A Government plan to give all workers the right to paid sick leave has been approved by the Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The committee is recommending that all employees be entitled to the right of statutory sick pay to ensure workers on all forms of employment contracts receive the same protections. The…
Tag Archives: Economic welfare
New data show that household budgets are coming under pressure as grocery price inflation reached its highest level since October 2020 at 1.7% in the 12 weeks to January 23. The data from Kantar show that the number of products being sold on promotion has dropped by 3% compared with last January. Kantar also said…
The Government faces a difficult decision on how to tackle the rising cost of living for poorer families while balancing environmental considerations, according to Professor of Economics at University of Limerick, Stephen Kinsella. High inflation is being driven by rising energy costs, and should the Government choose to subsidise fuel, it will have a negative…
The qualifying age for the State Pension should remain at age 66, the Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection has recommended. In a report published today, the committee also calls for legislation to ban mandatory retirement clauses in employment contracts. And it is seeking flexibility to allow those with 40 years’ contributions to access their State…
The Government is to extend the Enhanced Illness Benefit (EIB), paid at €350 per week, until the end of June. This scheme is designed to support people who are diagnosed with Covid-19 or who need to self-isolate in line with HSE guidelines or the advice of a GP. In general, EIB is paid for up…
The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme rates will be cut from today, but not for those companies impacted by Covid restrictions introduced in December. The subsidy rates will fall from a range of €203 – €350 a week to €151.50 – €203 a week depending on an employee’s salary. According to provisional statistics published by Revenue…
The manufacturing sector continued to grow in January, according to the latest AIB Purchasing Managers Index (PMI). The headline index picked up to 59.4 in January, from December’s nine-month low of 58.3. Readings above 50 indicate overall rises in activity. The index remains at an elevated level historically, with the January reading higher than in…
Half of firms are planning to raise basic pay for employees by an average of 4% this year, according to a survey of businesses and consumers by Bank of Ireland. A similar proportion of workers are expecting a pay rise of on average 3%, the bank’s Economic Pulse for January shows. It comes against the…
The Central Bank has said the economy is expected to continue to grow strongly this year. Its latest Quarterly Bulletin forecasts growth in the domestic economy of just over 7% in 2022. However, inflation is expected to be higher for longer than previously thought, although it is expected to wane in the second half of…
Employers can start bringing staff back into the workplace from today onwards, following the announcement of the easing of Covid-19 restrictions on Friday. However, unions have urged businesses to exercise caution and consult with staff as the process begins. Announcing the changes on Friday, the Taoiseach said the return to physical attendance in workplaces should…