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THE GOVERNMENT PARTIES have voted down a Fianna Fáil motion which would have seen the Dáil call on the government not to force employers to cover the sick pay requirements of workers.
Fine Gael and Labour successfully forced through a counter-motion which noted that although no such proposals had come to cabinet yet, the deficit in the Social Insurance Fund for 2012 was likely to exceed €1.8 billion.
“The Department is required to secure further savings on it’s [sic] programmes of expenditure in Budget 2013 and subsequent Budgets”, the counter-motion – tabled by social protection minister Joan Burton – read.
“Conscious of the Government’s wish to maintain, as far as possible, vital income supports to the most vulnerable sectors in society, it is necessary for the Government to examine all aspects of Departmental expenditure”, it added.
The FF motion had come after IBEC and Chambers Ireland called on the government not to proceed with plans first mooted earlier this year, when Burton launched a consultation on the possibility of having employers – and not the state – pick up the bill for the first few weeks’ of sick pay.
FF’s Dara Calleary, who had tabled the motion, told the Dáil last night that about 40 per cent of employers in Ireland – mostly smaller ones who have no current sick pay costs – would see their costs substantially increase if they were forced to cover sick pay costs themselves.
He added that even jobs minister Richard Bruton had commented on the difficulties that small businesses would have in paying a sick pay bill – a reason he gave for explaining why the measure wasn’t introduced in Budget 2012.
The counter-motion – amending the FF motion so that it was kinder to the Government – was approved by 70 votes to 45. The motion, as amended, was then approved on a 69-45 margin.
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The NSA/GCHQ are horny with anticipation!
I use a Samsung phone and would get another in the future providing they don’t introduce this. I think looking at what you type and what apps you use and to share with other companies is a step too far. The more I think about it the more nervous and scared I get, while new and innovative technology is all very good, nothing is private anymore. It’s like we’re being constantly watched and monitered.
These developers must be real stalkers and creeps in real life. Their level of snooping and nosyness knows no boundaries.
It’s greed, It’s all about money. Phones that market research themselves, very useful and pricey info.
Samsung are very much the new Apple. Nice and friendly, good value too but once they climb to the top of the pile they forget all about the customers. All of a sudden the S4 is €100 more than the superior HTC One and they start selling the customers’ souls to advertisers and developers. No thanks. The smartphone world is taking a nasty turn towards full disclosure but I’d still rather stay as far away as I can from the phones that submit everything you are to some company. Can’t even log in to facebook on my phone or it starts tracking everything, was on Amazon the other day and it recommended a book to me “based on videos you’ve watched” on Youtube. Don’t remember signing up for that, it’s very hard to maintain any privacy on your phone.
I just dont understand why all the current apps need to access your phone book and need to be able to make and receive calls to work. Just reading the permissions required even on the pre installed apps scares me.
I think it might be time to dig out my old Nokia 5110.
You dont simply dig out nokia 5110′s, they dig you out.
No, no. I mean dig it out. I threw it into the back of the wardrobe. Not quite sure how much it will cost for an excavator, considering the hole it created when I threw it in there. I just have to be careful I don’t damage the bucket in case I strike it in the digging operation.
Looks like ill be off to HTC after my contract ends.
Oh you will not be the only one.
I’ve got the Samsung S3 with spiderman screen for over a year now. Didn’t bother with insurance and it’s the cost of a 98 fiesta to replace the screen.
My first and last Samsung
That’s what insurance is for Larry – I have dropped the Samsung S3 twice and had both handsets replaced the next day. Agreeably the screen does break easily but for the fantastic phone it is, I’ve just put a cover on it that protects the screen and all is good :)
I would not buy a Samsung if they introduce this. Already fed up about the amount of info apps etc want to use. Unfortunately if Samsung go ahead with this you can be sure other companies will develop similar technologies. Might be digging out my old brick of a Nokia again!
have your say