortage across the business, requesting development of more apprenticeships and structured training programmes to attract new entrants to the industry.  </h2>According to FTA Ireland (FTAI), the business organisation representing all aspects of the sector, the Irish government must provide urgent funding and support for the country’s logistics operators, to reverse the current skills shortage across the businesses responsible for keeping Ireland trading, and protect the nation’s supply chain ahead of the impact of Brexit.Otherwise, as Aidan Flynn, General Manager of FTAI comments, the impact could be significant for both domestic and international business: “Ireland’s workforce is currently at almost full employment, yet there are still vacancies in the logistics sector which need to be filled,” he says. “The industry needs urgent help from government to attract young people into logistics, by promoting a driver apprenticeship and structured training programmes which will raise awareness and educate the workforce of tomorrow of the opportunities which are available to them. “A new independent research study conducted by FTAI in partnership with the TU Dublin School of Management has identified key issues to be considered by the industry when looking to recruit new personnel. The perceived hours of work, levels of pay and career opportunities are areas which confuse potential recruits and could prevent applications to the roles which need to be filled if our businesses, factories and retail outlets are to continue to be supplied with the products and services that they need. “It is vital that employers across the industry take a long hard look at the roles on offer to new entrants. Professional driving, in particular, is a fulfilling and motivating career, but many young people overlook the jobs available, based on pre-conceptions about the pay and conditions on offer. This is something we should all be working to change as a matter of urgency, if Irish business is to be prepared for a post-Brexit world.” Funding for training and development of individuals is still sporadic, and this must be prioritised by government, as Flynn continues, to ensure that a pipeline of future employees can be developed and maintained: “Many of the issues identified by the new research as barriers to joining the logistics industry, including working conditions and the lack of sufficient training and education, could be resolved easily if government would back appropriate development and apprenticeship programmes for logistics. Brexit is, of course, challenging how the supply chain will work in the future and unless government works more closely with business, there is a risk that business viability will come into question and goods and services will go undelivered. “Ireland has always been a trading nation, and has a real opportunity to capitalise on the changing business conditions which Brexit will present,” Flynn concludes. “However, without a suitable, trained workforce, it will be impossible to move the goods and services which support the Irish economy – this is an opportunity which government simply cannot afford to miss.” 
Source; https://www.hgvireland.com/government-support-needed-to-address-logistics-recruitment-issues-says-ftai/ For Freight and Logistics jobs check out our website; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/">https://www.jobalert.ie/</a>TO ADVERTISE VACANCIES CLICK HERE; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/employers">https://www.jobalert.ie/employers</a>

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