Latest news with #Ibec
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
New workers' rights laws mean Joint Labour Committee system ‘not fit for purpose', Ibec says
In a submission to a government department, Ibec is critical of the Joint Labour Committee system. These committees, which include employer and union representatives, set legally binding employment conditions and rates of pay for workers in sectors including childcare, contract cleaning and security. The employer group claimed that significant legislation on workers' rights recently means it is difficult to find an incentive for employers to participate. Ibec said these laws include statutory sick pay, extra leave, and minimum-wage increases while legislation is pending on pension auto-enrolment and surrogacy leave. It made the submission to a recent Department of Enterprise public consultation on the promotion of collective bargaining. Collective bargaining involves talks between employer and union representatives on behalf of groups of workers on their terms and conditions. Under an EU directive, each member state in which collective bargaining coverage is less than 80pc must come up with an action plan to promote collective bargaining by the end of the year. 'Ibec is of the view that the Joint Labour Committee structure, as it currently operates, is not fit for purpose in the modern workplace,' its submission said. It said 'employment regulation orders' drawn up by these committees are not collective agreements. As a result, it said they will be of 'limited value' to any action plan on collective bargaining that Ireland produces. It said it has become increasingly difficult to identify traditional areas of collective negotiation that are not regulated by statute. ADVERTISEMENT 'In the last five years, we have seen a significant legislative-driven agenda resulting in the introduction of statutory sick pay, the extension of statutory leaves, introduction of new statutory leaves, increases in minimum wage, with further implementation or legislation pending on auto-enrolment for pensions and further leaves such as surrogacy leave, to name but a few,' it said. It said the intent of the Joint Labour Committee system is to regulate pay and conditions of employment. 'If statute already does so, Ibec submits that it is difficult to identify an incentive for employers to participate in the operation of Joint Labour Committees.' However, it said action is required to strengthen the capacity of the social partners to engage in collective bargaining on wage setting in individual workplaces. It said dedicating funding to training will help promote collective bargaining. It welcomed a government commitment to 'unlock' the National Training Fund, which will have a surplus near €2bn this year. 'We believe that the provision of collective bargaining training should focus on those employee and employer representatives in companies which are already engaged in collective bargaining or have agreements in place to recognise a union,' it said. It said it believes that a 'good faith engagement' process involving a single meeting between an employer and union may play a role in Ireland's action plan to promote collective bargaining. However, after this it said an employer could continue to hold their position 'not to recognise a union'. The employer representative group said it does not believe that a statutory entitlement to trade union access to the workplace should be introduced. It said providing for a right of access to workplaces, whether physical or digital, would raise significant constitutional, legal and security issues.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
€140 billion needed to pay for 300,000 home target, says PII
A total of €140 billion in public and private funding will be needed to reach the Government's housing delivery target of 300,000 homes by 2030, according to a new report. The research, which was launched at a Property Industry Ireland (PII) conference on Thursday, found that in order to reach the annual housing delivery target of 60,000 homes, development funding would need to be increased to an estimated €31.1 billion in annual recycling development capital. The average development cost of each unit is estimated to be €466,000 according to the report, conducted by Big Four accountancy firm KPMG on behalf of Ibec's property sector association. 'Identifying the funding sources needed to deliver these homes is only the first step,' said the director of Property Industry Ireland, David Howard, 'We also need the right policy measures to ensure Ireland remains an attractive location for investment.' READ MORE Mr Howard said the headline €140 billion figure does not include the cost of providing necessary infrastructure which is 'a prerequisite for housing delivery' and would be needed to attract the private investment to fund the construction. Within that figure, to support the targeted State and State-supported ownership of 118,300 new social and affordable homes, the Ibec group said the Government would need to spend a total of €50.7 billion over the period. Reaching the housing delivery targets, the PII director said, 'requires certainty, both in the taxation of investment and within the planning system' and welcomed recent measured by the Government in aiding the progress of planning permission applications through the planning system. 'The upcoming Housing Plan 2025–2030 presents a pivotal opportunity to unlock sustainable housing delivery, address affordability, and restore confidence among investors, home builders, renters, and homebuyers alike,' he said. 'The sector is deeply committed to working with the Government to find solutions.'
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Skills gaps and mismatches are ‘eroding the competitiveness of Irish industry', says Ibec
Ireland's largest business lobby group, Ibec, says skills gaps and mismatches in the Irish workforce are 'eroding the competitiveness of Irish industry'. It comes amid calls for a new innovation tax credit in a separate report examining research, development and innovation activity in Ireland by the Industry Research and Development Group (IRDG) and KPMG. The suggested measure would build on top of the existing research and development (R&D) credit, without which 56 per cent of the multinational companies in the sample said 10 per cent or less of their R&D would remain in Ireland. However, constraints such as administrative complexity and time requirements were cited by almost four in 10 respondents as barriers to broader participation, the report said. READ MORE Research performed as part of the 2025 Innovation Index found that a significant amount of innovation 'doesn't always fit neatly into the current R&D Tax Credit'. The report calls for 'an overhaul of the existing system' and suggests the implementation of a green innovation credit to encourage investment in the area. Three-quarters of the study's 556 respondent firms said a 50 per cent tax credit for green innovation would lead to them investing in the space. Ibec's report says that, following a 'decade of underinvestment' in research and innovation infrastructure, some graduates are 'entering the workforce lacking necessary knowledge and skills' having received training on 'out-of-date equipment'. Ibec said it had fallen on employers to retrain graduates on systems that are based on modern technology as a result of the innovation deficit. In the second in a series of policy position papers on Ireland's competitiveness and productivity, Ibec said 'substantial increases' in core and capital funding for higher education institutions are needed to 'reinforce and boost capacity' and to reverse trends in student/staff ratios. It warned that skills gaps and skills mismatches are not just 'eroding the competitiveness of Irish industry', but also the State's 'capacity to deliver strategic ambitions' in housing, infrastructure delivery and the development of environmentally friendly industry. The document pointed to Ibec's recent Skills Survey showing that nearly three-quarters of Irish companies have experienced difficulties in recruiting new workers, with nearly half of businesses reporting that candidates lack critical skills and experience for the roles. Ibec said these responses point to a 'serious underutilisation' of the Irish workforce. 'Ireland already has a significant skills mismatch among the workforce where businesses cannot find workers with the necessary skills to fill vacancies, or workers in their existing jobs do not have the right skills for their roles.' The paper said it was 'critical that our current and future workforce are ready to meet the shifting demands of the labour market', noting that the National Training Fund (NTF) offers a 'real competitive advantage' if used correctly. The lobbying group called for employers to have a 'stronger role in setting the strategic direction and allocation' of the fund in order to meet the demands of their respective industries. It said the availability of apprenticeships, despite their role in addressing competitiveness issues in primary industries, was 'limited by an insufficient funding model and an overly bureaucratic and cumbersome system'. The paper welcomed the commitment in Budget 2025 to invest €1.5 billion from the NTF over the next six years, but expressed concern over governance issues with the fund.
Irish Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Shannon pitches for development amid Dublin Airport cap row
As the Dublin Airport passenger cap row rumbles on, the Government has been asked to consider a 'high speed bus network' for the Shannon catchment area as part of a strategy to wrest aircraft traffic from Dublin Airport. As Mark Hilliard reports, in a letter outlining the need for a fundamental rethink of aviation policy across the island, Shannon Airport Group chief executive Mary Considine also argued the west of Ireland terminal would probably see a rail link before the capital. Meanwhile Hugh Dooley reports that three of Ireland's regional airports are set to share nearly €8 million in government funding to fund capital development projects. The funding will support 33 capital investment projects improving the safety and security at Kerry, Ireland West, and Donegal airports, as well as sustainability efforts at a cost of €7.82m. Thinking about getting a new mortgage ? The days of the only option being the big banks are well and truly behind us. In Money Matters, Joanne Hunt takes you through the options. Rent caps have been around in Ireland for a number of years now, and it seems clear that the Government has been looking at ways to replace them. With average rents now over €2,000 per month, John McManus says the chances of change are next to zero. READ MORE Ibec has called on the Government to prioritise infrastructure investment over tax cuts or other expenditure. As Hugh reports, the group called on the Government to retain a consistent level of capital investment and drop barriers in the planning system for big 'common good' projects. Ardagh Group's debt restructuring talks to a group of bondholders has broken down amid a standoff over how much Paul Coulson, the packaging giant's leading shareholder, will continue to own in its improving drink cans business. Joe Brennan has the latest. Taxpayers paid €10.3 million for an investigation into a controversial property sale by the National Asset Management Agency (Nama), including €2.4 million paid to the State organisation itself. Barry O'Halloran reports. Infrastructure giants ATM and Alstom are jointly bidding for the €1.75 billion contract to run Dublin's Luas light rail network, the pair confirmed on Tuesday. Barry has the details. The post office network requires funding of €15 million per year out to 2030 or the Republic faces the prospect of 'rapid, unrestrained closures', which would risk 'irreparable financial, economic and social harm', a report from Grant Thornton has found. Colin Gleeson has the story. Senior Irish bankers said on Tuesday they are not seeing signs of an imminent surge in housebuilding , adding to fears that the Government will miss its housing targets for at least this year and next. Joe has the story. South African insurer Outsurance's fledgling Irish business plans to hire a further 100 staff in the next 12 months, bringing its total workforce to 250 as it gains traction in the market. Joe reports. Joe also notes that Irish Life Investment Managers (ILIM), Amundi and BlackRock have been selected to manage assets in the State's incoming automatic-enrolment pension scheme. Irish-based gaming giant Flutter has narrowly lost out to rival IGT (International Game Technology) in the race to operate Italy's main lottery licence, one of the most lucrative lotto franchises in the world. Eoin Burke-Kennedy has the details. Post-tax profits were down at the company behind Riverdance last year by 87 per cent to €247,065 due mainly to dance company not touring the United States in 2024. Gordon Deegan has read the accounts. In Commercial Property, Ronald Quinlan reports that the Christian Brothers seeking €12m for a Swords retreat centre and lands. It's a 16.6-acre landbank which occupies prime location next to proposed northern terminus of planned Metrolink. Meanwhile, just over 10 years after its precursor Standard Life acquired numbers 3 and 5 Custom House Plaza in the IFSC , UK-headquartered investor Aberdeen is looking to dispose of both buildings for about €24 million. If you'd like to read more about the issues that affect your finances try signing up to On the Money , the weekly newsletter from our personal finance team, which will be issued every Friday to Irish Times subscribers.
Business Mayor
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Infrastructure spending must come before tax cuts, says Ibec
Ireland's largest business lobby group, Ibec, has called on the Government to prioritise infrastructure investment over tax cuts or other expenditure. In the first in a series of policy position papers on Ireland's competitiveness and productivity, the group called on the Government to retain a consistent level of capital investment and drop barriers in the planning system for big 'common good' projects. Ireland will need to build a minimum of 500,000 homes and significantly upgrade the State's infrastructure between now and 2035 to address the country's rising population, Ibec said. 'It is critical that, in a world of growing uncertainty, we do not risk repeating the macroeconomic mistake we have made consistently over the past 50 years – deprioritising public investment when the economy slows,' said Fergal O'Brien, Ibec executive director of lobbying and influence. Ibec called for the introduction of an explicit fiscal investment target to 'provide a fiscal anchor for the capital budget through good times and bad' as a way of guaranteeing a consistent level of public capital investment. The lobbying group said the State has cut public investment as the 'path of least resistance' when needing to introduce fiscal cutbacks. 'Consistent failure to invest in necessary infrastructure does not result in savings,' it said. 'Infrastructure deficits accrue as a form of 'technical debt'.' 'Ireland today is a living mausoleum to these past policy errors,' the policy paper said, suggesting sustained investment of €200 billion by 2035 be funded by the Exchequer, proceeds from the €13 billion Apple tax judgment, the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund, and future share sales. Read More EY staff in Chins encouraged to wear Communist party badges Retaining a consistent level of capital spending would, Ibec said, reduce the need for catch-up spending when economic conditions change and lower the reliance on large-scale projects as forces of macroeconomic stabilisation. These factors would then provide more certainty to companies and young people in investing in capacity and the skills for sectors downstream from the infrastructure delivery sector. To enable the delivery of large-scale infrastructure projects, Ibec wants the Government to examine reforming the planning system, including the 'disproportionate influence of individual objectors', suggesting that constitutional change be considered. It called for a 'radical improvement' in the delivery and timelines of projects, aided by a centralised oversight structure and a prioritisation structure in the planning system. Ibec said that just 11 of the 44 big infrastructure initiatives in the pipeline in 2019 have been delivered on or before schedule. The body also called for the delivery of region-specific infrastructure to sustain local economic growth across the country. The Ibec executive director said getting infrastructure investment right could 'open the door to delivering large-scale projects that can transform our economy and society, service homes at the pace required and upgrading infrastructure to meet the standards of a modern economy and achieve our climate goals.'
