Irish Water line management, over the past two years, have handed over to staff, more than €10.1m in performance related bonus payments.
Last year, Irish Water paid almost €5.2m in bonus payments to some 789 workers.
Same figure was increased from the €4.96m, that had been determined as eligible in 2020, to some 765 employees.
The average performance related award amongst the top 20 staff during last year, stood at a colossal €19,171 per person. The names of the individuals receiving these performance related awards, has been withheld from the public.
The 20 staff in receipt of the highest bonuses, during the previous year, (2020), are understood to have shared €385,460, or €19,273 per person.
Same bonuses are understood to be taxable, but are not counted for calculation in future retirement pensions.
“I see you are checking the situations vacant columns again Mikey”, said I, as I joined Mikey Ryan in the Arch Bar in Liberty Square, Thurles this dinnertime.
“I’ll tell you this and I’ll tell you no more”, said Mikey Ryan, “but didn’t I see advertised in the local paper, last week, the perfect job for any unemployed person and with absolutely no training deemed necessary“.
“And what job was that”, said I.
“WANTED one bikini waxers assistant”, said Mikey. He continued, “All you had to do was to assist in the removal of underwear and then to rub soothing, scented oil over the waxed area, after the waxing procedure was complete”.
“Well did you apply for the job”, said I.
“No point”, said Mikey, “When I asked a member of staff at the Thurles Social Welfare office, she said I had to go to Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal”.
“Why is that where the job was being offered?” said I, “It would be a long way to commute from Thurles, every morning, especially with the current price of petrol”, I continued.
“No it wasn’t that at all” said Mikey, “The job is here in Liberty Square, in Thurles, the Social welfare assistant assured me; but Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal was where the back of the fecking queue was currently; waiting to be interviewed!
More than 1,600 people attend the largest ever Irish-UK manufacturing collaboration events to be held in the Mid-West.
Organised by TUS and the GTMA the event took place over two days on TUS, Moylish Campus Limerick.
The British Ambassador to Ireland describes it as a perfect example of UK/Ireland collaboration.
More than 1,600 exhibitors, delegates, manufacturers and visitors from across Ireland and the UK travelled to TUS, Moylish Campus Limerick, to take part in one of the largest ever manufacturing collaboration events to be held in the Mid-West.
President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane and British Ambassador to Ireland Mr Paul Johnston, attending “Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2022” event.
Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2022, organised jointly by the UK manufacturing supply chain trade association the GTMA and the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), encouraged businesses from both sides of the Irish Sea to share ideas about new technologies and precision tools, build strong working relationships, learn about developments in manufacturing, and do business.
This year’s event extended its offerings over two days (Wednesday 15th & Thursday 16th June 2022) to include a multi-million euro Manufacturing Technology Zone, the IDEAM Digitalisation of Manufacturing Conference, Meet the Manufacturer and the successful manufacturing supply trade exhibition.
The British Ambassador to Ireland Mr Paul Johnston, who attended the second day of the event, described it as a perfect example of UK/Ireland collaboration.
He stated, “Manufacturing Solutions is a perfect example of UK/Ireland collaboration, enabling businesses from across these islands to form new relationships and display the latest innovation in manufacturing technologies and engineering solutions. Further demonstrating strong UK/Ireland connections, the event is jointly organised by a UK trade association and an Irish university and has the involvement and support from both the Irish and UK Governments alongside InterTradeIreland and Enterprise Ireland. These events display practical, business and technology-focussed UK/Ireland collaboration in action here in Limerick, and I and my team are proud to be involved and give our support”.
Speaking about the success of the annual event GTMA Chief Executive Officer, Ms Julia Moore said, “Manufacturing Solutions Ireland which began in 2016 as a conduit for opening up new possibilities within the supply chain to customers and suppliers from both Ireland and the UK, has resulted in advancing stronger trading relationships between both”.
President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane explained that the collaborative event reflects TUS’s ethos of working with industry to research and develop new technologies, share new ideas and educate highly skilled work ready graduates.
Professor Cunnane stated, “We are delighted to welcome Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2022 back to the TUS, Moylish campus, this year. The partnership between TUS and the GTMA supported by the PTMA, and the resulting extended two-day event, is reflective of the Irish and UK manufacturing industry’s determination to work together, share ideas and trade. At the core of this event is the sharing of those new ideas, processes and advance technologies in the newly added Manufacturing Technology Zone, in the Digitalisation of Manufacturing Conference and throughout the TUS Moylish campus”.
The newly added Digitalisation of Manufacturing Conference welcomed SME business clusters, such as Manufacturing Northern Ireland, to Limerick to take part in joint workshops and work collaboratively with the TUS based IDEAM national industry cluster, as well as encouraging movement towards digitalisation of manufacturing among SMEs and providing access to relevant funding.
Meanwhile advance technologies and machines, many never before seen in Ireland and the UK have been on display in the new multi-million euro Manufacturing Technology Zone.
GTMA CEO Ms Julia Moore said, “Each year we see new ideas, new technologies, materials and processes on display, but none more so than this year; through both the 150 trade exhibits and the Manufacturing Technology Zone . The event’s progression to knowledge sharing and doing business is testament to the relationships built over the years. Manufacturing Solutions Ireland continues also to shine a light on the innovation and skills of our SME engineering community, and support them as they remain responsive, fast, flexible competitive in a global market”.
The EPA’s Green Enterprise: Innovation for a Circular Economy fund worth €650,000 is now open for applications.
A circular economy aims to reduce waste at all stages of the economic cycle and ensure materials are used as efficiently as possible.
Circular business models contribute to a climate-neutral, resource-efficient economy.
Funding in the range of €50,000 to €100,000 will support development of circular solutions by Irish businesses.
The funding is aimed at projects in the areas of food, water and nutrients; packaging, textiles, plastics; construction and buildings; electronics and ICT; batteries and vehicles.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today launches its €650,000 funding opportunity for Irish enterprises to innovate, demonstrate and implement new circular economy approaches in their business models, moving away from the ‘Take Make Use Dispose’ economic model. Circular business models appeal to customers and consumers looking for sustainable options and contribute to a climate-neutral, resource-efficient economy. The EPA’s Green Enterprise: Innovation for a Circular Economy fund worth €650,000 is now open for applications. Applications for project funding in the range of €50,000 to €100,000 are invited. This funding will support Irish businesses to develop circular solutions in product and service design, production and distribution, use of resources including raw materials, and in water, energy and waste reduction. The fund is aimed at business-ready innovative projects targeting the areas of food, water and nutrients; packaging, textiles, plastics; construction and buildings; electronics and ICT; batteries and vehicles.
Speaking about the Green Enterprise: Innovation for a Circular Economy funding call, Ms Laura Burke, Director General of the EPA stated: “Circular businesses reduce costs and environmental impact by reusing, repairing and recycling materials already in use. These approaches can advance the green transition, accelerate digital transformation and can deliver new jobs and skills as Ireland transitions to a more sustainable economy. The EPA is inviting business and industry applicants from across Ireland’s economy with business-ready innovative projects targeting our priority areas of food, water and nutrients; packaging, textiles, plastics; construction and buildings; electronics and ICT; and batteries and vehicles”.
The EPA’s Green Enterprise: Innovation for a Circular Economy fund supports Irish enterprises to develop and demonstrate circular economy approaches, designing out waste and pollution and keeping products and materials in use for longer.
The types of projects being targeted include:
Use of eco-design to develop sustainable products.
Innovation to reduce the use of raw materials in product manufacturing.
Development and implementation of circular production processes (designing out waste, life cycle analysis),
Recycling, reuse and repair activities in the business and industry sector.
Circular services and business models(to transform consumption patterns, logistics and to foster reuse and repair).
Mr Warren Phelan, (Programme Manager, EPA) stated: “The Green Enterprise fund is an opportunity for Irish business to access finance in support of their innovative and circular business ideas. In the past the fund has supported business to pilot and test new enterprise activities creating new market opportunities and jobs as well as preventing wasted resources. We encourage businesses that are considering new circular activities to consider the support offered by the Green Enterprise fund”.
Some previously funded circular economy projects include:
A project to reduce food waste by using surplus bakery bread as a secondary raw material in brewing beer.
An innovative manufacturing process using recyclable, reinforced plastic for producing wind turbine blades and
Evaluating the potential to recover and use the biomass generated in fruit and vegetable supply chains to produce new food fibre ingredients.
The deadline for submission of proposals for Green Enterprise funding is 19th July 2022.
Further information is available on the EPA website, HERE Contact: Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office, Tel: 053 9170770, Email: media@epa.ie
A Tipperary employee, who was injured when he was knocked to the ground by sheets of glass falling from a trolley, has been awarded a total of €113,000 by the High Court.
The award, which has yet to be fully finalised by Mr Justice Garrett Simons, was made in favour of Mr James Molloy, aged 59 years, with an address at Knight’s Crescent, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, who sustained compression injuries and lacerations to his back and to the region of his lower limbs.
Mr Molloy had sued his employer, Tipperary Glass Limited, with an address at Railway Road, Templemore, Co Tipperary, latter whom he alleged had been negligent with regard to an incident which had occurred on March 16th, 2018.
Liability in the case had already been admitted by the company and the action was before the court for assessment of damages.
In his judgement, Mr Justice Garrett Simons stated that Mr Molloy was entitled to a sum of €75,000 in general damages, together with a further sum of €38,000 in damages for his loss of current earnings. He is also to receive a sum equivalent to four years of earnings in respect of the loss of his future earnings.
Mr Justice Garrett Simons said the accident had occurred because another employee had failed to properly secure the glass sheets contained on a trolley, which in turn had impacted on Mr Molloy’s lower limbs.
It was estimated that the trolley had been carrying between 10 to 20 sheets of glass at the time of the accident, with the combined weight of the glass being 100kg (2cwt).
Mr Molloy, following the accident, was confined to bed for over a month, left him with permanent scarring on his legs. The consensus of the medical evidence arising out of his injuries, left Mr Molloy medically unfit for the sort of manual labour he had previously undertaken at his place of employment.
The case will return before the court to finalise outstanding matters later this month.
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