A round-up of other home news in brief
Dublin Bus staff accept Labour Court proposal
Dublin Bus drivers have voted to accept Labour Court proposals on the implementation of a €31 million cost-cutting plan that will reduce the company fleet by 120 vehicles, writes Pamela Newenham.
The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) drivers voted by 57 per cent to 43 per cent to accept the proposals.
Dublin Bus deferred the introduction of planned cuts to its services last Sunday to facilitate clarification on the Labour Court’s earlier ruling.
The court had initially recommended that Dublin Bus go ahead without delay with plans to take 120 buses out of service in a bid to save €31 million a year.
It also proposed changes to paid meal break arrangements for drivers, which the company said could generate €350,000 in savings.
The court had also recommended weekend overtime earning potential for drivers be increased. It also said there should be no dilution of shift pay arrangements.
NBRU general secretary Michael Faherty said after the ballot that, although the public would be relieved a dispute had been averted, “they will also be concerned, as our members are, at the serious reduction in services that will now take place”.
The proposed cuts and alterations will involve the withdrawal of 17 services, as well as route and frequency changes.
Lotto jackpot heads for 14m
The National Lottery said it expected to sell up to 1,800 tickets a minute in the run-up to tonight’s €14 million jackpot draw – the fifth-largest on record.
The top prize has rolled over for several weeks, with no winner since before the St Patrick’s weekend draw.
The largest Lotto jackpot to date was almost €19 million, which was reached in June last year. That was won by a syndicate of 16 from Carlow.
The National Lottery is advising aspiring millionaires to play early, with 60 per cent of those who will take part in the draw expected to buy their tickets on the day of the draw.
Ambulance in collision with lorry
Two people are being treated in hospital following a collision between an ambulance and a lorry at a junction in Co Carlow.
A patient and a member of the emergency services travelling in the ambulance were being treated for injuries last night following the collision at the Royal Oak junction at Bagenalstown.
The ambulance was returning to Kilkenny in a routine transfer of a patient from Dublin on Thursday evening when it collided with a lorry at the busy Royal Oak junction on the N9.
Three occupants of the ambulance were injured and two have been kept in hospitals in Kilkenny and Waterford where their conditions are described as stable and comfortable.
Belfast rally for laid-off workers
Hundreds of protesters have rallied at Belfast City Hall in support of laid-off manufacturing workers.
Almost 2,000 workers were made redundant in the past month and nearly 2 per cent of the manufacturing workforce alone lost their jobs in one week.
Plane maker Bombardier announced job cuts of 975 and jobs were also lost at telecoms giant Nortel, engineering company FG Wilson and Ford component company Visteon. Protesters heard a call by Peter Bunting of Ictu to Stormont Ministers to establish a workers’ protection fund.
“It would give people financial benefits which could cushion them over a period of time during which they can seek job opportunities,” he said.
The multiplier effect of such widespread job losses would make life harder for many others apart from those directly involved, he added.
The rally was attended by West Belfast Assembly members Alex Maskey of Sinn Féin and the SDLP’s Alex Attwood.