Extension to bailout deal may be reached but could be some way off says Kenny

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny says he is hopeful that a deal to reduce Ireland's bailout repayments can be reached - but it may be some way off yet.

Agreement on extending the maturities on Ireland EU loans has been reached in principal - and will be discussed at a meeting of EU Finance Ministers today, chaired by the Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

Speaking on his way into Government Buildings this morning, the Taoiseach said a deal would be good news for the Irish taxpayer.

But he said it may be next month before agreement is reached.

Report shows fee-paying schools have €8 million extra to spend on students

The taxpayer forks out €100 million for the salaries of teachers

A new report for the Department of Education says the country's private fee-paying schools have more than €8 million a year extra to spend on their students.

It also says that the cost of all 55 fee-paying schools entering the free scheme would be €23.5 million - much lower than previous estimates.

The taxpayer forks out €100 million for the salaries of teachers - the Bord Snip Nua report recommended cutting taxpayer funding by paying for less teachers - and the department report says if this was done the 55 schools would still have over €61 million in discretionary spending.

However the body that represents the 55 private schools says the cost to the state of educating a child in a fee paying school is almost half that of a free school.

 

SIPTU's National Executive Council meets today to discuss proposals on the new Croke Park deal

President Jack O'Connor has said public servants would be better served by one centralised agreement with the Government on pay and conditions, but says he isn't sure the current deal is the right one.

A decision on whether SIPTU's Executive Council will recommend acceptance or rejection of the deal to its members is not expected until a further meeting on Tuesday, 14th March.

Meanwhile, the Unite trade union will make a recommendation today to its membership to vote against the new deal like many of the other unions have recommended.

The Union, which represents around 20,000 public sector workers, walked out of the negotiations at the LRC before the proposal was completed.

Jimmy Kelly of Unite says after recommending his members reject Croke Park 2 - his union will join others in actively campaigning for a NO vote.

 

275 new jobs announced in Cork & Dublin

Over 275 new jobs have been announced at two separate companies in Dublin and Cork.

The US marketing software company Hub Spot is creating 150 new jobs over the next few years at its offices in Dublin city centre.

The positions are in sales, support, marketing, engineering and development.

Meanwhile, software security company FireEye is to establish its new technical support centre in Cork with the creation of 150 jobs.

 

The HSE's €1.8m taxi bill

One taxi firm was paid €1.8 million by the HSE last year, in a total bill of 24.8 million.

The firm is one of three to have gotten over one million euro from the Executive, according to the Irish Independent.

They're named as National Radio Cabs in Dublin, Sun Cabs in Cork and Seirbhís Iompair Tuaithe Teo in Donegal.

But the overall HSE taxi bill in 2012 was down €1.5 million on the previous year, a drop of 6%. 

The HSE has been under much scrutiny lately with stories emerging about the quality of hospital food, high rates of staff sick leave and the high cost of generic drugs here.