Latest news with #NationalTrainingFund
Irish Independent
30-05-2025
- 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.
The Journal
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Journal
The government is offering free college courses - we'll find out what they are today
THE MINISTER FOR Higher Education will today provide an update on Springboard+, a government initiative that provides free and heavily subsidised college courses. The courses are provided 'at certificate, degree, and masters level leading to qualifications in areas where there are employment opportunities in the economy'. This year, courses are available in areas aligning with national economic priorities such as infrastructure planning, sustainable building, renewable energy, digital skills, cyber security, and artificial intelligence. Thirty of the courses will be new and available for the first time Advertisement Minister James Lawless will provide the update on the rollout of Springboard+ . The initiative is backed by €34.4m in funding from the National Training Fund. It will deliver 7,719 places across 249 courses for the 2025/26 academic year. Courses are flexible and accessible, with 96% delivered online or in blended format, designed to support working professionals, jobseekers, and those returning to further education alike, the department said. Last year, 248 courses were made available under the initiative. Some of the universities offering courses that were covered included Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, University College Cork, University of Galway, University of Limerick, and University College Dublin. You can check your eligibility for the initiative here . You must have a valid PPS number and be living full-time in the Republic of Ireland. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
29-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Government's housing office will 'make itself redundant in a few years'
A new office to speed up home building will "make itself redundant" by clearing blockages, the Government hopes. Housing minister James Browne will on Tuesday bring the terms of reference for the strategic housing office, which will be headed by Brendan McDonagh — the chief executive of the National Asset Management Agency (Nama) — who will retain his €430,000 a year salary. Mr Browne is expected to chair two new committees within the new strategic housing activation office. This includes a committee which will be made up of chief executives of major utility providers. One government source said the establishment of the office was a signal as to the importance of dealing with the housing emergency. They pushed back on assertions it was akin to a second housing minister, saying that it is a 'practical' measure to deal with blockages in the system. The source added this office would not be a permanent fixture into the long term, but would 'make itself redundant in a few years' when blockages are resolved. It's understood that the office itself will be tasked with delivering on a site-by-site level, particularly seeking to unblock barriers on zoned lands that can deliver housing in the short to medium-term. Sources have indicated that this will be focused on areas with the greatest need, alongside areas where significant amounts of housing can be delivered. The office will also have powers to coordinate infrastructure development, which will be measured against targets and timelines, it is understood. Salary concerns On Monday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he understood public concerns about the reported salary for Mr McDonagh, but his 'over-arching concern' is about getting houses built quickly. He declined to comment on the salary figure itself, saying the Government is yet to make formal decision on Mr McDonagh's appointment. The minister for further and higher education, James Lawless, will bring a memo outlining proposals to amend the National Training Fund and withdraw €650m from the €1.8bn fund up to 2030. It will mean a further €150m for the higher education sector a year. Auto-enrolment pensions will not be brought in this year, the social protection minister is set to confirm to Cabinet on Tuesday. The measure had been seen as a marquee achievement of the previous government and was due to begin in September, but will not now come into place until January, Dara Calleary will tell ministers. Read More Nama publishes roadmap for winding down by the end of 2025
RTÉ News
28-04-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Minister for Justice to seek significant reform of Irish asylum laws
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan will seek Government approval this morning to progress legislation which will lead to the most significant reform of Irish asylum laws in the history of the State. The minister is expected to tell Cabinet that the current international protection system is not working effectively, with decisions taking far too long. This new legislation which would take effect in the middle of next year would set a three-month time limit for international protection decisions. It would also considerably limit the use of oral hearings for appeals as part of efforts to deliver final decisions quicker. The new the International Protection Bill 2025 will replace the 2015 Act and it will for the first time allow officers to directly issue decisions on returns. This will replace the current system, where international protection officers make recommendations to the Minister for Justice. There have been 42% fewer International Protection applications in the first three months of 2025 compared to the first three months of last year. Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris will update the Government on plans to install Ireland's first ever military radar programme. Mr Harris is expected to inform colleagues that his Department has identified four countries with which it will now enter into formal negotiations with a view to beginning the roll-out of the radar programme from 2026. The discussions will involve bilateral discussions at an official level with all four countries before a preferred bidder is selected later this year. Proposals to amend National Training Fund The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless will bring a memo to Cabinet outlining proposals to amend the National Training Fund (NTF) Act. This will allow new expenditure commitments announced in Budget 2025 to be delivered from 2026 onwards. A €1.485 billion NTF investment package for the Higher Education sector, spanning a six-year period to 2030, was announced in the last budget. For the first time, NTF resources will support areas not previously eligible for funding such as capital investment, core funding for higher education, and research. The plan includes €650 million for Higher Education and this will increase core funding by an additional €150 million annually by 2030. There will be a €600 million capital programme, with €150 million earmarked for essential training facilities in veterinary, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry. Some €150 million has been allocated for upgrading and decarbonising buildings along with €150 million for investment in the Further Education and Training (FET) sector. €150 million will be made available for research, including increased PhD stipends and €235 million in one-off current funding for skills development and apprenticeships.
