Ambrand.com

There is a petrol station in Cork which we do not use. Why? because when we last visited there, probably 2 years ago they had switched to pre-pay pumps. But instead of fancy pre-pay pumps where you can pay by credit card outside you had to instead walk inside and guesstimate how much petrol you wanted, and pay for it. We never know if we need EUR 15 or EUR 25.24, we just want to fill the tank to the top. You can see the problem here. Pay too much and have to go back in and get change, or pay too little and not top up your tank.

You don’t hear many good things about Alcohol these days. Media reports are usually negative.

The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI), which represents drinks manufacturers and suppliers in Ireland, today welcomed export figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showing that beverage exports grew by 2.4% in 2012.

The Federation is attempting to highlight that Alcohol is infact good for Ireland, it contributes to the economy. ; Drinks exports in 2012 were valued at €1,112 million, a rise of €26 million on 2011 data.

In an indication of the potential of the sector, drinks industry exports outperformed total goods which increased by 0.9%. Individual drinks categories such as whiskey; beer and cider all continued to grow as the demand for Irish drinks products on international markets continues to build. In 2012, over 9.1 million kegs of beer and 50 million bottles of whiskey were exported. Acting ABFI Director Jean Doyle said, “The announcement of further growth in drinks industry exports shows the potential for the drinks industry to help support Irish economic recovery through export growth.

The drinks industry is a hugely important sector of the Irish economy contributing over €2 billion in taxation revenue per annum, supporting over 62,000 local jobs and, according to a report by DCU’s Tony Foley released earlier this week, responsible for total purchases of over €2.8 billion each year. “The growth potential for the drinks sector is truly great. Under the Harvest 2020 blueprint for the future of the agriculture sector drawn up by the Department of Agriculture, an ambitious target of €12bn for Irish food and drink exports by the year 2020 is set out.

Given the right conditions the drinks industry can play a significant role in attaining that growth target. “However, while endeavouring to increase our exports we must also be aware of the importance of a solid domestic market. Without a strong domestic base the industry will be unable to establish itself as a major competitor on global exports markets.

The Government must be cognisant of this when devising legislation which will affect the industry and its ability to market, promote and sell its products. “ABFI would encourage the Government to work with the drinks industry to build on this export potential and capitalise on the growing demand for Irish drinks products in international markets.”

(Photo: Lorianne DiSabato on flickr.com )

More than 300,000 Irish businesses and sole traders will see the cost of compliance with transport regulation cut as new Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport and Road Safety Authority computer systems go live later this year. The total projected annual savings to business will be €32 million. This followed a detailed review by the Department, in conjunction with Sira Consultants, of the impact on business of the following regulations: Testing and taxing of commercial vehicles; Vehicle Drivers’ Certificate of Professional Competence; Road Transport Operators’ Licence; Tachograph Regulations applying to vehicles above 3.5 tonnes; National Car Test; New Road Vehicle Procedures. The Standard Cost Model was used by the Department, and Sira Consultants, as the basis for interviews with a sample of the affected businesses. This provided a detailed and accurate measurement of the cost of the compliance burden on businesses. The Standard Cost Model was developed in the Netherlands, and was championed by Minister Varadkar when he was Opposition Spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade & Employment. The following businesses will benefit: 300,000 owners of commercial registered vehicles; 55,700 professional drivers; 46,879 businesses with vehicles above 3.5 tonnes; 6,249 road transport operators. To date, costs have been reduced by around 3.75% and the goal is to reduce them by 28% by the summer thanks to: Reform and computerisation of the Road Transport Operator Licensing system. This is due to be finalised shortly, yielding a saving of €1.3 million to business; Reform and computerisation by the Road Safety Authority of Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Testing including creating a direct link to the Motor Taxation System. This is scheduled for completion in the summer, with a saving of €26 million to business; Digital tachographs have been phased in since 2008 replacing older analogue tachographs, and has saved businesses €4 million per annum to date.

Tomorrow (Saturday 24th November) Wendy Moore the inventor of the world’s first “self-fitting breast measuring device”, and the owner of La Femme Lingerie shop in Cork City, will open her doors for all females to test her product before it goes into mass production.

Wendy, who has developed the world’s first self-fitting breast measuring device (called ‘Maureen’), is looking for 1000 females to trial her product in her La Femme Lingerie Shop on Oliver Plunkett street.

Wendy who has been developing this product for the past two years is now at her final stage of product testing and is looking for the Cork public to give their say on her invention. With interest already coming the biggest names in lingerie such as Victoria’s Secret and Anita, her product is being eagerly awaited.

The trial only takes 5 minutes and is done in privacy by the individual. Everyone is encouraged to fill out a testing feedback form about the product which will prove invaluable when making the final edits to the product before full-scale global production.

With over 16 years experience in the lingerie business Wendy and her wonderful staff at La Femme see on a daily basis the damage the wrong size bra can do to women. It is reported that 80% of all women wear the wrong bra size which leads to discomfort and can have a negative impact on women’s health over time.

“I am very passionate about this product as the majority of women worldwide wear the wrong bra size, which in turn can lead to health problems. I also believe it is the right of all women to be allowed to measure themselves simply and accurately as our breasts are constantly changing throughout our lifetime. The ‘Maureen’ Breast Measuring Device achieves this”.

After seeing the damage on a daily basis she finally awoke one night and started developing her idea. “It has been a long and challenging road from my initial idea two years ago to now, where I’m just about to launch the product onto the global market and revolutionise the breast fitting market. I would urge all women to come into my store and trial the product and see how easy and accurate the product really is.”

ok the headline is misleading… All Irish people can apply, as can our UK neighbours, but hey we like Cork, we love Cork..

AUSTRALIA’S LEADING POWER DISTRIBUTION CONTRACTORHAS SUCH A NEED FOR NETWORK TECHNICIANS and LINEMEN FOR IMMEDIATE JOBS IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA that it’s recruitment company will travel to Ireland next month!

“JobContax” says salaries are in excess of €100,000 and all jobs come with one-way free flights (which would cost about €700 to purchase), employer sponsored 457 visas for self and family (very important as Australia is constantly tightening it’s emigration policies, even for former Commonwealth countries such as Ireland).

The company will conduct face-to-face interviews in the UK & Ireland from 3rd – 14th December.

Irish & UK candidates are being offered 4 year working visas (457) by employers. The 457 visa entitles the bearer and their family to live and work in Australia. Holders of this visa may be employed for a period of between one day and four years and may bring any eligible family members, including same-sex partners, who have unrestricted work and study rights in Australia.

Holders of the Subclass 457 visa have no limit on the number of times they travel in and out of Australia. 457 visa holders can also convert to Australian permanent residency status. CV’s must be forwarded to JobContax for pre-selection. We will then schedule interviews with shortlisted candidates, in Dublin and London.

These are immediate requirements and job offers will be made within a week of interview, followed by a 4/5 week visa process.

All jobs can be viewed on www.JobContax.com

The Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton,reassured people getting Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance from the Department of Social Protection that if they get temporary work over the Christmas period their Jobseeker’s payment will be reinstated without delay when they finish work.

This is not the experience that Ambrand.com had previously!

Nevertheless, back to the news…

The Minister said: “People getting a Jobseeker’s payment should not have any concerns about their payment being restored after a period of temporary work. Where a person who is getting Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance takes up temporary work or avails of a short-term training course for up to eight weeks, my Department will temporarily suspend their claim so that it can be reinstated without delay when the work or training finishes.”

A customer who is in receipt of either of these two payments and who receives an offer of temporary employment or a training course should contact their local social welfare office and provide them with the relevant details of the work or course that they are undertaking. Similarly, they should contact their local social welfare office without delay when the course or employment finishes.

Minister Burton urged employers who need temporary staff to contact any one of her Department’s network of offices where staff will make every effort to help the employer to get suitable job-ready people to fill their vacancies. Employers will receive a quality service including the referral of skilled people and information on a range of incentives to assist employers in growing their businesses, for example, the Employer Job Incentive (PRSI) scheme, Revenue Job Assist and the JobBridge internship scheme.

The Minister said: “The period between now and Christmas is a very busy one for many employers and they may need to take on extra staff for a short time. The improvements which are now in place in the Department of Social Protection will help these employers find jobseekers from the live register and employ them as temporary workers for up to eight weeks without it affecting social welfare entitlements when the work ceases. Jobseekers who take on temporary work of up to eight weeks will not lose out on any secondary benefits when they resume claiming their jobseeker’s payment after temporary work.”

test

https://www.admailer.ie/

no comment

Don’t lower your prices too much, or else you won’t have a business/

In the service Industry the race to the bottom continues.

Today we were asked to perform a task, we quoted out price, and the caller said they could get the job done elsewhere for cheaper.

Normally we would enquire where elsewhere was, and if their service was the same, and then match the price but not anymore.

We are already at rock bottom. Frankly some jobs are now not worth doing.

For example: Would you drive 15 miles to do a job that you will be paid EUR 20 for?

That EUR 20 has to cover your fuel, insurance, and of course time.

You may not know it but the Irish Constitution gives a Citizen the Right to Earn a Livelihood.

Here at Ambrand.com we are sad to see the end of Town Councils, well most of them.

There have been few press releases from Town Councillors on the issue.

Below is one from a Bandon Town Councillor:

Cllr Gearóid Buckley (Labour according to his email address, but there is no logo on his website) has welcomed the announcement that Local Government is to be reformed.

‘The announcement marks a new dawn for local governance in Ireland. Since the beginning of the state Local Government has meant very different realities for each town and community with a huge disparity between different towns and counties.’

‘The principle of Municipal Districts is to be welcomed. Take Bandon for example. Its town boundary does not take into account the town’s entire urban area with areas such as Old Chapel and Rosewood excluded from the remit of the Town Council. We need to recognise that urban sprawl has transformed rural areas and we need new structures to reflect this change. Consider towns such as Ballincollig and Glanmire which have no local structures outside of direct county council supervision.’

‘Furthermore, some towns are further hampered by a clear under representation at county council level. Bandon’s Town Council is a former Town Commission (a town where commercial rates and charges collected are sent to their county council) and thus do not have a budget to complete any necessary projects by themselves. As a result we need to go cap in hand to Cork County Council and request funding for many local initiatives. In addition to this, three County Councillors represent Bandon, Kinsale and every community between on Cork County Council. This is in stark contrast to the Western Division of Cork County Council where Clonakilty and Skibbereen have full rateable councils (previously known as Urban District Councils) and also have far more county council seats (seven) in those areas. Bandon has been at a great disadvantage for years and these reforms will bring balance to this democratic deficit.’

‘Now Bandon will have a Municipal District with a minimum of seven Councillors and because representation will be based on population we will have equal representation to every other community in the country.’

‘I believe Municipal Authorities will also enable a more strategic approach to economic growth. Global local governance benchmarking trends use this model to implement clear economic objectives which define and utilise the unique micro and macro environmental factors of their regions. This has been reinforced by today’s plans as it states that local authorities will have a specific role in relation to economic development and enterprise support.’

‘The new Local Enterprise Offices and the position of Customer Services Officer are an acknowledgement of the need for change in economic development and how council staff deal with the public. Developments such as fixmystreet.ie and approved service plans will take local government into the 21st century with an efficient model which will effectively help people with their concerns.’

‘This new local government reform strategy will be judged not on how many councils are abolished, or how much savings we can make on the public pay bill, but instead on the success of the devolution of power from civil servants to public representatives. Over the past number of years county councils have centralised power and as a result local government has suffered. The new changes will shift the authority to the members and give elected representatives both more responsibility and more power.’

‘There have been attempts in the past to reform Local Government, however none have brought the necessary reforms to create an effective local government system. In 2001 the Local Government Act provided us with an optical illusion. For example changing Bandon’s Town Commission’s name to Bandon Town Council and this hasn’t revolutionised local democracy in our town, so it is clear real reforms are necessary.’

‘Of course the devil of this plan will be in its detail and implementation, however for somebody who can see the many flaws in our current system, I am very hopeful that we will see a new beginning for local democracy.’