Originally posted by Cusack Park:
this is only the start of it, these Public Sector leeches are in for a rude awakening over the next 3 budgets

Originally posted by jack daw:
I wouldent be holding my breath re social welfare cuts, one of the FG lackeys was on matt coopers show today, and he was at pains to point out that the IMF criteria in relation to child benefit cuts etc was only a 'suggestion'! In other words , they dont have the balls or the guts to follow through on these welfare cuts, instead expect the usual suspects, ie PAYE income tax payers or sufferers to get rammed as usual, if not directly then indirectly thru hiked taxes on motor fuel and road tax, things that wont affect the stay at home work shy welfare scroungers in other words!

This message has been edited - 20-jul-2012 @ 10:55

Originally posted by HitemHardHardHard:
Ah Lads, you would swear a private sector worker never threw a sickie..You mightnt have noticed that the Unions have not objected to this. Defending the indefensible is not in the unions interest.
What this article didn't say, and ye didn't have the co-op to spot is that the sick pay is now being limited to full pay for 3 months in four years.. were it used to be full pay for six months in 5 years!
So in fact the change isn't that great.
It appears that the Health sector is the problem.

Originally posted by Cré Na Cille:
We’re told that the total sick pay bill comes to €500m (out of €14,000m) and that thus this will save €250m. The reforms are welcome but will they in fact save that?

Originally posted by jaykeane:
What the f**k are you on about you imbecile ?? I am a private sector worker and guess what if I am out sick I don’t get paid. I don’t have any problem with it either , why should I expect my employer to pay me while I am at home and not working?. The sense of entitlement public sector workers have makes my blood boil and yes it is me through my PAYE & my employer through PRSI who is paying some c**t in the public sector to go shopping or go to a wedding for the day.

This message has been edited - 20-jul-2012 @ 12:02

Originally posted by manfromdelmonte:
As a teacher I have never taken an uncertified days sick leave
There, I said it.
In fact i've missed maybe 2 days in 5 years due to actual illness. l

Originally posted by The Remnant:
Can't see this making a pile of difference but it's a small step in the right direction.
To be honest, I forsee the next budget again targeting Income tax or using indirect taxes such as property tax (possible major increase) & Fuel tax.
The government knows what needs to be done and so do most people living in the real world. Public Sector needs to be reformed in a massive way -sounds straight forward; however the government are not going to do this. They know they will lose alot of their electorate and most of all, lets not forget they are part of the public sector themselves. They are not going to make the cuts to their staff working along side them day in day out.
Social Welfare cuts - not going to happen in any great significance. Reason - Votes - they would lose too many votes.The problem is, if they keep hitting the average worker, it will reach a point where it is not worth their while putting in a 40 hour week. I get the sense that the average private sector worker more than anyone is starting to feel enough is enough.The government talks about job creation. They have not done one thing to help small and medium companies. Simple things like access to credit are near impossible for these companies. All the government is concerned about is looking after and bringing in these big multi-nationals. Dont get me wrong, this is great but look after the little guys too.

Originally posted by twohandsonthehurl:
In related news, I see schools in England are only finishing up today for their summer holidays. Our national schools have been closed for a month already.
Can somebody explain why, in 2012, our pupils / teachers are off for a month extra than our nearest neighbours?

This message has been edited - 20-jul-2012 @ 16:05

Originally posted by The Pope of Chilli Town:
Wasn't there a recent survey performed by a radio station (Newstalk, I think) where one of the reporters asked a series of doctors to provide her with a sick cert even though she admitted that she was fine? 7 out of 10 doctors stumped up the cert, no questions asked.

Originally posted by dubliner 2:
They are not. The school year in Britain is 190 days. It is 183 days in Ireland. The British year is longer because they take longer holidays at certain points of the year including a ten day break around the June Bank Holiday. The majority of EU countries do the same and have about 190 days in their school year. See the following link for details.http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/documents/calendars/102_school_calendar_EN.pdfThere is also no minimum amount of hours that a school has to be open for in Britain, unlike here, where primary schools must offer a minimum of 25 hours instruction and a secondary school a minimum of 27.5 hours per week. These minimums are the close to being the highest in the EU. Added to that almost all other EU countries include all extra work like prep/correcting/extra curricular in the hours teachers are expected to work to come out at an average of about 1200 hours per year. We don't, which means the figure of 726 hours gets thrown around a lot. That is class contact time only and does not include all the other work that teachers have to do which is included by other countries.Maybe a little research before you come on talking s///hite.On topic I've no issue with changes to sick leave. I've never taken an uncertified day in twenty years and don't intend to in the future.