Review
Public Service
www.pseu.ie
Journal of the Public Service Executive Union January/February 2015
‘Financial
crisis
revealed
a global
capitalist
system that
was unstable’
DAVID BEGG PAGE 26
IS IRELAND A HIGH TAX
ECONOMY?
WE THROW THE DICE TO SEE WHERE
PAGES 6 - 8
THE FIGURES FALL...
Picture: Images Money (CC BY 2.0) www.taxrebate.co.uk
WHISTLEBLOWING BASICS – WHAT NEW ACT MEANS FOR YOU PAGES
13 - 15
W
e see your
We
finances dif
ferently
differently
For more information contact
Lyons
L
yons Financial Services at 01 801 5808
or email [email protected]
www.lfs.ie
Office 1, Dunboyne Business Park, Dunboyne, Co. Meath | Phone: 01 8015808 | Email: [email protected] | Web:
Web: www
.lfs.ie
Lyons t/a Lyons
Lyons Financial Services is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland
Roisin Lyons
Review
EDITORIAL
Public Service
www.pseu.ie
A new-look Review
January/February 2015
WElCOME to the new- continue to present relevant general news in
look Review magazine.
infographic form. Our Conversations piece
Over the course of the will aim to interview a person who has an
past six months, we at involvement with an issue that we believe
the PSEU have at- will interest our membership. Case in point
tempted to reconsider is the interview with David Begg in this edithe use of the Review tion.
COMMENT
and the type of content
The Review will have an in-depth feature
By Seán Carabini
[email protected]
contained therein. We article in each edition in addition to an ‘exhave trialled a number of new content types, plainer’ type of article. In this edition, we
including guides (such as the PMDS guide) have chosen to explain some of the key conand use of infographics (such as the Snap- cepts underpinning the new whistleblowing
shots page) as we seek to find new ways
legislation.
of providing different information
We will also have a dedicated
to the many different types of
news section that deals with isreader that make up our memsues of direct relevance to the
We will attempt
bership.
workplaces of PSEU memto paint a picture
We began by reconsiderbers.
of the issues
ing the type of information
And we look forward to
we believe have
that we wanted to supply to
working with Brazier Media,
an impact on
our members. In short,
our new designers, and
Public Services
rather than a magazine that
Mullen Print, our new print
simply reports on events that
company.
have already happened, we have
decided to use the Review as a platform
to inform members of debates and issues ThE rEIMAgInIng of the Review magathat affect the concept of Public Service in zine is just one part of an attempt to reassess
all of its forms.
the entire communications strategy of the
If there is a media debate that does not PSEU. In recent months, we have recover an angle that we deem important, we launched the PSEU Executive Committee
will include it. By way of example, we have Newsletter, have founded a PSEU Blog and
included a feature piece that asks why dis- are actively using social media. We are also
course in Irish media rarely equates the looking at new ways to communicate with
taxes people pay with the Public Services members at ADC.
they receive.
needless to say, all of this is a work-inWe will attempt to paint a picture of the progress and we ask for both your patience
issues that we believe have an impact on and, more importantly, your feedback.
Public Services. The Snapshots page will There are some readers who enjoy in-depth
“
Review
articles. There are
some who prefer
infographics. There IS IRELAND A HIGH TAX
are some who may ECONOMY?
learn more about
an issue through a
conversation with a
key player than
they would through
an article.
It is our intention
to reach as many
different types of
reader as possible and to bring them the information and opinion pieces that we believe they should know about.
Public Service
www.pseu.ie
Journal of the Public Service Executive Union January/February 2015
‘Financial
crisis
revealed
a global
capitalist
system that
was unstable’
DAVID BEGG PAGE 26
WE THROW THE DICE TO SEE WHERE
PAGES 6 - 8
THE FIGURES FALL...
Picture: Images Money (CC BY 2.0) www.taxrebate.co.uk
WHISTLEBLOWING BASICS – WHAT NEW ACT MEANS FOR YOU PAGES
13 - 15
YOUR REVIEW NEEDS YOU!
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CONTENTS
TTIP/10, 11/NEWS/9, 17,18,20/ TRANSFERS/22,23/LIFESTYLE/25/CROSSWORD/28
Public Service Review is published by Public Service Executive Union 30 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 T: 01- 6767271 E: [email protected] W: www.pseu.ie
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Review January/February 2015
3
SNAPSHOTS
‘I’m 36’
NUMBERS
2%
Percentage of civil
servants as a percentage
of total employment
16.4%
Minister for Health
Leo Varadkar’s
shocking revelation on
the national airwaves
WAGES
Approx average gross
weekly earnings
Public
Service
Area
Civil
Service
€950
€900
Health
€900
€850
Education
€1020
€960
€950
€1000
Commercial
Semi State
4
Q3
Q3
2009 2013
Source: IPA Public Sector Trends 2014
Percentage of all public
servants as percentage of
total employment (Ireland
ranks 10th in the EU)
288,000
‘On Camden Street, Harcourt
Street, South Great George’s
Street, Smock Alley and
Temple Bar, there were no
bells from the church, no
urban foxes and no first
snowflakes, just the sound of
music in the distance and rats
skittering across the sodden
blankets and beds of needles’
Taoiseach Enda Kenny following
a walk through Dublin to assess
the homelessness crisis
Number of public servants in
2014 – down 10% since 2008
Workplace Relations Bill
nal Employment
sion and the Natio
If enacted, the
Rights Authority.
What is it?
Bill will bring
orkplace Relations
lations Bill, if
W
Re
ce
la
kp
or
W
e
Th
r the remit of a
l such bodies unde
ndamental
al
fu
a
be
ll
wi
d,
te
enac
Workplace
single entity – the
ructuring of the
overhaul and rest
ion (WRC). The
iss
m
m
Relations Co
landscape.
w
la
t
en
m
oy
pl
Irish em
duce a statutory
Bill will also intro
.
Why is it topical?
mediation service
ll be
wi
ll
Bi
e
t will be reconfigth
ur
at
Co
th
The Labour
It is anticipated
ide a point of
15.
ured and will prov
enacted during 20
urt allowing
duce?
al, with the High Co
What changes will it intro ntext, appe
of law only.
appeals on points
e co
th
on
g
in
nd
pe
de
vil Service Concili
Currently,
Changes to the Ci
nt avre
ffe
di
0)
95
of
r
(1
e
be
m
m
n Sche
there are a nu
ation and Arbitratio
an employment
e WRC used as
th
e
se
ly
enues along which
will probab
r
fo
,
ng
di
clu
in
d,
rral mechanism
issue can procee
the third party refe
s
al
pe
Ap
t
en
m
oy
ses.
example, the Empl
in Civil Service ca
tions Commisla
Re
ur
bo
La
,
al
Tribun
Pictures: William Murphy (CC BY-SA 2.0); net_efekt (CC BY 2.0); European Parliament (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
January/February 2015 Review
Combined Services
Third World Fund
Since it was founded in 1980, the Combined Services Third World
Fund has spent more than €8 million on development projects and
emergency aid grants throughout the developing world.
The CSTWF is able to do this because of the generous contributions
made by employees and pensioners of the Civil Service, An Post,
eircom and other State agencies.
Contributions are deducted at source from salary/pension at a
rate of either 0.1% or 0.2% of basic pay – your choice – working
out at one cent or two cents for every €10 of pay/pension.
Makes a lot of sense
for just a few cents...
FIND OUT MORE AT:
TEL: 00 353 1 4082473/75 EMAIL: [email protected] WEB: www.cstwf.ie
Review January/February 2015
Picture: John Martinez Pavliga (CC BY 2.0)
5
The high price
COVER STORY
ACCOrDIng to TASC,
Ireland is a low tax country. But according to
IBEC, we are not. Then
again, the nErI Institute
says we are. Some claim
that lower taxes are esANALYSIS
sential to reviving Irish
By Seán Carabini
[email protected]
prosperity. Others say
that we cannot be prosperous without raising
them. So where does the truth lie? Is Ireland
really a high tax country?
International comparison
In order to answer this question, we need
a comparison. I’ve decided to focus on three
European countries that are similar to Ireland in either geographic size or population.
Specifically, I have chosen three such countries that rank higher than Ireland’s 2014/15
World Economic Forum global Competitiveness ranking of 25th place. They are Denmark (13th), the netherlands (8th) and
Finland (4th).
In 2012, the average Irish person paid
€16972.11 in tax1. This compares to
€34876.09 in Denmark, €22945.89 in the
netherlands and €26019.92 (Finland). This
throws up an immediate observation: Ireland, by comparison, is not a high tax country. Why, then, does Ireland feel like a high
tax country?
What do my taxes pay for?
Ireland is having two separate conversations at the same time about the public purse.
One conversation concerns the level of taxation and when – not if – it needs to be lowered. The second conversation is about the
provision of public services, including healthcare, education, etc. They are, however, parts
of the same conversation.
By way of example, in early January, members of both the labour party and Fine gael
called for lower taxes. however, at no stage
were they asked what public service would be
defunded to pay for the cut. As a public service union, we have a particular interest in
6
knowing the answer to this question.
What is it that Ireland thinks it knows
about tax cuts that other, arguably more financially successful countries, do not seem
to have considered? In short, what do they
get for their taxes that we do not?
Healthcare
Education
While there are many examples on which
I could focus, one struck me as being particularly expensive. Some 79% of parents with
children in third level education in Ireland
are providing financial support. The average
cost of the support is €428 per month5.
As a proportion of its education budget,
Ireland spends just 12.7% on grants and
loans to third level students. This compares
with 14.7% in Finland, 28.4% in Denmark
and 28.9% in the netherlands.
Ireland has the highest level of privately
funded healthcare in the EU. Some 30% of
healthcare funding comes from either private
health insurance (PhI) or from paying directly2. And it’s not cheap either.
According to the health Insurance Author- A false economy?
ity, for households with insurance, the averThere are other examples of Ireland spendage cost is €2105 per annum. Some 40% of ing less as a country and leaving the burden
Irish people have PhI. This compares with to fall on struggling citizens. In Ireland, there
22% in Finland, 15% in Denmark and a mere is a very high cost to being a low tax country.
11% in the netherlands.
In other countries, taxpayers (including comBut how well do their publically-funded panies and workers) pay a bit more – but
hospital systems really run? According to the then, they get more in return. And, it seems,
Euro health Consumer Index 2013 ranking, they are regarded as being among the world’s
the Finns have the 10th best system in the most competitive countries in which to do
world, the Danes the 4th and the
business.
Dutch the 1st.
It’s time for a mature, reflective
The Euro health Consumer
conversation about the taxes we
We are calling
Index asked an interesting on people to start pay in this country and the
question: Is Ireland’s high depublic services they fund.
imagining the
pendency on insurance really
Would you be willing to pay a
Ireland they want
just another form of taxation?
little more from your payto live in & how to
packet if you knew you wouldget there...
Childcare
n’t have to pay for health
it’s time for a
Ireland is not a cheap place for
insurance?
conversation
childcare. On one hand, there is
Would you consider it a good
pressure on families for both parents to
idea to impose an additional levy on
have a career. And yet there is no real at- employers if it meant that your childcare
tempt to provide the financial support that is would be subsidised (knowing too that the
needed to ensure that it is possible.
labour market would also be strengthened)?
For those who have children in childcare in
The reason that people think it important
Ireland, the average monthly cost is €680 per to lower taxes is that many of us need the
child3. This compares with a rate of €275 in money in our pockets to pay for the things
Denmark (subsidised), between €0 and €225 that other countries pay for from the public
in Finland (subsidised), and no cost in the purse. But this is a false economy.
netherlands4. The netherlands has found a
Many politicians have spoken recently
particularly interesting solution to the prob- about the hope that Ireland has left the
lem of ensuring families are supported to en- boom-to-bust cycle. Things will be on more
sure maximum workforce availability: they of an even keel from now on. It would be an
have a childcare levy on employers.
idea, therefore, to ensure that we can all live
“
January/February 2015 Review
of low taxes
COVER STORY
on an even keel, rather than going bust when
we feel we have to take out expensive health
insurance, when we have to pay horrendously expensive childcare bills and when we
are faced with the crippling costs of education for our children. To be clear, the PSEU
isn’t calling for higher taxes. But we are callReview January/February 2015
ing on people to start imagining the Ireland
they want to live in and how to get there
rather than simply trying to afford the Ireland that’s there today. It’s time for a conversation.
Go to ReviewFacts page 8
R
Picture: efile.com (CC BY 2.0)
OECD (in US dollars, converted at rate of €1=€0.778)
OECD
Key Data on Early Childhood Education
4
Key Data on Early Childhood Education
5
Irish League of Credit Unions
1
2
3
7
Average Monthly
Childcare Fee (2012/3)
Ireland
Netherlands
€680
Denmark
€0-€225
€0
Finland
79%
€275
56%
ReviewFacts
Percentage of people in Ireland
with health insurance who
believe it is a necessity
Govt
spending
as % of
GDP (2013)
34.8%
Ireland
44.5%
Netherlands
55.4%
Finland
55.9%
Denmark
Percentage of parents supporting their children financially through college,
contributing €428 per month per child to cover costs of college
8
€
% GDP
spent
on primary
education
% education
spend as
grants/loans
to 3rd level
student
Patent
applications
per 10,000
population
Ireland
0.1%
12.7%
0.97
Netherlands
0.41%
28.9%
2.17
Finland
0.4%
14.7%
2.83
Denmark
1.01%
28.4%
2.28
Ability to address
social inequality
Ireland
Households
(with children)
at risk of
poverty
or social
exclusion
32%
Netherlands
14.3%
Denmark
13.1%
Pictures: Province of British Colombia (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0); Nottingham Trent University (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
January/February 2015 Review
NEWS IN BRIEF
Picture: Photocall Ireland
Picture: Labour Party (CC BY 2.0)
International
COMMENTS Brendan Howlin
Howlin’s intention
to hold pay talks
MInIsTer for Public expenditure and
reform Brendan Howlin has commented that he intends beginning a
series of pay talks after Q1 2015.
responding to criticism of his previous statements on the inevitability
of pay talks, he said: “It would be
naive to think that the public sector
unions – when reading about surveys which suggest that between
50pc to 70pc of private sector workers will enjoy pay rises this year –
will not respond with a request for
increased pay.”
offering a clariﬁcation to his critics, the Minister noted that “pay cuts
are not a norm, its legality is predicated on there being an emergency
in the state's ﬁnances”.
He continued: “nor is it sufﬁcient
for myself or any other government
minister to determine arbitrarily that
an emergency exists.”
This is good news for public servants that have been subject to the
drastic cuts imposed by the FeMPI
legislation and, indeed, for the wider
public as it signals both a change for
the better in the Irish economy and a
willingness to reinvest in the public
services on which every citizen relies.
Mr Howlin added:“There is no bonanza in store for public service
workers. But nor should they be excluded from the general improvements in remuneration in the wider
economy. Perhaps it is because we
have gone through seven years of
economic hell that we have forgotten
that pay increases are part of a normal, functioning economy.”
Mounties court bid
affirms union rights
CANADA The Canadian
Supreme Court affirmed the
constitutional right of all workers in Canada to join a union of
their own choosing and to engage in collective bargaining
following a challenge brought
by the Mounted Police against
the Canadian government.
HANDOVER Outgoing ICTU General
Secretary David Begg with General
Secretary Designate Patricia King
Picture: Evan Goldenberg (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Patricia King named as ICTU
General Secretary Designate
ThE Irish Congress of Trade
Unions has announced that
Patricia King is to succeed
outgoing general Secretary
David Begg when he steps
down in March.
Patricia King will be the first
woman to succeed to the post
of general Secretary in the 121
year-history of Congress.
general Secretary David
Begg welcomed the news and
said Congress was “very fortunate to have someone of such
calibre and wide experience” to
lead the movement. Ms King,
clearly outlining the themes
that will guide her tenure at the
helm of ICTU, said: “Every
worker is entitled to enjoy fair
pay and decent conditions; all
workers should be entitled to
negotiate collectively with their
employer without fear and
every worker is entitled to be
treated with respect.”
Patricia King currently holds
the Vice-Presidencies of both
SIPTU and Congress. She has
worked as a full-time official
with SIPTU for over 25 years.
Congratulations to the following members
COMPETITION WINNERS who
won copies of 1916 by Fran O’Brien:
Review January/February 2015
Mr Morrogh MacMahon
Dept of Health
Ms Mary Hoskins
Revenue Commissioners
Ms Jean Kirwan
Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation
Ms Paula Kelly
Agriculture, Food & Marine
Ms Ann C. Herrity
Revenue Commissioners
More information about Fran’s work can be found at www.franobrien.net.
All profits from Fran’s writing go directly to the LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.
China rachets up
anti-union drive
CHINA AccorDIng to union
activists, the chinese authorities
have increased intimidation tactics
against organised labour as
economic growth begins to slow.
The number of strikes doubled in
2014 to over 1,300, with April, for
example, seeing the biggest strike in
decades as 40,000 employees from
Adidas and nike supplier Yue Yuen
taking to the picket line.
Activists reportedly faced repeated
police questioning. They have also
been labelled as ‘politically problematic’, which can, for example, lead to
problems ﬁnding a landlord.
Court victory for
unionised workers
KENYA A January strike saw
some 7,000 employees take to
the streets in protest against
the dismissal of 120 unionised
textile workers at Ashton Apparel. In a subsequent case, a
Kenyan Court ruled in favour
of the workers and ordered the
employer to reinstate the workers immediately.
9
Secret deals that
future of public
GUEST COLUMN
Secrecy and attack
on democracy
TrADE negotiators from major
developed and developing countries will come together in geneva
this February with the objective of
opening up the global services
ANALYSIS
By Jan Willem Goudriaan market. It will be a secret meeting
EPSU General Secretary of a thus-far secretive cabal – these
talks are not meant to be a subject of public scrutiny.
Behind closed doors, and with documents the public and most parliamentarians do not get to see, it was
supposed to move silently and quietly get the approval
of parliaments. But documents leaked by Julian
Assange’s Wikileaks as well as research carried out by
Public Service International (PSI), the global public
service unions federation, have revealed what is at
stake: the future of public services as we know it.
Democracy is threatened, not only by the complete
lack of public debate and parliamentary scrutinity, but
also by the contents of the agreement.
One important aspect of the possible agreement
concerns regulation. The whole purpose of the global
agreement is to limit the ability of governments at all
levels (including at local level) to regulate and/or to
remove regulations as these can be considered a
hindrance to trade and investment.
Examples include land zoning regulations, opening
hours for shops and prohibiting internet gambling. It
could easily be extented to new health and safety
regulations, to environmental norms and licensing,
patient safety and consumer protection.
The US multinational Covanta wants to build an
incinerator in Dublin. It is a controversial project
with potential issues around noise, pollution and traffic of waste trucks. TISA would make it more difficult
for Dublin Council to impose new restrictions – even
if disgruntled local communities would demand so.
Deregulation and private
corporate interests for ever?
What the secretive governments have agreed to
consider is to match the deregulation and opening-up
of services in their countries to match what has
happened in other countries. Turkey, for example, has
committed to opening hospital and medical services.
Panama, another party in TISA, has committed to
open up its primary and secondary education. The EU
10
TIsA – Trade in services
Agreement – has been
negotiated by a group of
countries that call themselves the “really good
Friends of services”.
These countries include
the european Union (and
thus Ireland), the Us,
Japan, canada, colombia, chile, Mexico, Australia, south Korea and
Turkey among others.
china and Uruguay have
requested to join. These
countries present 70% of
global trade in services.
negotiations have been
going on for over two
years since they started
in early 2013. Ten bargaining rounds have
taken place and the next
one is scheduled for 913 February 2015. The
aim of TIsA is to open
services up for more
competition.
ePsU is the european
Federation of Public
services, bringing together over 260 trade
unions in all european
countries with a membership totalling of
8 million workers. ePsU
is a member of the eTUc,
the european Trade
Union confederation.
PsI, Public services International, is the global
trade union federation
for workers in public
services. It has close to
20 million members in
650 unions across the
globe. ePsU is the recognised european organisation of PsI.
and Ireland would, therefore, have to match this.
Environmental services (think of waste and energy) is
also one of the sectors under consideration. But what
these negotiations also seek is to ensure that a
government cannot return a service, once privatised,
to the public sector.
Take again the Dublin Poolberg incinerator contract
(a public-private partnership). It has already been the
subject of considerable contraversy due to different
interpretations of the figures involved. Imagine that
the company wants to walk away if it does not believe
it will make the profits it originally foresaw? (The
private company Circle, for example, has just announced it is no longer interested in running the UK
hospital hinchingbrooke as the profits are not as
projected). But under TISA, the government is disallowed from bringing it back into public ownership.
Interests behind TISA
You probably did not ask for this agreement. Who,
then, is pushing TISA? In short, it is being pushed by
large service industries from the US, Europe,
Australia and others. These lobby groups include
companies like google, Walmart and Deutsche Bank.
The Irish Business and Employers Confederation
(IBEC) is an active member of the European Services
Forum. They want this deal that promises them larger
market shares while also holding out the prospect of
dealing government a blow by moving rules and
regulations to a global level in such a way that local
and national governments can no longer restrict,
curtail and control. It also points to the prospect of
societies run without publicly-owned and controlled
services.
As the Chair of the US Coalition in Services Samuel
Di Piazza stated, the future is one where “free market
priniciples can govern the investment in, and delivery
of, services on a transnational scale”.
The lesson the bankers have learned from the
global financial crisis is that they can get away by running the system into the ground and get taxpayers’
money to bail them out.
What is being done?
What can we do?
The TISA agreement is part of a series of trade
agreements currently under negotiation. Together
they have the potential to severely limit the ability of
January/February 2015 Review
Just the TTIP of
threaten the
iceberg...
services
GUEST COLUMN
VIEWPOINT
By Seán Carabini
Picture: Dennis Skley (CC BY-ND 2.0)
[email protected]
THE Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations top the list of “things we should be talking about – but aren’t”.
The TTIP talks are attempting to forge an economic agreement between the EU and the US in order to make trade and investment
easier between the two areas. On the face of it, it sounds bland
enough. But dig a little deeper and you’ll ﬁnd plenty of issues that
raise questions.
First of all, much of the talks have been held in secret. We simply
do not know enough about what is going on. Thus, it is not at all
clear what areas are under consideration. Last year, the UK Trade
Minister, Lord Livingston, admitted that items such as the privatisation of the NHS in the UK were on the table. If this is the case, what
could it mean for other public services and utilities across the EU?
As a public service trade union, we have obvious concerns.
Although it has not made headlines, there is a vocal opposition
to TTIP across both the EU and US. One of the main issues is the potential formation of a judicial arm of the agreement that would
allow for an Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). This could
allow a corporation to sue a State that introduced a law that could
harm real or perceived company proﬁts. While the ISDS is intended
as a mechanism to keep dispute costs down, a cautionary tale has
emerged from Australia that has caused some disquiet.
Basic principles
national governments and municipalities to govern
democratically. CETA (a deal between Canada and
EU), TTIP (between the US and EU) and TPP (a deal
involving the countries of the Pacific ocean) all seek
the reduction of governments’ regulatory capacities in
order to better protect companies’ investments. Together, these negotiations are a fundamental attack on
public services and democracy. And yet, they are
hardly noticed.
Trade unions and social movements are mobilising to draw the awareness of workers and citiTogether these
zens to what is at stake. norwegian PSI
trade agreements
unions have established an action committee
have the potential
to fight TISA and such groups are emerging
to severely limit
in more countries. In Ireland, Congress has
governments’ ability
been vocal in its criticism of TTIP.
to govern
Our global federation, PSI, has published
democratically
several briefings and mobilised active resistance globally. EPSU is part of several networks
in Europe that closely monitor the negotiations,
expose who is behind it and seek to convince MEPs,
the European Commission and governments that
these agreements should be stopped as they do not
strengthen workers’ rights, democracy, improve the
quality of public services or bring social justice closer.
These are the values that we fight for – not a world
run by corporations.
“
R
Review January/February 2015
An Australian Government plan to remove branding from tobacco product packages resulted in a big ISDS challenge from
Philip Morris. Opening the policy decisions of a State up to corporate scrutiny has the potential to cost taxpayers a lot of money and
could undermine the basic principles of a democratic society.
TTIP would make it easier for corporations to operate in both the
US and EU spheres simultaneously. Thus, TTIP seeks to ﬁnd barriers
to EU/US corporate activity and remove them. On the table, it
seems, is a relaxing of international banking regulations. This is
particularly worrying given the international agreements reached
in recent years to address the problem of reckless banking activity
and the severe ﬁnancial crisis it caused to people on both sides of
the Atlantic.
In a submission to the European Parliament on the subject of
TTIP, ICTU noted with concern that “TTIP is a manifestation of an aggressive neo-liberalism aimed at so circumscribing the policy space
for governments that politics will be separated from economics
such that it will not matter what kind of government is elected.”
TTIP has not captured the public imagination because it appears
to be far removed from the day to day lives of the average citizen.
However, it is now time to pay a bit more attention to it given that it
has the possibility to undermine both public services themselves
and the ability of citizens to be the ultimate decision makers in a
democracy.
R
Picture: McKay Savage (CC BY 2.0)
11
OPEN LETTER
Addressed to: Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe
Dear Governor McAuliffe,
I am writing on behalf of the 10,500 members of the Public
Service Executive Union in Ireland.
As public servants our members would not seek nor expect to be
allowed to deny public services to people because of their sexual
orientation. To do so would to our mind be direct and unjustified
discrimination against fellow citizens for no good reason.
You will not be surprised to hear, therefore, that we are astounded
to learn that Virginia's legislative assembly is considering adopting
legislation that would make it legal to deny service to lesbian, gay,
and bisexual people. I understand that doctors, teachers, and so
many others could refuse to treat and teach people just because
of who they love.
I urge you to use your good offices to ensure that no such legislation
is put on your statute books.
The cause of freedom and liberty, so much espoused by US citizens,
cannot be served by enacting such blatantly discriminatory laws.
Yours sincerely,
Billy Hannigan
Deputy General Secretary
LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS Governor Terry McAuliffe
Picture: Edward Kimmel (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Arthur McLean Solicitors
approved to provide legal services to PSEU members
We oﬀer special agreed fees for PSEU
members and a free wills service
We can assist with a full range of
legal services, including:
• Wills
• Property
• Family law
• Litigation
12
Address 31 Parliament Street, Dublin 2
Telephone 01 6772519 Email [email protected]
Web www.arthurmclean.ie
January/February 2015 Review
The Protected Disclosures Act 2014
sets out how to deal with situations
where an employee decides voluntarily
to make a ‘protected disclosure’ about
‘relevant wrongdoing’
ReviewFacts
Whistleblowing
?
An introduction to the 2014 Act
A ‘worker’ is defined as
being an employee,
contractor, agency staff,
temporary and former
employees
?
The information on the
‘relevant wrongdoing’
must have come to the
attention of the worker
in connection with their
employment
?
Workers are
‘protected’ when they
make a ‘disclosure’ about
a relevant wrongdoing
in accordance with the
legislation
‘When workers make a disclosure
they benefit from a presumption of
confidentiality and protection.
Where an employee is threatened
with dismissal on foot of having
made a ‘protected disclosure’ a
new form of protection in the
form of ‘interim relief’ is available
to prevent an unfair dismissal from
going ahead’
ICTU Guide on Drafting a Whistleblowing Policy
Picture: Andrew Craigie (CC BY 2.0)
Review January/February 2015
Continued pages 14 & 15
13
Whistleblowing
An introduction to the 2014 Act
Protected space to expose wrongdoing
THE Protected Disclosures Act 2014,
commonly referred to as the ‘Whistleblowing Act’, is legislation introduced in
an attempt to bring greater transparency to the state.
It allows any ‘worker’ that has come
across information showing ‘relevant
wrongdoing’ to report it in a manner
that allows them protection from retribution or punishment.
This is not an exhaustive ‘how to’
guide. It is, rather, an introduction to the
concept.
The legislation encourages internal
disclosures in the first instance. Where
this may not be appropriate, there are
alternative channels, including a list of
‘prescribed persons’ as designated by
the Minister for Public Expenditure and
Reform.
It is also possible in some circumstances to disclose information to parties beyond this – but careful reading of
the act and/or appropriate consultation
is required in such cases, as such disclosures may carry unforeseen conse-
quences in some cases.
Whistleblowing protection is a welcome innovation. It creates a protected
space in which wrongdoing can be exposed and ceased. All Government Departments should soon have an internal
whistleblowing charter/guideline.
The Labour Relations Commission is
also preparing a guideline for places of
employment.
For PSEU members involved in drafting such charters, please note that ICTU
has recently published a document online entitled Drafting a Whistleblowing
Policy.
What is a ‘relevant wrongdoing’?
For the worker to be afforded the protection of the Act, the relevant wrongdoing(s) about which they are making a
disclosure must refer to the types of
such outlined in section 5 of the Act.
They are:
l offences that are or are likely to be
committed;
l miscarriage of justice;
l failing to comply with legal
obligations;
l health and safety risks, including
risks to the public as well as other
workers;
l damage to the environment;
l the unauthorised use of public
funds or resources;
l oppressive discriminatory or
grossly negligent action or inaction
by a public body; and
l information showing any matter
falling into categories above may
be destroyed.
Advice and protected disclosure
The Act notes that discussing the
matter with a solicitor, barrister or fulltime trade union official about the operation of the Act in relation to a potential
disclosure is in itself a protected disclosure and is, therefore, allowed. There
are also other parties, such as Transparency International Ireland, that offer
advice on making a Protected Disclosure.
R
Picture: EFF (CC BY 2.0)
14
January/February 2015 Review
ReviewFacts
How to make a protected disclosure
STEP
1
Identify the responsible person and report internally.
All Departments will have an internal policy on
whistleblowing and will show the internal steps to
take. If not, refer to LRC guidelines
STEP
2
CONSIDERATIONS:
Am I a ‘worker’ as
ct?
understood by the A
Does it show
wrongdoing?
onable
Would another reas
person agree?
I wish
Did the information
e
to report come to m
y
in connection with m
employment?
re and
Am I sure about whe
e the
how I want to mak
disclosure?
In some cases, you may judge it more
appropriate to disclose to a ‘prescribed
person’. Refer to the list of such as
designated by the Minister for Public
Expenditure and Reform
STEP
3
If there is a belief that evidence may
be destroyed or if you believe you
will be penalised by an employer,
it is possible to report to others
(including TDs, the Media etc) – but
use of this facility will only be in
exceptional cases. Consult and
research before using this provision
IMPORT
AN
vital tha T NOTE: It is
t you in
yourse
f
lf of the orm
cor
proced
ures be rect
for
h an d –
especia elly if
choosin
g Step
3 – to
ensure
t
h
a
t your
disclos
ure is,
in
protect deed,
ed
More information: www.ictu.ie and www.transparency.ie
Review January/February 2015
15
PAY NEWS
Pensions issue
resolved after talks
UPDATE Pensionability of abolished allowances
In 2012, the government announced
the review of some
allowances in the Public
Service. This gave rise
to a number of labour
Court hearings.
One issue that the
COMMENT
Court referred back to
By Tom Geraghty
[email protected]
the parties for further
discussion was that of the pensionability of
allowances abolished prior to the retirement of the recipient.
This issue has now been resolved in
discussions between the Public Services
Committee of ICTU and the Department of
Public Expenditure and reform.
Employees who would have had an
expectation of the pensionability of an
allowance and who lose it between 10 and
15 years before retirement will, at retirement, receive a payment of 1.5 times the
pension foregone plus an amount equivalent to the portion of the retirement lump
sum which the allowance would have generated and 1.5 times the survivors benefit
foregone. Those within seven years of
retirement will continue to be covered by
the ‘three of the best of the last 10 years’
average to be used to calculate their
retirement benefits, if the years chosen
include the allowance.
Those with partial cover under that
formula, i.e., those within between seven
and 10 years of retirement, will have the
option of this formula or that which will
apply to those within 10-15 years of retirement, whichever is more favourable.
R
Sick leave ‘look back’
WITH the application of new sick Leave
Arrangements from the start of 2014, an
anomalous situation was identiﬁed whereby
staff with certain current illnesses could qualify for the critical Illness Protocol but staff
who, for example, had similar illnesses in
2010-2013 were treated for ‘look back’ purposes in accordance with the new arrangements only.
An obvious difﬁculty is the reluctance of
doctors to certify an illness retrospectively as
‘critical’.
In discussions between the Public services
committee of IcTU and the Department of
Public expenditure and reform, the matter has
been resolved on the basis of an undertaking
by that Department to remind managements
across the Public service of their discretion to
regard prior illness as qualifying for the critical Illness Protocol (cIP).
It is worth reminding people that anybody
to whom the cIP applies has paid sick leave
entitlements that are double those of non-critical sick leave.
When was it
abolished?
Between
Between
Within 7 years
of retirement 10 & 15 years of 7 & 10 years of
retirement date retirement date
date
When will
I receive my
pension?
Lump sum: 1.5 times
pension foregone +
amount foregone from
lump sum + 1.5 times
survivors benefit
foregone
Best 3 in 10
years
OUT & ABOUT
Best of other
two options
Picture: Ken Teegardin (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Transport,Tourism & Sport AGM
Dublin, January 2015
16
January/February 2015 Review
DSP NOTES
Sense of proportion
missing in report
RACIST ABUSE CLAIMS Article based on 35 allegations... DSP make 1.5 million payments a week
PrEPArIng an annual
MEDIA PRIORITIES Massive contribution
report provides an opmade by DSP staff is unlikely to
portunity for a branch
make the headlines
committee to look back
on a year’s activity. In
doing that this week, I
note that at the beginCOMMENT
By Theresa Barrett ning of 2014 members
[email protected]
of our branch made
newspaper headlines because of the number of physical and verbal assaults to
which they were subjected.
Unfortunately, as Review goes to print,
staff in the Department of Social Protection are in the news again – only this time
because of allegations of racist abuse perpetrated by a number of members of staff
against some of our migrant customers.
A report, based on a mere 35 cases, has
been published. As the Department
makes approximately 1.5 million
payments weekly and engages
Achievements of
with a huge number of cusSocial Protection
tomers face to face each
spurious allegations against
staff... should
week, some small element of
members of staff are being
be shouted from
dissatisfaction with the
taken in cases where a Social
the proverbial
service provided would of
Protection benefit is justifirooftops
course be expected.
ably denied.
everywhere
Indeed, the Let’s Root Out
Indeed, many complaints
Racism report commissioned by
made against staff are found to
this union provided an indication
be malicious – but they are often so
that many members had overheard their
serious that they have a huge impact on
colleagues making racist remarks about
the officers concerned.
customers.
PSEU Deputy general Secretary Billy
racist remarks and racist prejudices
hannigan wrote to the Irish Times conhave no place anywhere and particularly
cerning the recent media reports as he
not in the public service and we would
sought to offer some balance to the issue as
never condone such behaviour.
it was being reported, but the letter wasn’t
however, these incidents of alleged
published (It is, however, available to read
racist abuse were never reported to the De- on the PSEU blog).
partment either at the time or since. The
As referred to in previous editions of ReDepartment has a complaints procedure. It view, the Department of Social Protection
also values highly the concept of natural
has now published a Culture and Values
justice.
Report. The report stemmed in part from
Those officers of the Department were
the opinions of the staff of the Department
never afforded the opportunity to give
and had a remarkable participation rate of
their side of the story.
60%.
Questions have begin to form in the
The report is very much welcomed by
minds of some members as to whether
the PSEU and we believe it provides a very
“
Review January/February 2015
Picture: Jon S (CC BY 2.0)
honest look at the Department. It is to the
credit of the staff of the Department that
many of them selected ‘Public Service’,
‘Customer Focus’ and ‘Professionalism’ as
their core values.
The report contains much that the Department needs to work on and we will do
our bit. We will continue to promote and
participate in the Engagement and Innovation initiative.
At a meeting with the Secretary general
concerning the report, we noted the
achievements of Social Protection staff in
what was the worst crisis possible thrown
at a government Department – and this at
a time when Department had undergone
enormous change.
This is indeed remarkable and should be
shouted about from proverbial rooftops
everywhere – albeit it is probably never
likely to make headline news anywhere.
As the reporter in The Man Who Shot
Liberty Valance said: “This is the West,
sir. When the legend becomes fact, print
the legend”.
R
17
BRANCH NEWS
Revenue Notes
Cork aircon project
set to commence
Picture: Bamshad Houshyan (CC BY 2.0)
ThE BUIlDIng Management
in revenue house, Cork, have
confirmed that the air-conditioning project is due to start
on January 26.
They have said that each
floor will be split into four
zones and the work in each
zone will take approximately
four to six weeks to complete.
OPW have also indicated that
the project will be completed
by April 2016.
The timeline for the project
and the decanting of each zone
still has to be finalised but the
first area to move will be the
ground floor, i.e. Cash Office,
CSU, Intel Unit and Trade Facilitation.
The next proposed area is the
second floor but the order in
which the four zones will be
completed has yet to be finalised. Prior to each move the
building management team
will meet with managers in the
area so as to highlight any issues or special requirements
required to ensure the move to
the decant area will run
smoothly.
There will be regular updates
issued on the work. The Build-
18
FASTFACTS
Picture: SuperFantastic (CC BY 2.0)
In 2014, the Revenue Commissioners seized €120.6m worth
of illegal drugs and tobacco products.
Source: Revenue
ing Management are aware
that there will be considerable
disruption to staff during the
course of the project. If members working in revenue
house have any issues or complaints to raise about the ongoing work they should contact:
SWRegion-SupportServices
@revenue.ie
Overpayments still
a significant issue
AT A recent meeting with management it was noted that there still
remain a high number of overpayments. These overpayments were
caused by the system not being able
to identify staff sick leave taken.
When it is identiﬁed, staff have already been over-paid. This is the De-
partmental Personnel ofﬁcers and
PeoplePoint’s top priority. As part of
the service agreement, it is PeoplePoint’s decision to put people on half
pay.
There have been changes to PeoplePoint and the new sick Leave circular which has contributed to the
fact that overpayments were noticed
late. A special group has now been
set up to look at this issue. some
30% of the overpayments relate to
sick leave and 60% between Parental
Leave and shorter Working year.
There are enhancements planned
for the system and once the improved system is in operation, it is
envisaged the overpayments problem will be eliminated altogether.
At the end of october 2014, there
were 533 cases of overpayments.
These new enhancements will enable senior managers to gauge the
sick leave levels of staff.
Promotion terms
review claim made
ThE revenue group has presented a claim to management
which seeks a review of the implementation of the terms of
the Arbitration Board’s determination of May 25, 2004 –
which dealt with the system of
promotion for the grades of Executive Officer, Administrative
Officer and higher Executive
Officer in the Office of the revenue Commissioners.
It is to rectify any residual
liabilities to the different methods of promotion determined
as appropriate by the Arbitration Board.
In 2004, the Arbitration
Board set out that 75% of
internal promotion should be
by means of competitive,
merit-based systems and that
25% should be by means of
seniority subject to suitability.
So far as the union is concerned these arrangements are
binding on both the Official
and Staff Sides unless varied or
changed by agreement. The
purpose of the claim is to
establish the extent to which
the terms of the Arbitration
Board’s determination have
been honoured.
Just one
click away
Paul Moyer
[email protected]
PSEU blog at
http://www.pseu.ie/branch-news/xxxx.286.html
PSEU on Twitter
@PseuTradeUnion
January/February 2015 Review
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Review January/February 2015
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19
19/11/2013 14:05
BRANCH NEWS
PLI Notes
Talks ongoing after
transition success
PrEMIEr lotteries Ireland
national lottery staff have now
transferred to Premier lotteries Ireland (PlI) following the
successful transition on
november 30, 2014.
The issue of final pensionable pay was resolved and an
lrC clarification issued on the
matter.
A letter has been issued to
An Post Pensions board seeking clarification of the pension
scheme in operation on the
date of transition.
There was a hearing at the
labour Court on October 29,
2014 to consider the payment
of compensation for loss of
semi-state status. A binding
recommendation rejected the
claim.
A number of issues have also
arisen relating to changes in
structures and responsibilities
due to reduced staffing levels
following voluntary exits, retirements and redeployments.
negotiations on these are
continuing with the next meeting scheduled for January 22,
2015. Changes to draw rotas
and attendance at rTE will impact on earnings of our members. The union have written to
PlI seeking a proposal to either maintain earnings or compensate for loss of these.
l The AgM is scheduled for
January 29, 2015.
FASTFACTS
Picture: Ken Teegardin (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Talks ongoing after
transition success
Surveys of business executives show that the quality
of Ireland’s public administration is seen as above the
European average, and as having improved since 2010.
Ireland came 3rd of the EU28 on this indicator in 2014,
behind Finland and Sweden.
Source: IPA
eircom Notes
Future of eircom
and pay discussed
The AgM of the eircom Branch took
place on January 14, 2015 in 1 HsQ.
At the AgM, shaun Davis was
elected chairperson, while Tony
Dowling was elected secretary and
Tom Moran as Treasurer.
Delegates to Annual conference
were also agreed and the incoming
committee was allowed to nominate
substitutions if any nominated delegates are unable to attend.
The small number nominated for
the committee is a source of concern
and any member interested in serving is asked to contact the branch
secretary.
The normal matters at the AgM
were followed with an open discussion, with the Ags, eugene Quinn,
and Branch ofﬁcers taking questions
An Post Notes
from the ﬂoor. The main items discussed related to the 2.5% pay increases agreed commencing July 1,
2015 and related bonus scheme of
0-3%. The future of the company,
state of its ﬁnances, pensions,
restructurings and staff redundancies were also discussed.
A detailed discussion also took
place with regard to the future of the
trade union movement with active
participation of the members present. All members were encouraged
to ask non-union colleagues to join
the union. It was also noted that
some new members were recruited
from eircom.net and the concerns of
these members will be addressed by
the incoming committee.
A rafﬂe was held at the end of the
meeting and the Treasurer provided
the lucky winners with cash, spirits,
wine and chocolates.
Eugene Quinn
[email protected]
ThE MyStreams attendance
recording system is currently
being implemented.
Centralisation of hr functions across divisions and hQ
is scheduled to take place. A
meeting was held to discuss the
impact and a number of issues
were raised. A report on these
will be given to the AgM.
An Post have written to the
Branch proposing a performance management system for
graded staff. The committee
are considering this and will
discuss this issue with members at the AgM.
A meeting on pension issues
for deferred pensioners, arising
out of changes to the scheme,
took place.
A response is awaited. Issues
relating to a small number of
PCI staff who are also affected
was included.
Meanwhile, an Arbitration
hearing under Tom Pomphrett
on the loss of car parking in
College house took place in
early november and a decision
is awaited.
Meetings between the branch
and a number of unions have
also taken place and gS Tom
geraghty has met with the officers on a number of occasions.
A pay relativity claim has
been submitted to the An Post
JCC scheduled for February 2,
2015.
l The AgM is scheduled for
February 5, 2015 in the gPO.
Protecting Public Services
Your Personal PPS Number: 01 6767271
20
January/February 2015 Review
EVENTS
The Rowland Hill Memorial Fund
€5k donation in honour
of ex-RCPSA treasurer
WORTHY CAUSE RCPSA President Frank Conway, far left, with Rowland Hill Memorial Fund Trustees
By Seán Carabini
An Post and eircom when they fall on hard
times financially.”
The rowland hill Memorial Fund was
established in 1888 in memory of rowland
hill – a public servant perhaps best remembered for introducing the ‘Penny Post’
system in 1839. The fund in Ireland dates
back to 1928. The Fund, administered
today by a board of Trustees, may grant
assistance to those who find themselves in
need because of poverty, age or infirmity.
Martin lawlor, former rCPSA treasurer,
was a leading figure in the rCPSA. The donation of €5000 in his name was endorsed
by the rCPSA’s AgM in 2014 as a fitting
tribute to his work.
The rowland Hill Fund is open to serving
members of An Post and eircom who wish to
contribute. contribution rates currently stand at
about €0.32 per week. For further information
and an application form, please contact your
Personnel Department.
The retired civil and Public servants Association
is a body that seeks to promote and publicise the
issues of retired civil and public servants. In
recent years, it has sought to give voice to numerous concerns, including the issue of public service
pensions. More information, including membership application information, can be found on
their website www.rcpsa.ie
[email protected]
On September 21, the retired Civil and
Public Servants Association (rCPSA) made
a presentation of €5000 to the rowland
hill Memorial Fund to honour the memory
of former rCPSA treasurer Martin lawlor,
who passed away last year.
The rowland hill Memorial Fund of
Ireland provides financial support to both
serving and former employees of both
eircom and An Post when it is needed.
Speaking at the event, Frank Conway,
President of the rCPSA, noted that the
fund “… does a tremendous amount of
charity work. It provides help for people in
Review January/February 2015
CHARITY WORK Frank Conway delivers speech
21
TRANSFERS & JOB SHARING
JF01
EO, Department of Environment,
Community and Local Government,
Newtown Road, seeks transfer to
Social Welfare to gain more
experience. Modern building, with
ﬂexi and car parking.
JF02
HEO, (Auditor, Ofﬁce of the Comptroller and Auditor General) seeks a
transfer to any Government Department/Ofﬁce in the Dublin West area
or Dublin city centre. Especially
interested in Revenue to broaden
experience. Must be a qualiﬁed
accountant, or currently studying
for an accountancy qualiﬁcation.
Flexi-time and parking available.
JF03
EO Courts Service Kilkenny seeks
head to head transfer to any
department in Tipperary. Flexi and
car parking available.
JF04
EO, full-time, Revenue Commissioners, Kilrush, Co. Clare seeks transfer
to any Government Department/
Ofﬁce in Ennis or Shannon. Flexi
time and car parking available.
JF05
AO (full-time) Revenue Commissioners, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2
seeks transfer to Government
Department in Westmeath/Roscommon/Offaly/east Galway (Athlone
area preferred) for commuting
reasons. Friendly ofﬁce, interesting
work and opportunity for good
policy experience. Flexi-time available.
JF06
EO, full-time, Dept of Social Protection, Goldsmith House, Dublin 2,
seeks transfer/head to head to any
Government Department in Co.
Louth for family and commuting
reasons. Flexi and free parking
available. Work sharing options
considered.
JF07
EO, full-time, Courts Service, Smith-
22
>> If you wish to advertise for a transfer, please email the
text you require published and your name and daytime
phone number or email address (which will remain
confidential) to [email protected]
>> Should you wish to reply to a transfer, please email
your name and daytime phone number, your current location
and any other relevant details which we will then forward
to the person who placed the ad. Please ensure that you
quote the number of the ad in your reply.
>> Advertisements for transfers will run in one edition of the
magazine only. Editorial discretion applies. If you do not secure
a transfer and want to run an ad in the next edition, please make
contact with Gillian O’Sullivan or email [email protected]
Job Sharing
Transfers
JF11
AO, Department of Public Expenditure & Reform seeks transfer to any
Government Department/Ofﬁce
ideally in the south / southeast or
Dublin region to broaden experience. Flexi-time and job-sharing
available. Interesting and varied
work.
JF12
HEO, Revenue Commissioners,
Dublin Castle seeks a head-to-head
transfer to the Dept. of Education
and Skills (Dublin) or the Dept. of
Children and Youth Affairs.
JF13
HEO, Full-time, Central Statistics
Ofﬁce, Rathmines Dublin 6 seeks
head to head transfer to Government Department/Ofﬁce in
Midlands region (Laois/Offaly/Kildare/Carlow) for family reasons.
Friendly ofﬁce atmosphere with interesting and challenging work.
Car park and Flexi-time available.
JF14
HEO, Full-time, Department of Education and Skills, Athlone seeks
head to head transfer to Government Department/Ofﬁce in Dublin
for family reasons. Friendly ofﬁce
and colleagues, ﬂexi-time, parking
and restaurant.
Picture: Jenny Faber (CC BY 2.0)
ﬁeld seeks head to head transfer to
Government Department in Dublin
City Centre. Located beside Luas
Red Line. Flexi-time, parking and
canteen available.
tice and Equality, St. Stephen's
Green, Dublin 2 seeks transfer to
any Government Department on
the north city side of Dublin. Flexitime and car parking available.
JF08
EO, Worksharer OPW Trim Co Meath
seeks transfer to Navan area for domestic reasons. Flexi and car parking available.
JF10
EO, full-time, Department of Social
Protection, Wexford town seeks
head to head transfer to any other
Government Department in
Wexford town including Probation
Service, Flexi-time and car-parking
available.
JF09
HEO, full-time, Department of Jus-
JF15
HEO, Full-time, Department of Arts,
Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin
City, seeks head-to-head transfer to
Government Department/Ofﬁce in
Kerry, Cork City or Cork County for
family reasons. Friendly ofﬁce atmosphere with interesting and
challenging work. The Department’s
ofﬁces are in close proximity to St.
Stephen’s Green, ﬂexi-time and free
car-parking available.
JF16
HEO, Full-time, Dept. Environment,
Ballina, Co. Mayo seeks transfer to
any Ofﬁce in Castlebar/Claremorris
for family and commuting reasons.
Flexi-time and car parking available.
January/February 2015 Review
JF17
EO, Full-time, Garda Vetting Unit
Ennis seeks transfer to any other
Dept. in Ennis to broaden experience. Flexi-time and parking
available.
JF18
EO, Revenue Commissioners, Customs Division, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary seeks a transfer to any
Government Ofﬁce in Thurles,
Clonmel or Kilkenny for commuting
reasons. Free car parking & ﬂexi
time available.
JF19
Full-Time EO/HR Analyst, DPER,
HRSSC, Clonskeagh, Dublin 4 Seeks
Transfer/Head to Head Swap to
Government Dept./Ofﬁce/Agency in
Dublin City Centre or South Dublin
to broaden professional experience.
Car parking and ﬂexi time available
and also close to Public Transport.
Very friendly ofﬁce.
JF20
EO, Department of Jobs Enterprise
and Innovation Dublin 2, seeks
transfer to any government Department in Dublin 15, Dublin 7,
Dublin 1 Dublin 8 Northside or
South East Meath for Commuting
reasons. Small friendly ofﬁce varied
and interesting work. Parking and
ﬂexi time available.
JF21
HEO (Auditor, Ofﬁce of the Comptroller and Auditor General) seeks a
transfer to any Government Department / Ofﬁce in Dublin City centre
or Dublin northside. Must be a
qualiﬁed accountant or currently
studying for an accountancy qualiﬁcation. Flexi-time and parking available.
JF22
EO, Full-time, Department of Public
Expenditure and Reform Tullamore
seeks transfer to any Government
Department in Mullingar for family
and commuting reasons. Job
sharing considered. Flexi-time and
Review January/February 2015
car parking available.
JF23
HEO, IT unit, Full-time, Dept of Education and Skills, Marlborough St,
Dublin 1, seeks lateraltransfer to IT
unit within any other Dublin based
Department. Central location,ﬂexitime and car parking available.
JF24
HEO, Killarney, seeks head to head
transfer to any Government Department in the Kerry Region.
JF25
EO, Property Registration Authority,
Dublin City Centre. Friendly Ofﬁce.
Wishes to transfer to Revenue,
Listowel, Co. Kerry from August
2015 for family reasons. Would
consider a work share position to
facilitate a transfer.
Fairness
Restoration
Growth
JF26
HEO, Revenue Wexford, seeks transfer to any other Department in
Wexford area. Parking available.
JF27
HEO, Full-time, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Merrion Street, Dublin 2, seeks transfer
to any Government Department or
Ofﬁce in counties Sligo, Mayo,
Roscommon, Leitrim or Longford for
personal reasons. City centre location. Flexi time available.
JF28
HEO, Loughrea, Co. Galway seeks
transfer to any Department in
Galway city for commuting reasons.
Friendly and interesting work
environment. Flexitime, canteen
and car parking available.
PSEU
Annual Delegate
Conference,
April 16-17, 2015
23
EQUALITY & SOLIDARITY
PSEU backs Paternity Leave
By Seán Carabini
[email protected]
ThE PSEU has welcomed a statement
from Equality Minister Aodhán Ó ríordáin
on the issue of the introduction of paid Paternity leave in Ireland.
Minister Ó ríordáin said: “Most European countries have statutory paternity
leave. We don’t. I think an introduction of
two weeks paid paternity leave would be
welcome.”
Paternity leave is being looked at as part
of the drafting of the Family leave Bill.
The Bill seeks to streamline and consolidate provisions including Carer’s leave,
Adoptive leave, Maternity leave and
Parental leave.
The drafting of the Bill is seen as an ideal
opportunity to introduce the concept of
Paternity leave into Irish law. At present,
the drafters are considering introducing a
two-week paid leave provision for fathers.
The cost to the Exchequer for the provision
of the leave is thought to be about €10m
per annum.
When asked about how confident he was
that the Bill, including the Paternity leave
provision, would pass, Minister Ó’ríordáin
replied: “I am as confident as I can be at
this stage that there will be two weeks paid
paternity leave in that legislation but there
is no definite in Irish politics.”
he added: “Things can change and priorities can change but I know that I’m
committed to it and I know that Minister
Fitzgerald is committed to it and as I say
it’s an important start to the conversation
about what we want from Irish society for
children for parents, for families.”
PSEU Equality
Officer Billy hannigan has welcomed the
announcement,
noting that the
union had long
called for the enactment of such a
provision.
he said: “Paid
Paternity leave is
COMMITTED Ó Ríordáin
an area in which
Ireland has lagged behind the rest of Europe.
The introduction of such a measure could
only be of benefit to society as a whole.”
Picture: Labour Youth (CC BY 2.0)
BABY BLUES While most other EU countries
have statutory Paternity Leave, Ireland doesn’t
SOLIDARITY NOTES By Eugene Quinn
>> Contributions are due from the
Branches for 2015. Members should urge
their Branch Committee to donate to this
vital cause. A circular outlining minimum
recommended contributions will issue.
24
[email protected]
>> The What in the World series 8 was
broadcast on rTE 1 in December 2014.
Viewing figures showed an increase on
the previous series. The union received
credits on one of the programmes for our
sponsorship.
Picture: European Parliament ((CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
>> Members are reminded that the link
to ICTU global Solidarity site is
www.ictu.ie/globalsolidarity
January/February 2015 Review
LIFESTYLE
What HIIT can
do for you
IN FOCUS High Intensity Interval Training
AT ThIS stage there is a significant amount of research that shows that the ideal form of exercise is
done in short bursts of high intensity (high Intensity Interval Training – or hIIT).
The argument is that it is better than conventional
cardio as the most effective and efficient form of exercise. Also, it provides health benefits you simply
cannot get from regular aerobics, including a
tremendous boost in human growth hormone
(hgh, aka the "fitness hormone”).
Studies
A study published in the Journal of Obesity1 reported that 12 weeks of hIIT can
not only result in significant
reductions in total abdominal, trunk, and visceral fat,
but also can give you significant increases in fatfree mass and aerobic
power. Other research
published in the journal
Cell Metabolism2 shows
that when healthy but in-
10 MIN
WALK
& DYNAMIC
STRETCHING
8 X 200m
or 8 X 30s
90 secs recovery
between reps
Once a
week for
first
4 weeks
Then
twice a
week
3 days between
sessions
active people exercise intensely, even if the exercise
is brief, it produces an immediate measurable
change in their DnA.
Yet another study found that unfit but otherwise
healthy middle-aged adults were able to improve
their insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation
after just two weeks of interval training (three sessions per week).3 A follow-up study found that interval training positively impacted insulin
sensitivity. In fact, the study involved people with
full-blown type 2 diabetes, and just OnE interval
training session was able to improve blood sugar
regulation for the next 24 hours!4
Method
The simplest way to undertake this form of exercise is to do a gentle 10-minute walk followed by
some dynamic stretching to get the muscles well
warmed-up. At this time of the year, it also crucial
to wear appropriate gear, including leggings, to
keep your legs warm and to avoid injury such as
hamstring tears. Thereafter, do 8 x 200 metres or 8
x 30 seconds with a 90-second interval or recovery
between each effort. Initially build this into your
training programme once a week for the first four
weeks. After that it can do it twice a week with three
days between such sessions.
By George Maybury
[email protected]
Journal of Obesity vol 2012 (April 6, 2012)
Cell Metabolism March 7, 2012: 15(3); 405-411
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Oct 2011
4
Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, 2012 Jan 23 [Epub ahead of print]
1
2
3
R
Review January/February 2015
Picture: lu_lu (CC BY-NC 2.0)
25
CONVERSATIONS
Taking stock
ICTU President David Begg
How did you become involved?
I became involved in 1975. I was a technician in the ESB. I showed up to a meeting
and there were lots of vacancies and no
candidates – so I can’t put it down to popular acclaim!
Having been involved in the merger of
two unions to form the CWU, do you
have any advice for unions that are
currently exploring closer cooperations – or even possible mergers – with
other unions?
In my experience the members are generally more in favour of it than those in governance. Members can see the appeal on
the ground. If a case can be made, it’s
worth exploring. It is important to note
that there is a need to satisfy members
that their service will not diminish however and that quality will be ensured. The
one place that we’ve tried a more integrated approach was in setting up the
KEY QUESTION
nevin Economic research Institute and
that’s been a huge success.
During your time at ICTU, Ireland has
experimented with – and left behind –
Social Partnership. What are your
thoughts on how it performed?
It is difficult to accept the media criticism
of Social Partnership because it did not
cause the crisis. We had a banking crisis –
not a fiscal crisis. It’s a load of nonsense.
In fact, at the start of the crisis, Ireland
had one of the best Debt to gDP ratios in
Europe – about 25%.
The idea of Social Partnership is fully
embedded to the economies of the nordic
countries and others. It goes back to the
1930s – a reaction to the depression. The
model is a way of dealing with international capitalism. It accepts that a small
country cannot have a dramatic impact on
markets and looked at a partnership or a
democratic corporatism model as the best
way to deal with it. We will be back to Social Partnership. We have no choice as a
small open economy.
Are you concerned at the drop in trade
union membership rates of younger
people?
history shows that people push back
against the market forces that enclose
them. We’re the only movement with a capacity for engaging with social justice. We
are unique in our ability to act in the marketplace.
Where will we be in the next 10 years?
It’s very hard to know. It’s in our own hands.
Have you considered your legacy?
I don’t think it’s important. The movement
is 200 years old. I see the trade union
movement being there in another 200
years. We’re all just actors on a stage. You
just do the best you can.
What are the challenges that face us?
Our debt will be a drag on economic
growth. It will impose restrictions on our
capacity to pay. On top of that, we have
high costs, such as childcare, etc.
We tend to equivocate the idea of a
social wage. We equivocate taxes and public services – or the idea that if we pool
more resources we can get a better deal.
There will also be a challenge from
moving to a low carbon economy. It
involves difficult choices. how do we tell
100,000 or more Polish coal miners that
their jobs are under threat?
There is a sense of ‘back to business as
usual’ – but what the financial crisis revealed is a global capitalist system that was
unstable. In Ireland, we have all the risks
with none of the protections.
Ireland will also face a problem of an
aging population. It creates difficulties
with the affordability of healthcare and
age-related illnesses, pension challenges
and so on. A contracting population will
be an issue.
26
Picture: Photocall Ireland
Ireland will also have challenges with the
EU. At the moment, with the EU, we’re like
the hen in a breakfast. We provide the egg.
Europe will likely face a choice of the Euro
breaking up or at the Eurozone becoming a
more integrated area.
If that happens, we move from becoming
the hen to being the pig. And it will happen
at a time when the UK – one of our most
important trading partners – is moving
further and further away from the EU. And
that will be a challenge for the island of
Ireland.
David Begg talked to Seán Carabini R
January/February 2015 Review
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
5
CROSSWORD
Tonox 01/15
SPONSORED BY
CALL US ON
1890 989 511
The winner of Tonox 06/14 is: Graham Halley, Dept Defence, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
A prize of €65 will be awarded to the ﬁrst correct solution opened.
Crossword entries for Tonox 01/15 should be addressed to:
The Editor, Public Service Review, 30 Merrion Square, Dublin 2
to arrive not later than Friday,13 March 2015
Name ……………………………………………………………………………………...
Across
1. Renovate or repair, or become
Dracula again (6)
4. Small Frenchman – scored in
1998 World Cup ﬁnal (5)
8. Fifty one, six, ﬁve hundred is
furiously angry (5)
9. Glass tube used to measure
or transfer liquid (7)
10. Scottish sailor - inspired Daniel Defoe (7)
11. Sing badly at Turf Moor (4)
12. Executive Ofﬁcers look for
the goddess of the dawn (3)
14. AKA Derek William Dick (4)
15. Leavened bread baked in a clay oven (4)
18. British federation of Trade Unions,
and biscuit (3)
21. A break in relations, and
Great African Valley (4)
23. Italian whey cheese (7)
25. German Art School and English Goth band (7)
26. Group enjoying superior
social or economic status (5)
27. Chief architect of the Third Reich (5)
28. The A in CAB (6)
Down
1. Derive pleasure from a sauce (6)
2. Vivienne gets the German store to Spring,
Summer, Autumn and Winter (7)
3. This before movies Cowboy and Run. (8)
4. 9 across gave the trainer a start (4)
5. Satellite of Saturn (5)
6. Get set on the double to ﬂy (3,3)
7. Location of Liverpool John Lennon airport (5)
13. This used to be 42.195 km (8)
16. Tap dancer and actor (1899-1987) (7)
17. Payments made to a person in a position of
trust to corrupt judgment (6)
19. David Cronenberg ﬁlm (1996) and
Paul Haggis ﬁlm (2004) (5)
20. Personal attendants slave about tea (6)
22. By any chance is this a parasitic ﬂatworm? (5)
24. Declan captained Tipp to
All-Ireland success (4)
SOLUTIONS Tonox 06/14
Across
1. Cocoon; 4. Dalek; 8. Apple; 9. Lithium; 10. Solomon; 11. Weld;
Work Address …………………………………………………………………………....
Union Branch …………………………………………………………………………....
12.Chi; 14. Dior; 15. Nips; 18. SAS; 21. Also; 23. The Tall;
25. Lautrec; 26. Petit; 27. Nests; 28. Blacks
Down
1. Clause; 2. Capaldi; 3. Overmars; 4. Duty; 5. Loire; 6. Komodo;
7. Blanc; 13. Interpol;16. Plastic; 17. Callan; 19. Stich; 20. Sloths;
22. Skuas; 24. Ares