www.impact.ie

work &lifeISSUE 2 • SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

SKINT!MONEY AND HAPPINESSEAT ON THE CHEAPHELPING THE POORESTSET BOOKS FREE AND GET FREE BOOKSLOOK GOOD ON A BUDGETCUT YOUR HOUSEHOLD BILLS

PLUSSTAY CALM IN TRAFFIC. CARERS’ RIGHTS.ROME. BATMAN. THE PREMIERSHIP. GAA. GARDENS. FOOD. MUSE MUSIC. COMPETITIONS. AND THE REST…

Surviving the economic downturn.

Inside this issue

3WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

work &life – The SKINT issue. Summer/Autumn 2008

COVER FEATURES

8 DOES MONEY MEANHAPPINESS?It turns out that money can’tbuy you happiness. But ithelps when you’re down onyour luck, says BERNARDHARBOR.

13 POVERTY FRONTLINE

We talk to the IMPACTmembers who tackled povertyand exclusion throughoutthe boom.

16 DRESS TO IMPRESS(on a budget)You don’t have to spend afortune to look good at work.TRISH O’MAHONY on how tomake your wardrobe work foryour career.

18 LUNCH MONEY

It’s time to reclaim thedisappearing Irish lunch breaksays NIALL SHANAHAN. And itneedn’t cost a fortune.

26 RECIPE FOR SAVINGS

We’re throwing away about athird of the food we buy.MARGARET HANNIGANadvises on your shift to kitchenthrift.

34 FREE BOOKS

Book-crossing could save youcash and enrich your reading.

42 CUT YOUR BILLS

COLM RAPPLE advises on howto cut those rising householdbills.

REGULARS

6 IMPACT PEOPLE

IMPACT’s new president takestime off from CSI Dublin.Really!

21 LETTERS

Win €50.

22 RIGHTS AT WORK

A new European legal opinioncould herald improved rightsfor working carers.

24 BE GOOD TO YOURSELF

Tense in traffic? KAREN WARDsays the car can be a goodplace to wind down.

28 GARDENS

JIMI BLAKE on how grassescan enrich your garden, big orsmall.

30 AT THE MOVIES

MORGAN O’BRIEN on the realBatman.

32 MUSIC

RAYMOND CONNOLLY findshis Muse. And all the best gigsfor this season.

36 TRAVEL AND TRIPS

Discover “la dolce vita” inRome.

44 SPORT

KEVIN NOLAN on GAA and thelooming premiership race.

NEWS

38 PAY TALKS LATEST

38 CIVIL SERVANTS CHASE

LABOUR COURT

38 SCHOOL SECRETARIES

38 RECRUITMENT PLANS

39 BENCHMARKING IS DEAD

39 BOSSES’ DOUBLESTANDARDS

40 PENSIONS GREED

40 NEW OFFICERS ELECTED

40 EU AGENCY DEAL

41 HEALTH CAMPAIGN

12Win aweekendbreak.

46Crosswordand Sodoku.

46Win €50.

49Win a €150hamper fromNutralife.

48Win €100.

IMPACT trade union

IMPACT is Ireland’s fastest growing trade union with over 58,000 members in the public services and elsewhere. We represent staff in the health services, local authorities, education, the civil service, the community sector, aviation, telecommunications and commercial and non-commercial semi-state organisations.

Find out more about IMPACT on www.impact.ie.

Hard TimesJUST OUR luck! The first issue of Work & Life hit the streets in May and the economic downturn starts to bite the following month.

It wasn’t us who put the brakes on the economy. Honest! But this special ‘SKINT’ issue is going out of the way to help you through the crisis. We have loads of ways to stop spending your hard earned dough.

There’s the reassuring news that happiness doesn’t cost money, and Margaret Hannigan tells you how to save a fortune by cutting out kitchen waste. Colm Rapple has advice on cutting those household bills, while Trish O’Mahony reveals how you can look good at work without breaking the bank.

Niall Shanahan meets a couple of community welfare officers as they help some of the poorest in our society, while Martina O’Leary catches up with IMPACT’s new president. And our regular books column explains how you can enrich your reading with free books.

And we’ve got all our usual features like sport, music, gardens, health and wellbeing, films, workplace rights and all the union news.

Thanks for all your encouraging comments on our first issue. It seems like you’re really enjoying Work & Life. Don’t forget to tell your colleagues to get on the mailing list. And do keep contacting us to tell us what you think.

4 suMMer/AuTuMN 2008

20 years agoDublin celebrates its 1,000th birthday in July 1988. The same month, Nelson Mandela is awarded the freedom of Dublin City, two years before his release from prison.

30 years agoDublin Institute of Technology is created on an “ad-hoc basis” by the City of Dublin VeC in september 1978.

40 years agoIn september 1968, George Best is the star attraction as Manchester united beat Waterford City 3-1 at Lansdowne road, two months after saddam Hussein becomes Iraq’s Vice Chairman of the revolutionary Council after a coup d’état.

80 years agoIn Britain, the first ever issue of the Beano goes on sale in July 1938. Meanwhile, Douglas “Wrong Way” Corrigan lands at Baldonnel airfield, Dublin, after a 28-hour non-stop solo Atlantic flight. He was supposed to be going to California. The following month Dublin Corporation buys 16 sets of traffic lights.

90 years agoOn 10th september 1928 the saorstát Pound, or Free state Pound, goes into circulation. It is the first Irish banknote to circulate for over a century. That July the Irish Tricolour is raised at the Olympic games in Amsterdam for the first time. Pat O’Callaghan from Kanturk, Co. Cork wins a gold medal for hammer throwing.

Women in the united Kingdom are finally given full voting rights on 2nd July. Voting rights for Irish women were extended the same year, but it would be 1945 before they achieved full suffrage.

140 years agoOn 5th June 1868, socialist and trade unionist James Connolly is born to Irish immigrant parents in edinburgh.

That was then

ALMOsT eVerYONe who’s visited IMPACT’s Dublin office knows Kay Hannigan, who retired from the union in June. The ground floor canteen, where visitors are shown for a cup of tea or coffee as they wait for their meetings, gradually came to be known as ‘Kay’s kitchen’ during her 13 years in Nerney’s Court.

Kay looked after the first floor and the people who use it. But she’ll always be best remembered for the fantastic welcome she extended to all our visitors. You might not have got a latte or cappuccino when you landed in Kay’s kitchen, but you were always greeted with a big smile and a great chat. If you were lucky, you might get a biscuit from the secret stash thrown in for good measure!

scores of staff turned out for her retirement do at the end of June, where many IMPACT branches sent their greetings and gifts. New union president John Power also made a presentation on behalf of the central executive committee.

IMPACT general secretary Peter McLoone spoke for us all when he said how much Kay was loved by her colleagues, and the hundreds of activists and members who came to know her over the years. “Kay’s extraordinary gift of connecting with everyone who used this building will long be remembered. she has made many, many friends here and we look forward to making tea for her next time she’s in,” he said.

5WOrK & LIFe: THe MAGAzINe FOr IMPACT MeMBers

work&lifeTHE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

Work & Life is produced by IMPACT trade union’s Communications unit and edited by Bernard Harbor.

Front cover photography by Conor Healy. Celtic tiger poster by Luke shanahan.

Contact IMPACT at:Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1. Phone: 01-817-1500. email: rnolan@impact.ie.

Designed by: O’Brien Design & Print ManagementPhone: 01-864-1920 email: nikiobrien@eircom.net.

Printed by: Boylan Print Group.

Advertising sales: Frank Bambrick Phone: 01-453-4011.

unless otherwise stated, the views contained in Work & Life do not necessarily reflect the policy of IMPACT trade union.

Work & Life is printed on environmentally friendly paper, certified by the european eco Label.This magazine is 100% recyclable.

All suppliers to Work & Life recognise ICTu-affiliated trade unions.

Kay (centre) gets a big kiss goodbye from colleagues Margaret Jackson and Ann Tiernan.

Pho

to: C

onor

Big kiss in Kay’s kitchen

Who or what’s the greatest love of your life?My best friend and wife Philomena.

Any pet hates?I really hate stupid form-filling. Red tape for the sake of red tape. That doesn’t mean administration isn’t important, but it isn’t the almighty in everything.

How did you get involved in IMPACT? My dad was a life-long trade unionist and I helped replace a staff organisation with a proper union in my first job in Trinity College’s forensic unit of pharmacology, where I met my wife. I’ve been involved with IMPACT since I started in forensic science 18 years ago. The best thing about being involved in the union is the diversity of the people you meet. Working with different groups is tremendously challenging and usually rewarding.

Why did you run for president?It’s a tremendous honour to have been elected President. I think it’s tremendously important that people see members being involved at the highest levels of decision making and IMPACT’s structures

allow that. I ran for president to influence some of the key decisions that affect our members and the people who use the services they provide. I want to get ordinary members’ views and explain what we are doing.

What was your most embarrassing experience?Doing this interview.

ForensIC sCIenTIsT John Power was elected union president at IMPACT’s biennial delegate conference in May. Work & Life decided it was time to dust for finger prints and find out what really makes him tick.

How would you describe yourself?Big and friendly.

Is forensic science really like CsI Miami?Of course. We are all beautiful people and drink coffee at any time. We call it the CSI effect. Sometimes people are shocked that we’re so good looking! But seriously, our function is to evaluate evidence. We’re independent of the police, and although you are often called as a prosecution witness, you are actually acting on behalf of the State to testify about the evidence.

What are your interests?My family. My union. People. I used to do a lot of DIY and have quite a lot of 95% finished projects and a very tolerant wife.

What’s your favourite book?A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It’s lovely and you can read it in one sitting. I read it every Christmas. I love that book.

What item can you not leave home without?My car keys.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?I’d like to go to Iceland. I’m fascinated by the natural springs and geysers, I’d love to be where the environment is so fresh and see something on the edge of change up close. It might not be there for too much longer.

Who’d be your ideal lunch partner?This is going to sound really corny but I’d choose a guy called Frederick Douglas, who visited Ireland in the mid-eighteenth century. He was a former slave and he talked about the emancipation of the slaves. He was a fascinating character who spoke about the welcome he received in Ireland. I wonder what he’d make of our country now.

What animal would you compare yourself to?A giraffe. I’m always reaching for something slightly beyond my reach. And sometimes I get it.

Who inspires you?On a personal basis I have been inspired by my parents. In a wider view, people like Nelson Mandela and Bob Geldof. People who have very strong personal beliefs and convictions, even if I don’t always agree with them.

What helps you when the going gets tough?Looking at how people dealt with adversity in the past and showed that you still have possibilities even when life is difficult. No one ever stamped your backside and said life was going to be easy. Sometimes you have to deal with that.

6 SuMMeR/AuTuMN 2008

IMPACT people

“No one ever stamped your backside and said life was going to be easy. Sometimes you have to deal with that.”

PresIdenT WHo?

An eye for detail

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?Be true to yourself. We all have an innate sense of what’s right and wrong. If you follow that you won’t go too far wrong. My dad gave me that advice.

What would you like to be remembered for?Being a decent human being, or at least trying to be a decent human being. I don’t see any difference between my trade unionism and myself as a person, I try to be the same person all the time. Then I don’t have to remember who I am!

I’d also like to be rememberd for my two boys. I’m tremendously proud of them. David (15), who’s just finished his junior cert, is into drama and computers and loves games. My older son Daragh’s into magic. He sits his leaving cert in 2009. I think Daragh could make a career out of magic l

IMPACT’S PRESIDENT is elected for a two-year term at the union’s biennial delegate conference. It’s the highest elected position in the union and paid union staff are not eligible to run for the job.

That means each president is an ordinary union member with a ‘proper’ job. New president John Power works in the State’s forensic science lab. His predecessor worked for Cork county council and other recent presidents have worked for Eircom and the HSE.

The president represents the union at a lot of meetings and events and chairs IMPACT’s biennial conference. It’s an influential position that also involves chairing the monthly meetings of the union’s central exectutive committee (often called the CEC).

This elected committee – also made up of ordinary union members – is effectively the ‘board’ of the union. It’s responsible for implementing policies agreed at union conference and managing the union’s resources and ongoing work.

The CEC has a president, four vice presidents, a treasurer, a secretary and an equal opportunites officer. These people, also elected at the main biennial union conference, are joined by representatives of each of the union’s five divisions – health and welfare, local government and education, civil service, municipal employees and services and enterprises. That ensures that the specific needs and interests of staff in each sector are factored in to the CEC’s decision making.

All IMPACT branches are entitled to nominate candidates for the CEC positions. This is usually done at branch annual general meetings, most of which take place between January and March. You should contact your branch secretary if you want to attend the meeting and be a part of the democratic process.

John Power at home with David (left), Daragh and Philomena. Photo: Conor Healy

I NEARLY laughed out loud when I read that the National Health Service plans to rate nurses on how smiley they are. British health minister Alan Johnson reckons smiling, empathetic nurses are as important to patients’ recovery as skilled surgeons and he’s piloting patient surveys to draw up a “compassion index.”

Money may be too tight to mention, but does that mean a miserable time ahead for Irish workers? BERNARD HARBOR looks at the relationship between money and happiness.

8 SUMMER/AUtUMN 2008 9WoRk & LIfE: tHE MAgAzINE foR IMPACt MEMBERS

Money and happiness

Yes, but are you happy?In true New Labour style, Johnson says he wants to encourage rivalry between wards over who can look happiest. Picture the scene as health professionals tell their immediate colleagues jokes to broaden their grins, and spread rumours of redundancy to wipe smiles off faces in the next ward!

It’s all be part of a trend as more and more businesses promote the idea that happy staff are worth more. And companies as diverse as Ben and Jerry’s, Starbucks, orange, Innocent Drinks and google are marketing themselves to prospective employees as fun places to work. McDonald’s cinema ads portray its fast food joints as social networks where staff can meet interesting people of all nationalities. Hewlett-Packard has gone as far as hiring a “chief happiness officer” to give businesses advice on improving office happiness (apparently the main solution to gloominess is to buy more laptops from Hewlett-Packard).

Needless to say, this idea has form. ten years after the Beatles released Can’t Buy Me Love in 1964, an American

called Richard Easterlin published the earliest economic study to conclude that economic growth doesn’t necessarily lead to more happiness. Although the ‘Easterlin Paradox’ was about national economic growth rather than individual organisations, HR professionals loved it. Evidence that happiness was not about money could usefully be applied to the workplace where managers could be encouraged to tinker with all kinds of things (except the pay slip) to raise morale and, thus, productivity.

Nice try! the fact is that happiness at work is about money too. As far back as the 1960s a now-classic study on job motivation by another American, frederick Herzberg, that, although good pay and conditions don’t necessarily motivate staff, a bad package will cause dissatisfaction. So bosses write pay out of the happiness script at their peril.

A growing number of convincing studies are analysing the link between wealth and happiness. And most conclude that, once a nation gets beyond abject poverty, economic growth stops increasing our sense of well-being. Despite massive increases in wealth over the last half century, for instance, measurable happiness has not increased in the western world.

Nobel Prize winning economist Daniel kahneman specialises in ‘hedonic psychology,’ or the study of what makes life either pleasant or unpleasant. He says it’s now easy to accurately measure happiness levels through brains scans. He also agrees that people are no happier than they were in the past, despite huge economic growth.

But money does matter in three important ways. first, the very low paid are measurably and permanently happier when paid more. Secondly, people are always unhappy when their income drops. And, most important of all, people are dissatisfied when their income compares badly with others.

So how could these findings inform happiness prospects in Ireland as the economy slows? first of all, it’s unhappiness all round for the growing number of people who lose their jobs or fear they might. Unemployment means low and falling incomes, and wealth levels that compare badly with others – even relatively low paid workers who keep their jobs.

for those in work, the likely final score is 2-1 to misery. trade unions have successfully negotiated the second highest minimum wage in Europe, and most workers earn more than that. So, although some are struggling, there aren’t that many employees on rock bottom wages. But if the government, employers and most economic commentators get their way on pay, growing inflation could gobble up pay increases, leaving most of us with less wealth. one-all at half time.

And if income ‘rivalry’ is the biggest cause of money-related unhappiness, as kahneman suggests, the growing gap between Ireland’s high and middle incomes guarantees a strong second-half comeback for misery. the economic slowdown has made little impact on huge private sector executive pay packages, boosted by sham ‘performance-related’ share deals and princely pensions. In the public service, top earners’ pay has been boosted by the higher remuneration body while low and middle earners have been pegged back by benchmarking.

kahneman says that richer people are happier because they have more than the rest of us, rather than because of the size of their pile itself. So a widening wealth gap makes them no happier, but it does mean measurably more misery for those left behind.

there’s a simple way of dealing with this conundrum: tax the rich more. It won’t cause them any grief, but it will make most of us happier by narrowing the wealth gap. And it would help the government to deal with falling tax revenues that are about to translate into reduced spending on schools, hospitals roads, parks and other public services that can make us happier.

Pho

to: C

onor

Hea

ly

When money mattersEvidence shows that pay affects workers’ happiness in three ways:

• Very low paid workers are always happier when they get a rise

• People are always unhappy when their income drops

• People are dissatisfied when their income

compares badly with others

An Irish problemLabour peer Richard Layard is the director of economic performance at the London School of Economics and has

10 SummER/AuTumN 2008

Money and happiness

Is happiness overrated?“ALL HAPPY families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Opening his masterpiece Anna Karenina Tolstoy might just as well have written: “Happiness is boring. I wouldn’t bother writing this, and you wouldn’t bother reading it, if the 1,000-page book was about a happy family.”

Count Tolstoy went on to reject fame, though not fortune, to lead a simple life impersonating peasants on his county estate. But the idea that interesting and successful people aren’t necessarily happy lives on. History is littered with miserable geniuses.

Vincent Van GoghThe unhappy Dutch painter suffered mental illness throughout adulthood and never sold a painting in his life. Arguably the most famous artist of all time, his works now attract top dollar.

Sylvia Plath‘Not waving but drowning,’ this American poetic genius suffered deep depression and (allegedly) from married life with more-famous Yorkshire rhymster Ted Hughes. Now rated among the top poets of the 20th century.

Doctor JohnsonHe spent eight years compiling the first English dictionary (well after the French and Italians had finished theirs). But Doctor Samuel Johnson’s middle age was blighted by profound melancholy, which sometimes bordered on madness.

Marilyn MonroeThe screen goddess and fine actress spent her early years in children’s homes because of her mother’s mental illness. monroe went on to suffer from depression, extreme highs and lows, and lasting insecurity.

Ian CurtisA recent biopic brought this macclesfield lad back into well-deserved limelight. Curtis changed the course of modern music with his band Joy Division in the late 1970’s. But epilepsy and a complicated love life fed the depression that led to disaster.

Tony HancockHard drinking, and wracked with self-doubt and depression, this son of an entertainer overcame stage fright to become a comic genius. The brilliant Hancock’s Half Hour attracted record TV audiences in the 1960s.

advised the British Labour Party on labour market issues. He argues that an unhealthy pursuit of higher incomes puts our happiness at risk, especially when it affects our important human relationships with family and friends.

It makes sense. more money doesn’t necessarily make us happy; time spent with family and friends does. Yet we’re spending more and more precious time at work (or getting there) in order to get more dough, albeit badly needed in many cases.

In his book Happiness: Lessons From A New Science Layard also argues that more individualistic and competitive societies can increase personal unhappiness. No soft touch, Layard has called on European governments to be tougher on the unemployed (on the basis that unemployment makes you unhappy). But he supports strong employment protections and better job security and argues against downsizing

and increased labour mobility, which he blames for destroying secure communities and families. To paraphrase: “Berlin, not Boston.”

But there’s a paradox. Workers in Ireland put in longer hours than most Europeans, yet we tend to rate well in international happiness leagues. In 2006, a study of 80,000 people placed us 11th in the “first ever world map of happiness.” Last August, a report into workplace happiness by a London market research company placed us third, after Holland and Thailand.

A ‘happiness at work index’ compiled by human resource consultants Chiumento in 2007 put salaries in tenth place in a league of workplace happiness factors. It reckons the biggest determinants of contentment are friendly supportive colleagues, enjoyable work, a good boss or manager, good work-life balance, and varied work.

It’s hard to believe that workers in Ireland have better experiences than other Europeans in all these categories. For instance, work-life balance is placed at number four in the Chiumento index, yet it’s a huge problem here where we work very long hours and spend so much time commuting between home, crèche and work.

Age of discontent?One interesting recent study of 500,000 people in Europe and the uSA found that happiness is age-related. On average, it says, we’re happy when young, gloomy in middle age, and happiest of all after we top 50. (A 2006 Irish Times poll supports this. It found that nine out of ten over-50s were happy with life).

The researchers speculate that this may reflect a link between happiness and expectations. Young people are confidently looking forward to a successful life. The middle-aged are grappling with the realities of unfulfilled hopes and aspirations. And older people started out with lower expectations which, for many or most, have been outstripped.

A strong link between happiness and material expectations could herald bad news for a large chunk of what is a relatively young Irish workforce. For many who entered the workforce in the last ten or 15 years, the experience has been one of massive economic growth, full employment, material plenty and lots of opportunities. We might find it hard to keep smiling through a time of uncertainty, unemployment and possible recession l

11WORK & LIFE: THE mAgAzINE FOR ImPACT mEmBERS

13WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

Community welfare officers

Whenthe tide

is always out

THE WORD ‘recession’ makes us allhighly excitable, sometimes even nos -talgic. In the last few weeks, there hasbeen much open speculation aboutwhether or not we’re returning to thebad old days of the 1980s.

For most of us, it was a dark decade. Itholds distant memories of friendsleaving for London, Munich, New Yorkand Boston, or mornings spent in thedole queue. It was a time when workersgave up a sizable chunk of their

income in tax, while being told that thecountry was virtually bankrupt.

Years later, we discovered there wasplenty of money around, but most ofit was ‘resting’ offshore, much likeFather Ted’s ‘Lourdes stash’ in LasVegas.

In brighter years, we were told that, in

the words of former Taoiseach SeanLemass, “a rising tide lifts all boats.”The soundbite depends on the con -venient assumption that everyone hasa boat ready to catch that rising tide.But that has never been the case.

Throughout the lean years that pre -ceded the recent boom, and throughthe boom years themselves, commun -ity welfare officers (CWOs) have beenat the frontline of helping peoplemarginalised by poverty, debt, addic -tion and mere circumstance.

CWOs are, as the name implies,community based, working from yourlocal health centre. They take care ofthe day-to-day running of communitywelfare services, including schemeslike medical cards and nursing homesubventions. �

“I had a case today wherea woman sought help

because she wasexperiencing domestic

violence. She had no idea ofwhat services were available

to her or what supportorganisations exist. We were

able to do that for her.”

“Recession: A periodof economiccontraction, sometimes limited inscope or duration.”

12 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

Pho

to:

Con

or H

ealy

LOCATED in the heart of the midlands,just 90 minutes from Dublin, Galwayand Limerick is the four-star TullamoreCourt Hotel, the ideal location for a wellearned break for you and your family.

And there’s no need to worry about thekids as Harry the Hedgehog Kids Clubwill take care of the little guests so youcan just relax, chill out and enjoy yourbreak. The hotel’s leisure centre is oneof the midlands’ top leisure centres,including a 20 metre swimming pool,kid’s pool, sauna, jacuzzi, steam roomand fitness suite.

Tullamore Court Hotel is offering onelucky reader a fantastic weekend familybreak for two nights bed and breakfastand one evening meal for two adultsand two children (sharing family room).

Win! Win! Win!a family break at the

Tullamore Court Hotel

To be in with a chance to win simply answer thisquestion and return to Roisin Nolan, Work & LifeTullamore Competition, IMPACT trade union, Nerney’sCourt, Dublin 1 by 10th August 2008:

Who will entertain the children at theTullamore Court Hotel’s Kids Club?A: Harry the HedgehogB: Barry the BearC: Larry the Llama

Work & Life readers can avail of a 10% discount on thefollowing special offers - • Mid week breaks - two nights, bed and breakfast and one

evening meal, €150 per person sharing • Weekend breaks - two nights, bed and breakfast and one

evening meal, €175 per person sharing

Children aged 12 and under are complimentary when sharing with 2adults. Children’s meals are charged for as taken.

To make your reservation please call 057 934 6666 or email andquote PSTU TCH. Offer ends 31st August and is subject toavailability. Terms and Conditions apply.

HERE TO HELP: Carl O’Rourke in Damastown, North County Dublin.

Community welfare officers

14 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

Managing the supple mentary welfareallowance scheme is a central part ofthe work, which inc ludes welfare allow -ance payments, rent, mortgage inter -est and diet and heating supple ments,back-to-school clothing and footwearschemes, and exceptional needs pay -ments. And from here, they are able toput clients in touch with a wide rangeof health and social services.

Louth-based Ann Matthews has workedin community welfare for the last tenyears. She’s seen a lot of changes inthat time. “For a number of years a lotof our work was with people who hadrecently arrived from other countries.This ranged from people trying to findwork to those awaiting a decision ontheir refugee status. It meant dealingwith a very broad range of needs andcircumstances, and sometimes dealingwith translators,” she says.

But the trend is changing again. “Nowwe’re seeing a surge in the number of

Irish people, and other nationalities,who have recently lost their jobs andwho need help. There has been a sharpincrease in the number of applicantslooking for help with their mortgagerepayments.”

Like all parts of the public service andcaring professions, the volume of workis a constant challenge. “Some daysare stressful, but that’s part of the job.Unfortunately there will always be aneed for this type of work because, nomatter how good our economy mightbe, there will always be people facing acrisis, for whatever reason,” she says.

A bit further south, her colleague CarlO’Rourke has been working as a CWOsince 1999. He’s worked in a variety oflocations, eventually settling in Damas -town, north county Dublin.

He seen it all? “I’ve certainly seen ahuge diversity in the kind of clients I’veworked with over the years. My time inMount Street included the period of

“We’re seeing a surgeof people who have

recently lost their jobs.There’s been a sharp

increase in the numberslooking for help with theirmortgage repayments.”

much-publicised queues out the door.It was very pressurised and regi men -ted work. The sheer volume was stagg -er ing,” says Carl.

He enjoys the work, particularly whenhe can do more than just write acheque to solve someone’s problem. “Ihad a case today where a womansought help because she was exper -iencing domestic violence. Coming outof that situation, she had no idea whatservices or support organisations wereavailable to her. We were able to dothat for her. With other clients, it mightbe about referrals to drug addictiontreatment or re-training for employ -ment after that experience.”

Carl says the biggest challenge is notknowing what will happen next. “Onany given day, we have no idea who willpresent to us or why. It accounts forsome of the stress of the job, but it’s achallenge, its part of the buzz.”

Government plans to transfer respon -sibility for community welfare servicesfrom the HSE to the Department ofSocial and Family Affairs have raisedconcerns among CWOs.

In evidence to an Oireachtas comm -ittee, IMPACT and SIPTU said that thepromise of discretionary communitywelfare payments gives marginalisedpeople an incentive to access healthand personal social services, whichthey are often unlikely to seek throughformal channels. CWOs are able toassess their needs and put them intouch with health services.

Carl feels that the proposed move toSocial and Family Affairs places a hugequestion mark over the future of thework. “We really don’t know what’scoming. CWOs don’t want to lose theflexibility and discretion they canexercise in helping people. Will our rolebe reduced to just writing cheques? Ihope not.”

Ann is also keen to see the service stayin health. “Ours is a frontline healthservice. If our jobs are moved intosocial welfare we will lose the link withother health disciplines,” she says.

Carl adds, “We work with Public healthnurses, GPs, hospital staff, addictionand psychiat ric services, which coversa lot of needs. This is just as well,because every problem presents as afinancial prob lem, and when you dig alittle deeper, you realise that is just thetip of the iceberg.”

Niall Shanahan.

More than ever, you need the protection of

your union.

www.impact.ie

There’s never been a better time to Join IMPACT

Dublin: Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1. Tel: 01-817-1500. Email: info@impact.ieCork: Father Matthew Quay, Cork. Tel: 021-425-5210. Email: impactcork@impact.ie

Galway: Unit 23, Sean Mulvoy Business Park, Sean Mulvoy Road, Galway. Tel: 091-778-031. Email: impactgalway@impact.ieSligo: 51 John Street, Sligo. Tel: 071-914-2400. Email: impactsligo@impact.ie

� Living standards threatened

� Public service cuts

� Pensions under attack

� Economy slowing

Pho

to:

Con

or H

ealy

To be hard up isunfortunate, to lookit could hurt yourcareer. But TRISHO’MAHONY says you

can dress to impressat work withoutspending a fortune.

THE MOST attractive thing you canwear is a smile, and it doesn’t cost athing. But you need to go to a bit moretrouble if you don’t want to cause aworkplace incident!

Some think that spending a lot ofmoney on clothes, and following thelatest trends, will ensure they’re welldressed for work. But it ain’t nec -essarily so. Other things are way moreimportant if you want to dress toimpress.

Getting to know your own body is thefirst step. Accepting it is a veryimportant second.

Dressing to enhance your bestfeatures, and downplay the onesyou don’t want noticed, is the key.All our bodies have posi tives andnegatives and books like Trinny

and Susann ah’s The BodyShape Bible will help you

identify your body typeand the clothes thatbest suit it.

17

Do� Stick to styles that best suit

your body shape

� Choose colours thatcompliment your skin tone

� Dress for comfort

� Scour bargain bins inboutiques for unusual pieces

� Buy good quality key pieces,especially in sales

� Swop clothes with friends

� Enhance your outfit with low-cost accessories

Don’t� Be careless. Torn hems,

missing buttons and stains areunacceptable

� Go for extremes. Heels toohigh, skirts too short

� Be a slave to fashion. It’sexpensive and unimaginative

� Keep stuff you don’t wear

� Leave home without using themirror

Budget buying Buying clothes isn’t always easy, but Ifind keeping it simple is more effectivethan trying too hard.

It’s better to have one good quality suitthan several cheap-looking ones. Myadvice is to buy the best quality youcan afford. It will repay you, not just inappearance and cut, but also in dur -ability.

Remember, if you buy a dearer suitthat costs more than you planned tospend, you can economise by buyingcheaper shirts, blouses and access -ories. We all like to be fashionable andwe can dispose of cheaper extras moreeasily, replacing them with the newestlook on the high street without break -ing the bank.

The sales are a great time to invest ina suit, coat or other key pieces forwork. Look for classic styles that won’tdate and good tailoring in neutral,timeless colours that suit your skin.Try not to be too influenced by thelatest styles or colours as they datemore quickly.

Make your basics work harder for youby creating a daytime look, maybe witha collared blouse, and an evening lookwith a strappy top or casual t-shirt. Youcan wear the same dress with strappysandals in the evening and boots tocreate a casual, daytime look.

Cheap skate? Lovin’ it!Recycling is a buzz word these daysand where better to start than withyour clothes? Organise a group offriends who have similar tastes, gathera small amount of the clothes youdon’t wear, and have a swop party.

If you’re like me and not sure aboutparting with your pieces forever, swopfor a season. You’ll probably neverwant them back but at least the safetyoption is there.

Organise yourselfClear the wardrobe of things you justdon’t wear. They’re taking up spaceand making you feel guilty. Thenorganise your wardrobe by putting alljackets, coats and suits together,skirts, trousers, tops, blouses, and soon. Then group in colours, say all whiteshirts together. This really helps whenyou are in a hurry.

Invest in a full length mirror if youdon’t already have one. And make surethe last thing you do before you leave

home each day is throw a critical eyeover your ensemble. Pay attention todetail – choosing a nice tie pays off.

Choosing your clothes the night beforeis a good way of preparing and yousometimes find things you’d forgottenabout. It gives you a little extra time inbed in the morning too. If you have alittle spare time, and even less sparemoney, it’s worth spending an evening‘trying on’. You’d be surprised what youmight find in that wardrobe.

One golden rule – there’s no excuse forcarelessness. Torn hems, missingbuttons and stains will spoil what couldhave been a very impressive outfit.

Turningrags toriches

Scrub up well!

WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

Your career

SUMMER/AUTUMN 200816

Getting the basics right – like skirtshape and length, trousers, neckline,even shoe style – all help to boostconfidence and prevent costly mis -takes.

Colour countsWe don’t impress ourselves, nevermind anybody else, by wearing coloursthat do nothing for us. But, thankfully,the opposite is equally true and wear -ing colours that are kind to your skintone and hair will leave you feelingupbeat and impressive.

The colours we wear should flatter andcomplement our skin tone, especiallythose closest to our face. Wearing theright colours gives a younger, healthierappearance that will get you noticed.

Also, think about the image you wantto project. If you’re going for promo -tion, or attending an important eventor meeting, you should err on theconservative side. Research shows thatdarker suits make us look more pro -fessional and authoritative.

It’s equally important to feel com -fortable. Clothes and shoes that are tootight, or too loose for that matter, leaveyou feeling uncomfortable and affectyour self-image. Avoid extremes - heelstoo high, skirts too short - as this willonly contribute to making you feel lessconfident.

It makes financial sense too. When Ifeel comfortable in something I find Iget endless wear from it. If I don’t, itjust gets pushed to the back of thewardrobe or consigned to the recyc -ling.

It’s expensive being

a slave to fashion

and disheartening

when you end up

looking like everyone

else on the high

street.

Choose clothes that express your ownindividuality and reflect your person -ality. It’s expensive being a slave tofashion and disheartening when youend up looking like everyone else onthe high street.

Don’t be a clone. Develop your ownpersonal sense of style. A habit I’vedeveloped is to investigate boutiquebargain bins. Rococo (Galway andDublin) is a must during the sales. Itmight involve asking a sales advisorwhat it is or how to wear it. But that’sokay because it’s guaranteed to beunusual.

Items like these aren’t just bargains,they’re little investments. You’ll findinteresting and unusual pieces thatenhance your individuality, and maybeput that finishing touch to somethingyou haven’t worn for ages.

Another recent discovery was theSaturday morning market in Cow’sLane, Temple Bar. You’ll find lots ofone-off designer pieces at veryaffordable prices. I bought a dress for€90, which I tried on in a boutique theprevious day for €250.

The only downside is there’s no fittingroom. Which is roughly where thisarticle began! �

Pho

to:

drea

mst

ime.

com

Photo: dreamstime.com

Let’s stop eating to the beat of the time clock and reclaim the disappearing Irish lunch break says NIALL SHANAHAN.

proportions. If workers are in a hurry, they’re more likely to grab a high-calorie quick-fix meal or just skip lunch entirely.

So what is the time-poor Irish worker opting for? According to Peninsula, the top five workplace lunch choices are jacket potatoes (favoured by a whopping 72%), fruit, pre-packed salads, pre-packed sandwiches and chips. These are largely healthy choices (with the honourable exception of chips – how can something so good really be so bad?). But the real concern is the growing trend of skipping lunch altogether.

The short-term effects of skipping mealtimes include mood swings, headaches, mental and physical fatigue and loss of concentration. We are more likely to indulge in unhealthy habits, like snacks between meals, in order to boost our depleted blood sugar. We are also far more likely to over eat in the evening if we skip lunch.

Social ritualsBut lunchtime is not just about food. Lunchtime rituals play an important part in our social behaviour too. It’s an opportunity for colleagues to take time out and talk about anything other than work. But we’re not going to the pub together for lunch anymore, so that rules that out.

Well, if your colleagues are driving you crazy, it’s an opportunity for some quality time with yourself. But preferably away from your desk. Either way, if this social time is limited to 22 minutes or less, the process of reparation before the afternoon workload means that you’re likely to find yourself running on empty before the working day is over.

Happily, some people are bucking the trend. Social networking websites devoted to meeting someone for lunch have sprung up across the globe. Lunch.ie offers a free subscription and an opportunity to display your own personalised invitation to a new lunch companion. Subscribers are attracted by the potential for professional mentoring, networking, friendship or even romance (it says here).

Perhaps the most telling offer came from Roberta, based in south Dublin. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a euro menu at McDonalds; I just want to meet new people who I can have a nice chat with. Please, save me from my staff room and all that small talk.”

As with all things in the Irish workplace, the lunch break has radically changed shape during the years of rapid economic growth. Perhaps it is time to reclaim it and value that pause in the middle of the day. Reclaiming your lunch break might just be a crucial first step in surviving recession and a general decline in the champagne lifestyle we’ve allegedly been living l

GORDON GEKKO rebuffs an invitation to lunch in the film Wall Street with the ferocious line: “Lunch is for wimps!” His power-rebuke suggested that if you stopped to eat you weren’t really working at all.

A couple of scenes later, Gekko (played by Michael Douglas) brings his young protégé Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) to an exclusive steakhouse for lunch and orders him a steak tartare (heavily seasoned raw mincemeat topped with a raw egg). Gekko himself doesn’t eat anything and promptly leaves the restaurant. If it teaches us anything, it is that ruthless millionaires are rushed and indecisive when it comes to their food.

But so are the rest of us it seems. Research just published by an employment law firm reveals that Irish workers only take an average of 22 minutes for lunch, compared to 45 minutes three years ago.

Lunchtime and money

Believe it or not, we’re spending over €17 an hour on midday meals!

WE ARE officially heading for recession after almost a decade worrying about the possibility of a slowdown. Probably time to start thinking about how much money we spend on lunch.

Food prices have rocketed this year as grain and fuel prices have soared. A modest lunch of a freshly made sandwich, a piece of fruit, a drink and a packet of crisps costs anywhere between €5.50 and €7 a day.

That means that, assuming we work about 250 days each year, our annual lunch bill is somewhere between €1,375 and €1,750. So with average lunch breaks now limited to 22 minutes long, the cost of the food we eat now averages €17.05 per hour.

Perhaps its time to start packing last night’s left over stews, curries or stir-fry into a Tupperware box and bringing them into work? After all, it will save time, money, and ensure that we are more likely to eat something nutritious.

American ‘etiquette expert’ Beverly Langford says that bringing in leftovers is like wearing an old cardigan to work: There’s nothing wrong with it, but it doesn’t project power and success. In her book, The Etiquette Edge: The Unspoken Rules for Business Success, she says: “Your lunch is part of your nonverbal communication, just like your jewellery.”

Well Beverly, I don’t wear any jewelry and my non-verbal communication skills are limited. So, if it’s all the same with you, I’m on a much needed economy drive. Break out the Tupperware.

18 Summer/AuTumN 2008

Spend Less

follow, it’s not hard to understand how these radical changes in lunchtime habits have come about. But we are not alone in this shifting trend.

Take the Italians. Lunch was traditionally the biggest meal of the day and all work ceased for two hours while people went home for a big meal. But even they are now having shorter, lighter, lunches in order to meet work and family commitments. Four out of ten Italians still eat lunch as their main meal of the day, but it’s a sharp decline in traditional habits.

Many Irish workers are already eating breakfast in the workplace or on our way to work, thanks to those long

Lunch is for wimps...all 22 minutes of it!

“We’ve halved our lunch breaks in Ireland over the last three years. Are we facing the prospect of having to multi-task lunch?”

Pho

to: d

ream

stim

e.co

m

The survey also found that nearly three-quarters of us eat our lunch at our desks. A similar survey in 2005 found that the pub lunch was the second most popular choice for workers. Three years on, this habit has been phased out entirely in favour of the deskbound lunch.

In some European countries, eating at your desk is contrary to health and safety regulations. Now, before any of you have time to shout ‘Nanny State,’ consider the fact that our desks, workstations and computer keyboards are a veritable petri-dish of bacteria. Recent studies suggest a toilet seat would be a more sanitary surface from which to scoff a tuna melt panini.

Pho

to: d

ream

stim

e.co

m

But far more worrying is the fact that 63% of employees believe their boss discourages them from taking a full lunch break. Alan Price of Peninsula explains: “People have become a lot busier and they are choosing to use their free time to catch up on work.” He says this is counter-productive because it makes staff tired at the end of the day and leads to poorer quality work.

World trendGiven that so many of us have to choose between catching up during lunch or working a bit later with a long commute to

commutes and early morning crèche runs. How else do you explain the market dominance (and alleged political influence) of the breakfast roll?

But none of this is quite as depressing as the experience in the USA where, in a recent survey, a third of urban workers admitted to having to eat lunch in their car. Given that we’ve halved our lunch breaks in Ireland over the last three years, are we facing the prospect of having to multi-task lunch?

This raises questions of weight gain and obesity, which, we are constantly being reminded, have reached epidemic

Niall Shanahan l

19WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAzINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

Withfriendslikethese

I note the Friendsof the Elderly have

launched a comp etit -ion to find Ireland’s old -

est worker, with twoin div id uals currently tied at an obscene 88 yearseach. Does this organisation think this isdesirable, that there is some kind of dignity inthis?

I bet IBEC, what is left of the PDs and a certainairline boss are laughing at the good of it all.William Martin Murphy is also, no doubt, enjoyinga rare chuckle from his fireside seat in Hell.

Committed trade unionists fought bitter battlesfor the right of workers to retire with dignity andpensions in their mid-sixties. They also fought formany public servants, like myself, to be able toretire at 60, and some significantly earlier. I salutethem all!

Imagine their feelings at seeing their endeavoursperniciously rolled back until people, once more,work until they drop.

As a reader of social history, and an observer ofworking life for many years, I have noticed manyworkers fail to get the time to enjoy their pensionentitlements.

The Friends of the Elderly would be much better‘employed’ in seeking the best possible pensionsat an appropriate age for the people they purportto represent.

Most of us enjoy our work, but we also realise a time comeswhen we have done enough. Even old horses get put out tograss.

Yes, there is dignity in work! But there is I believe, even moredignity, following 40 years of such work, in having the time toenjoy hobbies, family and friends, and an adequate income onwhich to live.

The choice of working for life is fine, but there is somethingnot quite right about this.

Colleagues, this kind of competition is wrong, especially whenpublic service pensions are under threat like never before.With friends like these…

Jerry King, Mayo branch

Work & LifeWork & Life is the magazine for members of IMPACT trade union.IMPACT mem bers can have it mailed to them by con tacting Work& Life at IMPACT, Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1 or by emailingrnolan@impact.ie. Or call Roisin Nolan on 01-817-1544.

IMPACT also produces a monthly e-bulletin with more detailedinformation about the union’s activities and cam paigns, anddevelopments in your work place. Sign up via the website onwww.impact.ie.

IMPACT is Ireland’s largest public sector union with members inhealth, local government, the civil service, education, thecommunity sector, semi-state org anisations, aviation and tele -communications.

STAR

LETTER

€50

WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS 21

You never write, you never phone...

Work & Life pays €50 for the best letter

published each month and €30 for the rest.

Let us know what you think about the

magazine or the issues it’s covered.

Come to think of it, let us know your

views on anything at all!

Get out your pen and paper today. And

don’t forget to keep it nice and short.

Write to Roisin Nolan, Work & Life,

IMPACT Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1.

Or email rnolan@impact.ie.

We only publish signed letters.

Work & Life may edit your

letter for size.

6 7 5 3 2 1 4 9 8

8 2 3 9 5 4 7 6 1

1 4 9 6 8 7 2 5 3

3 6 4 1 9 5 8 7 2

2 8 1 4 7 6 9 3 5

5 9 7 8 3 2 6 1 4

9 3 6 2 1 8 5 4 7

4 5 2 7 6 3 1 8 9

7 1 8 5 4 9 3 2 6

Easy Difficult

6 5 4 7 3 8 1 9 2

2 1 3 9 5 4 6 7 8

7 9 8 6 2 1 3 5 4

5 3 7 8 9 2 4 6 1

1 8 2 4 6 7 5 3 9

4 6 9 3 1 5 8 2 7

8 4 6 2 7 3 9 1 5

3 2 5 1 4 9 7 8 6

9 7 1 5 8 6 2 4 3

Across: 1. Devoted 5. Accra 8. Tenet 9. Private 10. Disdain11. Alpha 12. Venial 14. Carafe 17. Sioux 19. Almeria 22.Taffeta 23. Order 24. Rally 25. Naivete.

Down: 1. Dated 2. Venison 3. Tetra 4. Depend 5. Alibaba 6.Camp 7. Average 12. Visitor 13. Anxiety 15. Abridge 16.Bataan 18. Offal 20. Maori 21. Agree.

PS

Your say

Summer/Autumn Soduko Solutions(From page 46.)

Summer Crossword Solutions

See page 46 for the competition winners from Issue 1

Page title

22 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

This article is for information only and is not a legal interpretation. Find out more on www.impact.ie

CARERS THROUGHOUT Europe got apotential boost recently when the toplegal advisor to the European Court ofJustice (ECJ) said they should get thesame legal protection against dis -crimination as people with disabilities.

The ECJ itself could take a differentview, so the case is not won yet.

But, if the court accepts the legalopinion, it means laws barring disa -bility discrimination will also coveremployees who need to care for adisabled person. This would provideimmediate protection for millions ofworkers who juggle jobs with full-timecare.

EU could bolster

More infoMore detailed guidance isavailable on the rights at work section of our websitewww.impact.ie. You can alsoget a booklet from the DSFA.Or you can contact the Carers’ Association atinfo@carersireland.com.

“The bad news is thatthe leave is unpaid. But

you may be entitled tocarers’ benefit.”

bunal. Mean while, Irish workers areentitled to take temporary carers’leave to look after someone who ismedically certified as needing full-timecare and attention. You can apply totake carers’ leave in one continuousperiod of 104 weeks, or for a numberof periods not ex ceeding a total of104 weeks. If you don’t take the leavein one continuous period, there mustbe a gap of at least six weeks betweeneach leave period.

You must have worked for your em -ployer for a continuous period of 12months to be eligible and you have togive a social welfare officer at leasteight weeks notice before you intendto take the leave. You must also giveyour employer six weeks written noticeand details of the welfare officer’sdecision.

The bad news is that the leave isunpaid. But you may be entitled tocarers’ benefit. The Department ofSocial and Family Affairs (DFSA) hasdetails of eligibility.

You can work for up to 15 hours aweek while taking carers’ leave, pro -vided your employment income is lessthan a weekly limit set by the DSFA.Alternatively you can undertake edu -cation or training, or do voluntarywork, for a maximum of 15 hours aweek.

Most of your employment rights areprotected. But you are not entitled topay, certain annual leave and publicholidays, or superannuation contribu -tions and benefits.

Continuity of service is preserved anda worker is entitled to return to thesame work or, if this is not ‘reasonablypracticable’, suitable alternative workon terms and conditions no less fav -ourable than they had in their previousrole. That means, for ex ample, that theHSE couldn’t refuse to take you backbecause of its staffing restrictions, asit has done with some staff who tookcareer breaks.

Employers can refuse you leave if it isless than 13 weeks, but this has to bebased on ‘reasonable’ grounds andyour boss must specify the reasons inwriting. You can’t take carers’ leave inrespect of more than one person atthe same time, unless they livetogether. And this exception can onlybe exercised once.

Disputes between you and your bosscan be referred to a Rights Comm -issioner, with a right of appeal to theEmployment Appeals Tribunal within21 days of the decision. The Carers’Leave Act protects you againstvictimisation for taking or applying forcarers’ leave �

carers’rights

Your rights at work

SARAH MCNALLY* works for the HSEin the west. She recently took carers’leave for 18 months to look after hertwo teenage children, who are bothdiagnosed with attention deficithyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

“It got to a point where I really neededto take the time out to care for mychildren, who were both experiencingbehavioural problems. I was trying tocope on my own while working fulltime. The leave allowed me to con -centrate on their needs and organiseappropriate support for them as theywere at a crucial stage in their dev -elopment,” she says.

Sarah’s son Michael* is now 14 andher daughter Rebecca* is 16.

When she first raised the idea, heremployer wasn’t that familiar with herright to take carers’ leave to look afterchildren. “That was the first hurdle Ihad to pass. A lot of people avail of it

to look after an older relative, so mysituation was relatively unheard of. AndI was the first person in my area toapply for carers’ leave.

“I had to refer my manager to thewebsite and I did all the legwork as faras the application process andgathering information was concerned.But once local management was awareof the process they gave every assis -tance.”

Although carers’ leave is a legal entitle -ment, Sarah thinks the process waseasier for her because there was noHSE recruitment embargo in placewhen she took the leave two years ago.“It was less of a problem than it mightbe now. The current situation makes itfar more difficult to avail of any kindof leave of absence. Term-time ispractically non-existent now,” she says.

But it’s worth pointing out that, in thecase of carers’ leave, employers are

legally obliged to hold your job openor provide suitable alternative workon pay and conditions no less favour -able than you had in your previousrole.

“I will probably take carers’ leaveagain in the future, so the fact thatwe have been through it once alreadymight make the process a bit easier.I can’t consider it now because Icannot afford the drop in income,”says Sarah.

Like thousands of others, Sarahstruggled with the obvious problem:Carers’ leave is unpaid. “It is difficult.There’s no point denying it. I wasentitled to carers’ benefit, and I wasable to apply for respite grants forboth children during that period. Thathelped enormously,” she says.

* Real names have not been used.

I did all the legwork

The case was taken by British womanSharon Coleman, a former legalsecretary whose employers allegedlyharassed her out of her job after sherequested leave to care for her sonOliver. She claimed her managersbranded her as ‘lazy’ when sherequested time off to look after Oliver,who suffers from a rare respiratoryorder.

A ruling is expected later this year,after which the case will be referredback to a London employment tri -

Photo: dream

stime.com

Dare to care.

“ ”

WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS 23

Don’t let commuting drive you round the bend when your daily journey offers great opportunites to chill out. KAREN WARD explains.

Traffic calming measuresMOST OF us think of travel time as dead time, frequently becoming frustrated and stressed over traffic jams and the increasing amount of time we waste in the car.

But here’s a radical thought. Instead of travelling from A to B exhausted and tense, why not use your drive time to relax and calm a little? Imagine the car (or bus, train or bike) as your very own private relaxation space.

Here are a few simple and highly effective ideas to try out when your vehicle is stationary.

BREATHING. At traffic lights and in traffic jams (and with your eyes open for safety) breathing very slowly is a very easy way to calm the body and mind. It’s the basis of Yoga, T’ai Chi and Pilates and it works very effectively.

First, sit up straight in the seat, and then exhale deeply and slowly. Pause for a few seconds, and then inhale slowly. Do this five times to send a simple ‘I want to be relaxed right now’ message to the brain, via the nervous system.

If done regularly on the way into work this technique will set you up for a calm, relaxed day. And it will help you wind down on the way home, especially after a busy day.It’s the regularity of the technique that works the magic – the breathing itself is simple to do. You will be amazed at how 15-20 breaths once a day can change your world.

EYE EXERCISES can relieve eye strain and potential headaches before or after a long journey. Sit up straight

and keep your head still. Move your eyes up and down, then right and left and back to centre.

Now slowly circle your eyes to the right, pause, and then left. Finally rub your hands vigorously together to generate some natural heat. Then cup them over each eye to help ease any tiredness.

STRETCHES can ease neck and shoulder tension. Circle your shoulders forward five times, then backwards five times. Then slowly bring your chin to your chest stretching the back of the neck.

Next, hold one arm at shoulder height over the steering wheel or handlebars and grasp at the wrist pulling away from the body to ease out the mid back and shoulders.

POSTURE. Most of us wish our posture was better and, as we get older, our postural bad habits can contribute to back, neck and shoulder problems.

If you can use your daily travel time as a way to correct this you’ll see results quite quickly. This will then become a new healthy habit, which will have benefits in all aspects of your life as you walk tall without tension in your body.

First check your seat is at the proper angle. Your head should lean against the head rest and your back should be straight. Then tone your abdomen when you are sitting at traffic lights by pulling in the abdominal muscles and gently pulsing them in and out for a few seconds. Don’t grip the steering wheel too tightly – relax your shoulders.

24 SuMMer/AuTuMN 2008 25WOrk & LIFe: THe MAgAzINe FOr IMPACT MeMBerS

PSYCH DOWN to leave either work or home life worries behind you and enjoy the day or evening in peace. Before your journey sit in the car and breathe slowly. Consciously leave any problems or worries behind you. And, as you start the car, imagine your worries getting smaller and smaller the further you drive away. This should leave you calm yet alert, and it works very well whether you’re travelling home-to-work or vice versa.

MUSIC is a great way to soothe you on your journeys, especially long trips. How about either Lyric FM or a relaxing CD? Sing along to your heart’s content as you release tension, letting your soul soar after your busy day.

CAR AROMATHERAPY Why not use the art and science of plant, tree and flower oils to relax, renew and uplift? It’s a completely holistic treatment that takes account of your mind, body and spirit, as well as your busy lifestyle. There’s a wide range of wonderful oils to use to help de-stress, relax, revitalise and rejuvenate.

Make your own car freshener by placing 2-3 drops on a hankie, dashboard or upholstery. You can use relaxing and calming oils like lavender and camomile, uplifting oils like bergamot or grapefruit, or good health oils like eucalyptus, tea tree or olbas oil to boost your immune system.

Next time you go to the Body Shop, try out the various smells and let your nose decide which you prefer. Then check the instructions for their benefits and use accordingly. A few drops are all that is needed, as they are very concentrated and highly effective.

HYDRATION. Our bodies are nearly 70% water and we need to replenish this amount daily. Drinks like tea, coffee and soft drinks are all diuretics and deplete your body’s supply. Still water, herbal teas and juices hydrate and, on average, you should be drinking approximately 1–1.5 litres of these each day.

use your travel time to make sure you’re getting enough water in your system. keep it very simple. The equivalent of one small bottle of water on the way into work, the same again on the way home with another during your day will be sufficient. On a long journey you will have to budget time for a toilet stop depending on how much you drink.

There are a myriad of little stress busters to keep your physical, mental and emotional health in good shape. The idea is to keep it simple, enjoyable and regular l

1. VISuALISATIONSit or lie somewhere comfortable and close your eyes. Imagine your favourite place in nature (a forest, the garden, a paradise island). go through your five senses and really imagine you’re there. What do you see, hear, feel, taste and smell? Lose yourself for five minutes in a total fantasy while you escape from reality.

2. MeDITATIONMeditation is simply a technique to bring your mind from a busy state to a relaxed one. In India, where chanting is part of the culture, people get up at 5am and chant cross-legged. You might like to try focusing you mind on one thing to the exclusion of everything else for 2-3 minutes. Your mind will wander away, that is only natural. gently keep bringing it back to the focus you have chosen.

3. HOLIDAY SCeNeSit or lie down and visualise a scene from a favourite holiday. You may choose the same image or find that you choose a different holiday or scene each time you do this meditation. As you think about where you were and what you were doing, your body will start to remember how relaxed it felt then and so will relax you now.

4. HOBBY HOrSeFocusing on a hobby or interest is active meditation Irish style. Make sure you do your favourite pastime at least once a week as part of your relaxation ‘tool kit’. You’ll feel the benefits in a short period of time.

karen Ward, holistic therapist from rTe’s Health Squad, is co-author of The Health Squad Guide to Health and Fitness. She runs her clinic in Smithfield, Dublin, treating her treasured clients from a mind, body, spirit and energetic perspective. www.karenwardholistictherapist.com.

KAREN WARD suggests some ways to relax through meditation. Don’t try these in the car!

Be good to yourselfFOur WAYS TO WIND DOWN

27WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

From the kitchen

26 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

UNTIL RECENTLY we in the west werebusily reaping the benefits of tradeglobalisation, enjoying cheap food,cheap consumer products and all thegoodies our ‘because-we’re-worth-it’little hearts desired.

Meanwhile, Asian workers paid buttonsmade all our consumer durables, andlived on rice and the promise of a carsome day.

While we were happily upgrading ourTVs and buying another patio heater,we were putting money into thosesame Asian economies, making themboom. This has created a new middle-class in China and India, who now havecars and want all the rest of the toys.

They’re now competing with us for allthe scarce resources like energy (ie,

The holidayin yourkitchen binMost of us throw awayabout a third of the foodwe buy. But now we’re inthe middle of a foodcrisis, MARGARETHANNIGAN advises onyour shift to thrift.

Ham and mushroom en croute (serves 4)

KEEPING WITH the theme ofthrift, I’m en cour aging you tolook for wine promotions andspecial offers. Remember, theretailers are suffering too andthey’re setting out loss leadersevery week.

To the uninitiated, loss leadersare special offers designed tolure you into the shop. Theretailer makes a loss on theseitems, but recoups a profit on

Thrifty to thepower of 101. Get a FREEZER.You can freeze

almost anything except milk,cream and most uncooked fruit,berries being the exception.

2. Learn to COOK. It really helps!

3. READ your cookery books,don’t just look at the pictures.

4. Get OPPORTUNISTIC. Visitfriends with orchards withempty bags in your hands,admire your father’s vegetablegarden, tell your Mam she’s theworld’s best baker.

5. Track down FREE STUFF.Black berries, hazelnuts, sloes,mussels.

6. Eat with the SEASONS. Rem -em ber, it can’t stay summerforever.

7. BAN food in boxes. You’re pay -ing for the paper and plastic it’swrapped in.

8. PLAN ahead. Make shoppinglists and plan meals that piggyback on each other.

9. Stock your cupboards withVERSATILE ingredients. Alwayshave tins of tomatoes, olive oil,pasta, cheese, eggs and milk.

10. Shop as INFREQUENTLY aspossible. Supermarkets investmillions on new ways to makeyou spend money even thoughyou only came in for milk.

oil) and water. And even food, becauserich people eat more than poor people.This is helping force prices upwards,and contributing to a global food crisis.

You didn’t know there was a foodcrisis? Have you checked your grocerybill lately?

Food pro duction is a very hot topicright now with chronic shortages inAsia spark ing riots and serious polit -ical unrest, and prompting a dedicatedUN summit. In the year to March2008, the price of flour has risen by42%, bread has risen by 20% andmilk, cheese and eggs have gone up by13%.

Add to this the fact that most of uswaste up to a third of the food we buyand the real cost becomes apparent.It’s all led to what observers are callinga shift to thrift, which includesstretching every meal, and reducingwaste as far as possible. So, what canyou do?

Well first of all, inform yourself. It’s allabout preparation and planning. Thereare scores of blogs on the internetdevoted to thrift. Check them out andtake whatever you need from them.

Use your public library for free internetaccess and free books about cooking,nutrition, growing your own, foraging –you name it.

For the cook, it starts with theshopping list. Plan your meals for theweek, or longer if you can. Avoidprocessed foods. You’re paying forevery part of the process, from theelectricity used in the factory to theinks used in the packaging. Read yourcookery books and put dishes togetherthat piggy back on each other. Likeroast chicken on Sunday, curriedleftovers on Monday, and freeze anyleftover vegetables or sauces.

If making spaghetti bolognaise, makea really big one, and use half of it fora lasagne. In fact, always cook morethan you need of anything, and alwaysfill the oven, and freeze half. If you

haven’t got a freezer, buy one now.You’re not just freezing food, you’refreezing time. Time spent shopping,cooking, and clearing up afterwards,plus the cost of your petrol for thatextra supermarket trip.

Sit down and think carefully aboutwhat you use and throw out, and try tobe disciplined about it. When youcome home from the supermarket orthe grower’s market, or wherever, sortyour food into categories of cooking –immediate, tomorrow, and over theweek.

Don’t just bung the vegetables in thebottom of the fridge, give them apurpose. For instance, a cut pineapplewill deteriorate overnight, so don’t buyit unless you’re going eat it all in onego, or use it in a dish. Similarly, cook

the broccoli before it goes yellow, andput those plums in a crumble beforethey become wrinkled and mouldy.

Try to think of it not just as a mushypiece of fruit, but as a handful of eurocoins going in the bin.

So you have to become canny when youbuy, and canny when you cook. A friendof mine, who attended a cookerycourse run by a very well-known chef,recalls being rebuked for throwing halfa lemon in the bin “That’s your holidayyou’re throwing away,” she was told.Remember that.

On a personal level, it’s about makingthe most of our own scarce resources– our salaries! And on a global level, it’sabout helping the planet avert a crisis.If we in the first world use less, they inthe third world can have more �

The case for thriftTHERE’S A wealth of dishesbased on the idea of putting amixture of simple ingredientsinto a pastry case to makethem look more attractive. Thesame principle works for ravioliin Italy. We shy away fromleftovers, but essentially thisdish extends ham into some -thing very attractive. You canalso use Gruyere, thinly slicedleeks, or turkey for a change.Or try couscous, root veg,

goat’s cheese and cran berrysauce for a vege tarian version.

INGREDIENTS: 200g mush -rooms, sliced • 50g butter •50g flour • 300ml milk • 300mldouble cream • 450g dicedham • 2 rectangular sheetspuff pastry • 1 egg, lightlybeaten • 1tsp onion seeds.

Preheat oven to 220C/gas 7.Gently sauté mushrooms in thebutter until wilted. Keep heatlow to prevent butter burning.Remove mushrooms with a

slotted spoon and add theflour to the pan. Cook on a lowheat for 5 mins, stirring con -tinually. Add milk and cream,and cook for another 5 mins,still stirr ing. Allow to cool, thencom bine with the ham andmush rooms. It’s important tohave a thick mixture, or it willrun out of the pastry. Checkseasoning.

Grease and line a flat bakingtray with baking parchment.Lay over one sheet of pastry.Leaving a gap of 5cm around

the side, spoon the mix intothe middle and brush the sideswith beaten egg. Run a knifedown the middle of the secondpastry sheet, and place on top,sealing the edges, trim downwith a sharp knife to get agood clean edge. Egg wash thetop, then score with a sharpknife, and sprinkle over theonion seeds. Transfer to oven,turn down heat to 200C/gas 6and bake for 20-25 mins oruntil golden brown.

Step up to the plate!

Cheap plonkall the other stuff you buy whileyou’re there. So buyer beware.Ignore offers on loyalty cards asthey cost you money in the longrun. But offers for 25-30% offif you buy six bottles can workas wine has quite a long shelflife.

As a general rule, match thewine to the main ingredient inthe main course. Beef thusgoes with claret, salmon with

crisp white semillion, and so on.It’s also a good idea to look tothe region that inspired thedish, Italian Chianti and Sangio -vese will happily accompanypasta dishes with rich sauces.French casseroles, or cousinsthereof, will be complementedby wines from Bordeaux and theLangue D’Oc region, but willoverwhelm a Beaujolais.

Similarly, with Indian and Chin -ese food – beer or cider, notwine. As to what goes withbacon and cabbage, your guessis as good as mine!

Photo: dreamstime.com

Pho

to:

drea

mst

ime.

com

Ornamental grasses can give your garden that added edge. And, says JIMI BLAKE, they are surprisingly easy to handle.

I’D LIKE to share my passion for ornamental grasses with you! The aesthetic appeal of grasses is unique. Their colour, though often less saturated than those of traditional garden plants, are softly sophisticated and remarkably varied.

Elegant, eclectic, translucent, visually stunning and extremely versatile – just some of the many adjectives I could use to describe the wide variety of ornamental grasses available on the market today.

My love affair with this fascinating group of plants started while working in Airfield Gardens in Dundrum and has continued at Hunting Brook, my own garden near Blessington. In late summer and early autumn, my grasses take centre stage, creating a stunning finale to the gardening year and extending the interest into winter and spring by providing structure, movement, muted colours and an architectural base accentuated by occasional light snowfalls in the Wicklow mountains.

PART OF the fun is choosing quality over quantity when you plan and plant small gardens. Forget the old rule about planting in groups of three or more. When space is at a premium it’s far more rewarding to grow six different grasses than to have six identical ones.

Keep in mind that each plant in a small garden should earn its keep by looking good for as many months of the year as possible.

When you’re shopping for a pot, make sure you buy a decent sized one rather than a collection of tiny, silly looking things. Fill the pot with John Innes compost as this has added soil which will not dry out so quickly.

Single grass plants look wonderful in a container without cluttering it with other plants. The three grasses mentioned below all need to be planted in full sun and will survive dryer conditions than most plants.

I recommend these grasses for small gardens and containers:

Stipa tennusima. If you dream of having a pony but only have a window box or container, how about trying this ‘pony tail’ grass which resembles a pony’s tail growing out of the soil. This stunning grass with its silken inflorescence shimmers with the slightest breeze and is one of the easiest plants to grow and source.

Elymus magellanica. This has the most intense blue foliage of any grass and it’s the most talked about grass in my own garden. It’s a stunning addition to any garden.

Stipa gigantean. The golden oat grass is one of the most elegant and stately of all. The foliage is evergreen and flowers from early summer through autumn with golden oats on the top of each stem. The inflorescences are especially radiant when lit by the summer sun. This grass looks wonderful in a large container with verbena bonariensis growing with it.

Jimi Blake owns Hunting Brook Gardens near Blessington, Co Wicklow and runs 35 weekend courses through the year in gardening, cookery, art, complementary health & craft. www.huntingbrook.com

Stuck for space

Green fingers

28 SuMMER/AuTuMN 2008 29WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAzINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

The very best book on grasses is ‘The Colour Encyclopaedia of Ornamental Grasses’ by Rick Darke (Timber Press). Other helpful guides include ‘The Encyclopaedia of Grasses for Liveable Landscapes’ (Rick Darke, Timber Press), ‘Planting the Natural Garden’ (Piet Oudolf and Henk Gerritsen, Timber Press), ‘Dream Plants for the Natural Garden’ (Piet Oudolf & Henk Gerritsen, Frances Lincoln), ‘Designing with Plants’ (Piet Oudolf, Conran) and ‘Gardening with Nature’ (James Van Sweden and Wolfgang Oehme, Random House).

Super grass!

Grasses are among the easiest plants to grow and they’re perfect for those who think their fingers are not so very green. And ignore the misconception that they will spread all around your garden; there are a few thugs, but don’t let them give the others a bad name.

The majority of grasses need full sun and soil which is not enriched with manure or artificial fertilizers. Shady sites and rich soil cause the grasses to grow leggy and become a floppy mess in late summer. I try to avoid planting them too close together, which causes them to lose the beautiful fountain effect that so many grasses have.

From early summer through to spring their gentle movement and soft whispering sounds can bring your garden alive like no other plants. Then, when you have had enough of the brown winter look, cut the grasses to the ground, and the cycle of growth quickly starts again.

Grass species are propagated by division or seed, division taking place in late spring just as the plants are starting to grow. It can be risky to divide or transplant grasses in the autumn or any other time of year as they seem to dehydrate and die. Believe me, I have learned by my mistakes!

The divisions should be potted into a weak compost mixture (50:50 potting compost and garden soil) which prevents the roots from getting burned. After potting, they should be placed under clear plastic to stop them drying out until the little divisions burst into growth and begin pushing up the plastic.

Then you can remove the plastic and, when the plant has formed a good root system, it’s time to plant. This process might only take 4–6 weeks. Grass seeds are sown in the spring in a warm room or glass house and do take at least a year to form sizable plants for planting in the garden. Go on, give it a try. It’s great fun l.

Find out more

My top 5AS THE name suggests this grass is very like sugar cane and can grow up to a height of ten feet. With strong bamboo like stems, it’s an excellent plant for structure and giving you that tropical effect. Don’t cut them back until April. Instead, strip back the dead leaves from the stems in early winter, revealing the amazing colours from orange to purple and yellow. Any Miscanthus is worth getting. It’s the type of grass I would most recommend.

2. Calamagrostis x acutiflora (Karl Foerster). This is a wonderful architectural plant that begins flowering in early summer with a thin, slightly purple inflorescence. It should stay upright with dried inflorescences until spring.

3. Calamagrostis brachytricha. Inflorescences begin with a strong reddish purple tint fading to silvery-grey and remaining open and feathery well into winter. I combined it to great effect with verbena bonariensis, thalictrum delavayi and echinacea purpureum. This is most suitable for dried or fresh arrangements and as an extremely stylish container plant.

4. Cordaderia richardii (type of Pampass grass). This is native to most areas of New zealand and can grow up to ten feet with its off-white inflorescences making wonderful food for finches in the spring. It blooms from midsummer until autumn. I suggest you give them plenty of room and keep them uncongested by cutting them back every spring.

5. Pennisetum macrourum. This is native to the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa but, unfortunately, I did not get to see it growing wild when I travelled there. It has greyish blue leaves and an inflorescence like a cross between a Siamese cat’s tail and a pipe cleaner. They can grow to about five feet and look so graceful swaying in even the slightest breeze.

Pho

to: d

ream

stim

e.co

m

Pho

to: d

ream

stim

e.co

m

Pho

to: d

ream

stim

e.co

m

Pho

to: d

ream

stim

e.co

m

31WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

At the movies

30 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

Rollercoaster action,careful characterisationand respect for theoriginal comic booksmake directorChristopher Nolan’sBatman darker and moresatisfying than the rest.MORGAN O’BRIEN looksforward to the secondinstalment.

AFTER A summer of so far under -whelming cinema releases, 25th Julysees the eagerly awaited release of TheDark Knight, the second instalment,after 2005’s Batman Begins, of Chris -topher Nolan’s retooled Batman series.Anyone fortunate enough to havegotten a glimpse of the bank heistscene leaked onto the internet earlierin the year will have felt a suitablefrisson of excitement.

With Batman Begins Nolan breathednew life into the iconic figure of Bat -man after film studio Warner Brothershad earlier initiated a number ofultimately failed projects, most notablya proposed collaboration betweendirector Darren Aronofsky and comicbook veteran Frank Miller.

Nolan’s film successfully combined asophisticated dramatic narrative withrollercoaster action and, more imp -ortantly, developed a more co herentand faithful representation of theBatman than was witnessed in theinitial run of films, which were besetwith problems of style, continuity andcharacterisation.

For all Tim Burton’s panache behindthe camera, Batman (1989) and Bat -man Returns (1992) displayed a generallack of fidelity to its comic book sourcematerial. This tendency was worsenedby director Joel Schu macher, whoallowed the tone of the films tobecome inflected with the heavily campsensibility of the 1960s televisionseries, especially in the risible Batmanand Robin (1997).

This basis has imbued Nolan’s workwith a darker and more satisfying tone,which remains truer to the originalspirit of the character.

Nolan’s appreciation of comic booksas source material, and by implicationas a legitimate form of culture ratherthan a mere preserve of childhood, hasalso allowed him to build a far moreinter esting and consistent sense ofstory and character. Concentrating onthe genesis of the Batman in BatmanBegins strongly established the char -acter for the audience.

This was largely absent from the earlierfilms, where Batman was often thinlysketched with little or any gesturingtowards his motivations or psychology,and usually overshadowed by thevillains he faced. Earlier Batman filmsafforded the villains an excessiveprimacy that effectively sidelined thetitle character himself. For example,Jack Nicholson’s Joker and Tommy LeeJones’ Harvey Dent were given promin -ence in Batman (1989) and BatmanForever (1995) respectively.

In maintaining Batman as the centre ofthe story, Nolan provides space for theintroduction of new characters HarveyDent/Two-Face and, of course, theJoker without having them overwhelmproceedings.

The early indications are of a film ofboth style and substance that con -tinues the themes developed in the firstinstalment, suggesting that Nolan mayonce again have raised the bar forsuperhero films �

Earlier Batman films afforded

the villains an excessive

primacy that effectively

sidelined the title

character himself.

Bat boys and girlsBruce WayneChristian Bale returns toplay wealthy business -man Bruce Wayne andhis crime fighting alterego Batman. In BatmanBegins Bale exhibitedthe right blend of charm

and intensity. He’s been consistentlyexcellent since his breakthroughperformance in American Psycho.

The JokerThe late Heath Ledger was reportedlykeen to develop a distinctive inter -pretation of Batman’s most notableadversary and advanceclips would suggest thecreation of a darker andmore malev olent char -acter than Jack Nichol -son’s comic jester.

Harvey Dent/Two-FaceAaron Eckhart, aproven versatilecharacter actor, isdistrict attorneyHarvey Dent, anally of Batman andfriend to Bruce Wayne, who isdisfigured by the Joker. Reportssuggest that Nolan has chosen to makeTwo-Face a rival vigilante rather than avillain.

Lt. James GordonNolan’s desire to est -ablish strong charactersin the series is evident inthe selection of thealways watchable GaryOldman as Lt. Gordon.Despite limited screentime in Batman Begins

the character was established as anhonest cop, who’s sympathetic to Bat -man.

Alfred Pennyworth Veteran actor MichaelCaine returns with thereq uired level of gravitasto portray Bruce Wayne’strusted butler Alfred.

Rachel DawesAs a love interest in Bat -man Begins Rachel waslargely consid ered theweak est ele ment in thefilm. Maggie Gyllenhaalreplaces Katie Holmes inThe Dark Knight, where sheis the subject of a rivalry betweenHarvey Dent and Bruce Wayne.

In contrast, Nolan and his scriptcollaborator David S Goyer have ex -plicitly drawn from both the char acter’searly incarnation in the DetectiveComics series of the 1930s and 40sand more recent inter pretations foundin, for example, Frank Miller’s Batman:Year One and Jeph Loeb’s The LongHalloween.

DarkKnight Vision

Christopher Nolan’s Batman leaves

others hanging.

MORGAN O’BRIEN outlines the maincharacters.

33WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS32 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

Play it loud

Picnic basket

Late summer’s gig scene is a mixed bag says RAYMOND CONNOLLY.

Gig night outDate Artist VenueJuly 30/31 Aug 1 Tom Waits Ratcellar Theatre, DublinAug 1 Cathy Davey Electric Avenue, WaterfordAug 6 Nanci Griffith Mount Errigal Hotel, LetterkennyAug 11 The Flaming Lips Custom House Sq., BelfastAug 13 Muse/Kasabian Marlay Park, DublinAug 14 The Enemy Custom House Sq., BelfastAug 15 The Zutons Custom House Sq., BelfastAug 19 Lenny Kravitz/Alanis Morissette Marlay Park, DublinAug 20 Metallica/Tenacious D Marlay Park, DublinAug 21 The Killers/Bloc Party Marlay Park, DublinAug 29-31 Electric Picnic Stradbally Hall, LaoisAug 30 Shayne Ward Royal Theatre, Co MayoSept 8 Gloria Estefan Odyssey Arena, BelfastSept 12 Emmylou Harris National Stadium, DublinSept 12 Nickelback Odyssey Arena, BelfastSept 13 Nickelback RDS Simmonscourt, DublinSept 14 Stray Cats Vicar Street, DublinSept 24 Snoop Dog RDS Simmonscourt, DublinSept 26/27 Joan Baez Vicar Street, DublinOct 3/4 Art Garfunkel Vicar Street, DublinOct 13-14/17-19 Gilbert O’Sullivan Olympia Theatre, DublinOct 13 The Stranglers Ambassador, DublinOct 20 Michael Bolton Vicar Street, DublinOct 22 Stephen Stills Vicar Street, Dublin

DEPENDING ON which way you look at it, this gig season iseither ‘return of the legends’ or ‘they haven’t gone away, youknow’, albeit dotted with the odd spot of new and emergedtalent.

August kicks off with Tom Waits (I can’t wait) in Dublin.Meanwhile down in Waterford the unmissable Cathy Daveymarks the release of her new album Tales of Silversleeve(recommended) with what’s sure to be a compellingperformance.

The only way to hear Nanci Griffith is from a distance, so avoidthe Letterkenny area on 6th August. Belfast’s Custom HouseSquare has a busy middle week in August with its own trilogycomprising of Oklahoma psychedelics The Flaming Lips, TheEnemy, and Scouse indie rockers The Zutons (of Valerie fame).

But the gig of the year looms when Muse storm into Dublin’sMarlay park on 13th August (see box). Park fare continues thefollowing week with an odd combination of Lenny Kravitz,Lena Zavaroni and Alanis Morissette. Ironic, don’t you think?

In case you thought nostalgia was all about the 1970s (ofcourse, it should be!) Latin pop princess Gloria Estefanprovides some early nineties nostalgia in Belfast in earlySeptember. Nickleback demonstrate several versions of theirone and only idea shortly afterwards.

Blue Kentucky girl of folk-country, Emmylou Harris, boundsinto Dublin’s National Stadium for her next bout on 12thSeptember, while her senior contemporary Joan Baez playsVicar Street at the end of that month. Forty years fromWoodstock to Thomas Street. That’s some journey.

There’s a little treasure hidden between these two legends asBrian Setzer’s Stray Cats strut into Vicar Street.

October promises some turbulence in a battle of the barnets.Art Garfunkel is up first (Vicar Street again). Mr and Mrs Ghad amazing foresight when they named their boy all thoseyears ago. His hairstyle is, indeed, a work of art (barnet rating9/10). Gilbert O’Sullivan has a whole week to himself at theOlympia (barnet rating 10/10). And then hail soft-rock balladconcoctionist Michael Bolton (barnet rating 1/10). Some hairymoments indeed �

Struttingthroughsome hairy moments

1. Are Friends Electric? by Tubeway Army: Gary Numangets his name in lights with this 1979 monster hit.Absolute classic.

2. Electric Avenue by Eddy Grant: You watt? Just whenyou thought things couldn’t get worse thanI Don’t Wanna Dance.

3. Together in Electric Dreams by Phil Oakey andGiorgio Moroder: No charge in this grim effortfrom an even worse film.

4. She’s Electric by Oasis: “She’s got one in theoven, and it’s nothing to do with me.” Life’s a gaswhen the Gallagher boys discover their feminineside.

5. Electric Guitar by Talking Heads: David Byrneand friends unplugged.

6. Electric Lady by Geordie: 1973 thunderboltfrom Newcastle. Brian Johnson roars loudly.Seven years later he’s hired by AC/DC.

7. Electricity by Orchestral Manoeuvres inthe Dark: OMD’s 1979 post-punksynthesized debut failed to light up thecharts (hit No.99 in the UK).

8. Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix:Delight in this AMPle 1968 classic fromguitar’s tormentor-in-chief.

9. Electric Landlady by Kirsty McColl:Kirsty loves Jimi. Socket to me!

10. Greased Lighting from Grease:Desperation stakes. But this despicable effort

always gets a run out at weddings and Christmasparties.

Dubs due Devon’s delightDEVON HAS waited and waited. All these yearsclinging on to the success of Ambrosia creamed ricemust have been tough. But these days there’ssomething else to brag about. Come forth MatthewBellamy, Christopher Wolstenholme and DominicHoward, collectively known as Muse, the first band tosell out the newly-built Wembley Stadium.Wolstenholme? Wembley? There’s some people on thepitch, they think it’s all over…

Picking up the NME’s best live band award plus theIrish Meteor award for best international liveperformance for their Oxegen 2007 outing, this bandare a scintillating live act. It has been said (wrongly)that Muse are a poor man’s Radiohead, an observationthat’s unfair to both bands. While they share a love ofall things grim, their respective repertoiresdemonstrate only the most incidental of similarities.

A glance at HARRP, the recently released live DVD ofthe Wembley gigs, should do enough to convince thatthis is a must see show. If it doesn’t there may be helpavailable.

STAR TURN: Muse, Marley Park, Dublin, 13th August.

MUSE: Gig of the season.

DUST DOWN those battery-powered teddy bears. It’s August,and that means it’s Electric Picnic time. The annual dad-rockfest takes place at Stradbally Hall, Laois, from 29th to 31stAugust.

Since its 2004 inception, the Picnic has grown from a one-dayouting to a full three-day endurance test. This indie-alternative-dance fest boasts a more eclectic line up thanmainstream events.

Develop your yoga stance and savour some sushi as the partyrolls on. On the listing is Young Hearts, Run Free legend CandiStaton (unfortunately listed as Candi Station, an error whichcould provoke wildcat industrial action as it clearly indicatesa unilateral change to the schedule).

There are many stand out acts at this year’s event includingFranz Ferdinand, the magnificent Goldfrapp, Elbow, Gomez,Tinariwen, Tindersticks, Cathy Davey and - wait for it - the SexPistols. Something for everyone.

10 Electric ShockersTo celebrate this year’s electric picnic,RAYMOND CONNOLLY sifts through thearchives to find some truly electrifying hits.

MARGARETHANNIGANreveals a newworld of freebooks.

MOST OF us who love read -ing have a personal relation -ship with our books. We lovethe look of them lined up onour shelves like colouringpencils in a box, each one fullof its own story. On a daywhen we forget to put out thebins or put petrol in the car,we can look at them fondlyand feel at least a little bitclever.

We also love the feeling ofbeing the first reader of anew book, and that headysmell of fresh paper and newink that promises adventure.For some of us it’s close toan addiction. We can’t goanywhere from the bath tothe back end of Ulan Batar,without having a book withinarm’s reach.

Most of all, we love it whenwe stumble upon a newbook, whether begged, borr -owed, or recommended by afriend. So, for us compulsiveread ers, the arrival of book -cross ing.com is a really excit -ing development.

To put it simply, bookcross -ing is the act of releasingbooks you have read “into thewild,” by leaving them in ran -dom, or sometimes predes -ignated spots for others topick up, read, and leave downagain for another passer-by.The website offers an oppor -tunity to track your book,read other people’s comm ents andgenerally share in an online debate. Totrack your book you need to register,which is free.

The site was founded by Ron Horn -baker in 2001. He got the notion fromsites like Photo.Tag.org, which tracksdisposable cameras let loose, andWheresGeorge.com (no, not Clooney,Washington) which tracks US currencyby serial number, and may very well bethe cyber equivalent of train-spottingwithout the high anorak replacementcosts.

Bookcrossing.com has a phenomenal603,449 members in 130 countries,and has won a couple of websitedesign awards. Although relatively slowto take off in Ireland, there are book-crossers among us, with even a coupleof official book-crossing events takingplace. The most recent of these wasthe release of 100 books by Frenchand Irish authors into the publicdomain during the Franco-Irish LiteraryFestival in Dublin last April.

In a rather nifty bit of publicity, O’BrienPress also left copies of The MostBeautiful Letter in the World on park

benches around the city. The book,written by Karl O’Neill, is about a girlwho finds a magic letter in a redenvelope marked “To You.” Naturally,each book was packaged in a redenvelope, with a gold stamp, marked“To You.” Who could resist?

Another one you may have missed iswhen the National Library liberated250 anthologies of WB Yeats poetry inJuly 2007. So, you see, it’s not justseals, dolphins and hand-reared lioncubs that can be set free, it’s bookstoo! �

Brought to book Book reviews

34 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

ALFRED AND EMILYDoris Lessing (4th Estate, £16.99).

DORIS LESSING won the Nobel Prize forLiterature in 2007 so a new book fromher is something to look forward to,although I found her last novel, The Cleft,somewhat implausible. Alfred and Emilyis the story of the lives and times ofLessing’s parents, who were seriouslytraumatised by World War 1.

He was a soldier fighting in the trenches,where he was shot and subsequently losta leg. She was a nurse working in a largeLondon hospital, caring for the maimedand dying. Neither of them could evershake off the pain they carried fromwhat they witnessed and what was lost.

After the war they went to live in Rho -desia, in the hope of making a fortuneand returning to buy a farm in England.This dream never came true as Alfred’shealth deteriorated and Emily nursedhim. The cover shows photos of two veryhandsome people and their beautifulchildren who should have been happy.The first part of the book is a short novelof the lives these two beautiful peoplemight have led had the war not in -tervened. A loving, yet sad gift from theirdaughter.

Kathryn Smith

THE SECRET OF LOSTTHINGSSheridan Hay (Harper, £7.99).

ONE OF the lost things referred to in thetitle is a missing novel by HermanMelville. But mainly it’s Rosemary’s lifethat has disappeared. Having lost hermother, country, and culture she stepsoff the plane in New York with onesuitcase, 300 dollars, and her mother’sashes in a pine box, and sets aboutfinding out what happens next.

Fortuitously, as often happens in fiction,she finds a job fairly easily in the Arcadebookshop, joining a staff of misfits in theemploy of George Pike, who reads like across between Silas Marner, and CountOlaf from the Lemony Snicket stories.Overseeing all is the manager, WalterGeist, a sad and lonely man. He pursuesRosemary with a vehemence born ofcertain failure, while she has a crush onthe unavailable Oscar.

Walter is stumbling into blindness, andenlists Rosemary’s help in reading afateful letter offering the lost Melvillemanuscript for sale. Anxious to impressOscar, she shares the details with him,and in doing so becomes lost herself.

Rosemary, a naïve foil for confidences,quests and betrayals, unwittingly be -comes a lightning rod for change andcataclysm.

By the book’s conclusion, all is changed,changed utterly, but unfortunately for thereader, a terrible beauty has not beenborn. Because among the other lostthings in this book are pace, plot, climax,and credibility, making it a would-beliterary thriller that is often the formerbut never the latter.

Margaret Hannigan

THE PLAGUE OFDOVESLouise Erdrich (Harper Perennial,£7.99).

LOUISE ERDRICH is an American writerin the truest sense, being part nativeAmerican herself. This book tells storiesfrom the lives of the inhabitants of asmall North Dakota town and Erdrichknows these people very well. The firstvoice we hear is from a young girlgrowing up on a nearby reservation.From her grandfather, she hears tales ofthe bad old days when being an ‘Indian’was enough to get you hung.

The thread runs through the book aswe hear from each speakerweaving a picture of life that isat once specific and at thesame time universal; storiesof family, comm un ity, viol -ence and love. This is lyrical,atmos pheric and des criptivewrit ing, creating im ages anddel ivering thoughts directlyfrom the hearts and minds ofthe characters. It takes a littleeffort so it’s not ideal for aholiday read on a noisy beach.More for a hotel bal cony over lookinga scenic lake.

Kathryn Smith

THEGRAVEDIGGER’SDAUGHTERJoyce Carol Oates (Harper Perennial, £7.99).

WITH A title like that it can go twoways. A doom and gloom saga or abrisk run through hilarious adven tureswith our heroine overcoming all sortsof adversity, and coming up trumps inthe end. Sadly, it’s the former.

Newly born to a family of German-Jewishrefugees, Rebecca Schwart entersAmerica in 1936. The only job her fathercan find is as a gravedigger and cem -etery caretaker. Haunted by Nazi dem -ons and subject to prejudice andhumiliation in his new life, his brutaltreatment of his family erupts in anappalling act of violence.

While traumatic, this gives Rebecca anew lease of life, bringing marriage,motherhood, and a surreptitious changeof identity. As post-war America bloss -oms into the prosperous 1950s, her lifebecomes one of personal re-invention,opportunities grasped, and secrets.

Oates is too intellectual a writer todeliver a neat and tidy ending, but shedoes allow for a conclusion happier thanthe beginning. While this is quite aliterary book, Oates has a tendency tooverwrite, and doesn’t stint on themelodrama. The characters rollercoasterbetween archetype and stereotype inquite an alarming manner, and overallit’s a cluttered and exas -perating read thatwould cloud eventhe sunniestday.

MargaretHannigan

Photo: dream

stime.com

WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS 35

Passing the book

Photo: dream

stime.com

37WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

Travel and trips

36 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

“IT ALWAYS makes me think of Rome.The way the sun hits the buildings inthe afternoon.” So said Phil Connors,aka Bill Murray, as he attempted towoo Andie McDowell in Groundhog Day.

The city has inspired several iconicand lasting cinematic moments (Greg -ory Peck and Audrey Hepburn at theSpanish Steps in Roman Holiday, AnitaEkberg splashing around the TreviFountain in La Dolce Vita, RussellCrowe entering the Colosseum inGladiator). But none quite captures the

way that ordinary things Roman takeon a mystical quality quite so well asMurray’s lumbering tribute.

La Città Eterna (The Eternal City) wasonce the centre of the known world.The heart of the Roman Empire, itsinfluence was felt as far south and eastas North Africa and Asia, and as farnorthwest as the border betweenScotland and England.

But for our weather, the Romans wouldhave pitched their tents on the banksof the Liffey too. Instead, they namedour island Hibernia (‘land of winter’)and moved on. There’s no pleasingsome people.

Easy charmA trip to Rome will certainly satisfyyour cultural, historical and gastron -omic appetites. This is a city thatcharms with an ease and sophisti -cation, and sets the stan dard for otherEuropean cities. Not surprisingly, it is

RennaissanceAs one of the few majorEuropean cities that es -caped World War II rel -atively unscathed, cen tralRome remains essentiallyrenaissance and baroquein character. Its historiccentre is listed by UNESCOas a world heritage site.

Stepping off the ‘B’ line atColosseo, one of Rome’smost famous sites greetsyou as you exit the station.However, don’t be temptedto join the queue (andthere always is one)straight away. The Coloss -eum is adjacent to theancient Forum and Pal -atine Hill. Purchasing aticket for any one of thesegains you admission to allthree sites. The queues areshortest at the Palatine,which also affords the bestviews of the ancient city.

Take the time to tourPalatine Hill, down to theForum, then skip thoselong queues at the Col -osseum and go straight in.After all that, make yourway across to the variouscafes and informal tratt -orias of the Monti dis trict.

Despite being a tourist quarter, thewealth of eateries are generally verygood value.

Other highlights of the city inc ludedthe Trevi fountain (remem ber to flip acoin in if you want to return to Rome)and the won derful Pantheon, built bythe Emperor Agrippa. The Campi dogliomuseum, overlooking the Forum, ishome to some of Rome’s greatest an -tiquities, inc luding the famous bronzedepiction of the She-Wolf nursing

Romulus and Remus, the foun -ders of the city.

A trip to Vatican City (Ottavianostop on the ‘A’ line) is worth -while, but expect to queue togain entry to St Peter’s basilica.One stop further will take youto Cipro and the Vaticanmuseum. You could spend awhole day here and still not seeeverything, but all rooms leadyou to the Sistine Chapel even -tually. Under the patronage ofPope Julius II, Michelangelopainted 12,000 feet of thechapel ceiling between 1508

La Dolce VitaNIALL SHANAHANspent a few days inRome where theancient mergeseffortlessly with themodern.

The densely populated city is builtaround apartment living. The mostobvious advantage of this is thateverything you need, from shoppingand food, to essentials like espresso(coffee), gelato (ice cream), and aperi -tivo (booze) are within walking dis -tance. Navigat ing the city from ourbase in San Giovanni proved to be lessof a challenge than we expected, andthe city is very child-friendly andaccessible. �

and 1512. After all his hard work itwould be a shame not to marvel at it.

One of the lesser known attractions isthe beautifully preserved ruins ofOstia, which lie 20 miles from Rome inthe meadows between the Tiber riverand the Tyrrhenian Sea. It was foundedin the fourth century BC as a militarycolony and by the second century ADit had become a flourishing comm -ercial centre inhabited by over 100,000people, whose apartment buildings,taverns, and grocery shops are stillintact.

Less well known than the ruins ofPompeii, Ostia is a 20 minute train rideout of the city, and well worth the trip.

The conclusion of my traveling com -panions was that Rome was spec -tacular, and all are keen to return foranother visit. The city can be exploredat whatever pace you like, so take yourtime, and experience la dolce vita (‘thesweet life’) for yourself.

As for the way the sun hits thebuildings in the afternoon, it’s thatintense buttery Mediterranean sunlightreflecting off all that marble andsandstone. Have a look; you’ll see whatI mean �

the third most-visited tourist destin -ation in the EU.

We traveled there in May when latespring is tolerably warm for walking,the best way to explore this wonderfulcity where the ancient merges effort -lessly with the modern.

We chose the early morning Aer Lingusflight from Dublin, flying into Da Vinciairport. It has the advantage of arrivingat a reasonable time, but we hadn’tcounted on Dublin airport being quiteso busy at five in the morning. Some -thing of a challenge when you’re trav -elling with two children.

A friend recently missed his earlymorn ing Rome flight with anotherairline, and took the train to Cork forthe afternoon Aer Lingus outing. Heinsists it was hassle-free and a quickspot check on the Aer Lingus websitesuggests that advance booking makesit cheaper than flying from Dublin.Worth consid ering if Cork is convenientto you.

Colosseum.

Pantheon.

Trevi Fountain.

Campidoglio Museum.

Sistine Chapel.

Modern Roman passions:football and graffiti.

Pho

to:

drea

mst

ime.

com

Photo: dream

stime.com

Photo: dream

stime.com

Photo: dream

stime.com

Photo: dream

stime.com

union business

38 summer/AuTumN 2008

Towards 2016

Cowen wants pay dealTAOIseACH BrIAN Cowen says he wants a deal to follow the first phase of Towards 2016. He attended a special session of the pay talks on 2nd July, along with the Tánaiste and finance minister, after ImPACT urged the Government to inject new momentum into the negotiations.

mr Cowen told unions and employers that a new pay deal would “send out a very strong signal of stability, competence and confidence” to the international community during difficult economic times. “I believe that puts a high value on a new national agreement, on pay and other issues,” he said.

But he said a deal could not come at any price, for any of the partners. He did not endorse a public service pay freeze, which had previously been dismissed as “an absurd proposition” by ImPACT general secretary Peter mcLoone after it was proposed by employers’ group IBeC in June.

“The interests of the parties have to be reflected in the outcome. The imperative to seek agreed solutions through social partnership is stronger than ever,” according to the Taoiseach.

mr Cowen’s intervention came after ImPACT called on the Government to give a clear political signal that it wanted social partnership to continue. After two months of talks, with little progress, the two interventions are expected to inject a new momentum into the process.

mcLoone dismissed employer suggestions of a pay freeze as “neither sensible nor acceptable” and said no union would ask its members to vote for zero increases, particularly at a time when inflation remained stubbornly high.

But talk of deep public expenditure cuts was equally worrying. The Taoiseach’s intervention in the talks also addressed this point when he indicated that the social partners, including unions, had a role to play in dealing with the downturn.

so far the negotiations have mainly focused on workers’ rights, including union calls for a deal on agency workers and measures to strengthen representation rights, which have been seriously weakened by the supreme Court’s judgement in the ryanair case. But there has been little meeting of minds on these issues either.

On pay, unions want to protect living standards against inflation, particularly for the low paid who are hit hardest by rising food, fuel and other prices.

In urging the Government to engage in the talks, mcLoone highlighted social partnership’s track record of delivering modernisation in the economy, society and public services. “If we fail to reinvigorate social partnership, with all its proven mechanisms for participation, shared analysis and problem-solving, I believe public service reform faces a very uncertain future for workers, managers, and users alike,” he said.

IN sHorT

Labour Court sought

CIVIL serVICe unions have voted to abandon the existing conciliation and arbitration scheme and seek access to the Labour Court and Labour relations Commission. The Department of Finance has agreed to establish a sub-committee to examine how the change can be implemented. ImPACT says it would bring faster resolutions for individual claims.

recruitment focus

ImPACT PLANs to arrange meetings with branches in the different regions and sectors over the coming months to discuss recruitment, organisation, training and communications. “We intend to have a more detailed discussion on what we need to do next to help build a stronger ImPACT and improve support for our volunteers, branch officers and branch committee members,” according to general secretary Peter mcLoone.

Task force named

A GOVerNmeNT ‘task force’ charged with advising on how the recent OeCD study of Irish public services can be implemented is expected to report by the end of the summer. It is to consult with public service unions. The Government has said it will implement some, but not all, of the OeCD recommendations.

schools action

THe FIrsT in a series of one-day regional protests at the continuing inequalities in school secretaries’ pay and working conditions was staged successfully in Donegal in June. more are planned for september.

Find out more on these and other stories from www.impact.ie

39WOrk & LIFe: THe mAGAzINe FOr ImPACT memBers

Bosses blasted for pay double standards

BeNCHmArkING Is dead. That was the message from ImPACT’s biennial conference, which took place in kilkenny in may. Over 550 delegates took part in the event, which elects the union’s officers and sets policy and priorities for the next two years.

ImPACT general secretary Peter mcLoone told delegates that public servants accepted that their salaries should reflect pay in the private sector. But he said they were convinced that the benchmarking body had deliberately changed its methodology to ensure a ‘zero’ outcome for most in its second report.

This had enraged public servants who had bought into what they believed was a fair system of comparison with the private sector. “Benchmarking is dead in the water if anyone thinks public servants will ever sign up to a pre-determined outcome again,” said mcLoone.

Conference delegates endorsed a motion from the union’s executive, which called for a genuine review of the public service pay determination system to ensure pay comparisons are made with good private sector employers, and that genuine reforms of public services are rewarded. The union also says a new pay system should be capable of protecting pensions and “stemming the widening gap between high and low paid workers.”

mr mcLoone said the executive motion clarified the approach that public service unions were taking in the current pay

PaY

Last rites for benchmarking

negotiations. “We need to jointly review the methodologies, not just the outcomes, of the two benchmarking reports. It’s utterly unacceptable that any review body should adopt a ‘let’s make it up as we go along’ attitude in order to achieve a certain outcome,” he said.

ImPACT says the methodology of the second benchmarking report exaggerated the value of public service pay and minimised the value of private sector incomes, partly by including a disproportionate number of small and medium companies, which tend to pay less, in its private sector survey.

mcLoone said ImPACT didn’t want a return to the chaotic pre-benchmarking system of cross-sectoral pay links. “But fairness, in terms of process and outcomes, is key to securing and sustaining support for an alternative to the old system of pay links. Public servants no longer believe the system is fair and we now need a new system that everyone can buy into,” he said.

OuTGOING ImPACT president Finbarr O’Driscoll has accused employers of reaching “new standards of double standards” in calling for wage restraint while top people’s pay is soaring. Opening ImPACT’s biennial delegate conference in may, the Cork man called on business leaders to show “some glimmer of understanding of the rage and frustration felt by ordinary people when top earners award themselves huge pay increases, while telling ‘the little people’ to tighten their belts.”

speaking before business organisation IBeC called for a public service pay freeze, Finbarr said emboldened employers seemed determined to row back on workers’ rights and living standards.

“These are the same employers who, without embarrassment, set out to reduce pension provision for private and public service staff alike. Needless to say, most of them enjoy expensive pension cushions, even as they preach to ordinary workers who just want a bit of security in their old age,” he said.

He said unions had delivered wage restraint and industrial peace during 21 years of social partnership. referring to the recent OeCD report on Ireland’s public services, he said public servants had also delivered “a high quality and cost effective public service that has contributed strongly to Ireland’s economic competitiveness.”

Donal Douglas and Niamh Moore of IMPACT’s Dublin Hospitals branch enjoy take a break during conference.

Pho

to :

Dyl

an V

augh

an

Pho

to :

Dyl

an V

augh

an

Peter McLoone.

UNION OFFICERS

IMPACT team electedREPRESENTATIVES OF IMPACT branches elected a new team of national union officers at the union’s recent biennial conference.

New president John Power takes over from Finbarr O’Driscoll, who remains on the union’s central executive committee as immediate past president. The new senior vice president is Charlie Gantry from the Dublin Hospitals branch.

Three other vice presidents were also elected: Margaret Coughlan (Wicklow branch), Isabell Murphy (Louth) and Kevin O’Malley (Kerry).

James Monaghan of IMPACT’s Laois branch retained his position as equal opportunities officer, while Alice Hennessy (Limerick branch) and Billy Gallagher (Driver Testers branch) were elected honorary secretary and honorary treasurer respectively.

All the officer positions are unpaid and IMPACT staff members are not eligible to run for them.

Incoming president John Power said a big ‘thank you’ to outgoing vice presidents Stella Griffin and Brian Horgan, and outgoing honorary secretary Nora O’Reilly.

What’s the executive? See page 7.

union business

40 SuMMER/AuTuMN 2008 41WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAzINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

INTERNATIONAL

EU agency dealIRISH TRADE unions have welcomed agreement on a new European union directive, which will protect pay and working conditions for temporary staff employed by agencies. The deal, which had previously been blocked by a minority of Eu states including Ireland, is seen as a major step towards the protections currently being sought by ICTu in the national pay talks.

up to 30,000 Irish workers could benefit directly when the legislation comes into force. But unions also believe protections are necessary to stop employers using agencies to drive down pay and conditions for all. There’s more on this in IMPACT’s July e-bulletin. Visit www.impact.ie to sign up for a copy.

THE HSE agreed to a number of high-level meetings about staffing policy and working conditions after thousands of IMPACT members took part in lunchtime demonstrations across Ireland on 11th June. The union also increased the heat on senior HSE managers by escalating its industrial action to block the collation of crucial financial and staff data.

IMPACT estimates that up to 6,000 people took part in the protests, which were part of the union’s ongoing campaign against cuts in health jobs and services and the HSE’s refusal to honour over 40 agreements about working conditions.

Following the protests, which attracted widespread coverage in the national and local media, the HSE announced that it would meet the union to discuss the issues raised in the dispute. A number of meetings took place in the second half of June.

IMPACT national secretary Kevin Callinan said there was a need to rebuild trust. But he refused to lift the union’s

HSE responds to protestsindustrial action while talks got underway, saying it would continue until tangible progress was made.

The union warned that it would react if rumours that temporary staff were to be let go, even where crucial work exists, turned into real job losses. “If that happens we will review further industrial action options,” said Callinan.

The situation is not helped by increased pressure to make cuts because of worsening public finances this year and a further projected downturn in 2009. Rumours of more Government cuts were circulating as Work & Life went to press.

Nevertheless, Callinan said the HSE’s invitation to talks, and an earlier threat to discipline IMPACT members involved in industrial action, showed that the union’s campaign was hurting top management. “I urge all IMPACT members to continue to give their full support to the industrial action. It’s vital that we now keep the pressure up, even if the HSE tries to bully staff into breaching the industrial action,” he said.

HEALTH CAMPAIGN

Pho

to :

Con

or H

ealy

Pho

to :

Dyl

an V

augh

an

IMPACT DEPuTY general Secretary Shay Cody has launched a scathing attack on employers for seeking to pass all pension costs onto workers and taxpayers. He said business leaders jealously guarded their own generous pension packages while imposing cuts for everyone else.

Mr Cody, who is a member of ICTu’s pensions team in the current national pay talks, said the business community was solely interested in keeping down business costs and shoving all the responsibility onto workers and taxpayers. “They’re not concerned with the security of the hundreds of thousands of people, predominantly women, who currently have no pension provision,” he said.

He said the entire focus was on cutting the benefits and entitlements of workers who do have contributory pension schemes. “They attack public service pensions to make it easier for them to cut private sector benefits too. They want to level down until no one expects their employer to contribute to a pension at all. Except, of course, the top earners who jealously guard their own very generous pension packages,” he said.

With pensions now being discussed in the national pay talks, the recent IMPACT conference considered ten pension motions. The union criticised last year’s green paper on pensions for including “a shopping list of dangerous proposals for eroding public service pensions” but few concrete proposals to improve pensions in the private sector.

Public service pensions are under attack from many commentators and politicians, while recent figures show that more than half of private sector workers have no pension provision at all.

The number of people aged over 65 is expected to more than double by the middle of the century. This means the ratio of working-aged people to over-65s will fall from almost 6-1 in 2006 to just under 2-1 in 2061, creating “a challenge for the sustainability of the pension system,” according to the recent green paper.

PENSIONS

Pension greed attacked

Shay Cody

Dublin’s Dr Steeven’s saw one of the 28 protests nationwide.

a quote from your existing provider as if you were a new customer.

If you’re using the internet, the easiest way to renew, give a different version of your name or address in case the computer is programmed to automatically link you up with the existing renewal quote.

Also make sure to check the cover you have. Don’t overvalue your car, house or contents. Can you live with a higher excess, the amount of each claim that isn’t covered? Do you need cover for accidental damage to household items? Have a look at the exclusions before answering “yes.”

Cut your mortgage repaymentsWith greatly reduced demand for mortgages, lenders are not overly keen to lose customers, particularly the very low-risk

Your money

43Work & LIfe: THe mAgAzIne for ImPACT members

COLM RAPPLE outlines some simple and painless ways of cutting back on those rising household bills.

beLT TIgHTenIng is the order of the day. The number crunchers preparing next year’s budgets have been told that money is scarce and the message is more believable this year than in the recent past.

but let’s not get overawed by portents of doom and gloom. The outlook is not as bad as some of the more pessimistic economists and commentators would have us believe. for instance, the organisation of economic Co-operation and Development, in its latest economic outlook, expects a recovery in both global and Irish economic fortunes next year.

but there is no doubt that, in the short-term, money is going to be scarce. not only for government departments and businesses but also for many individuals whose budgets are, at best, being hit by spiralling fuel, food and housing costs and, at worst, by unemployment.

so what can be done to redress an unbalanced household budget?

for those who are not of a penny-pinching nature, the best approach is to concentrate on making a small number of big savings instead of a large number of small savings. A penny-pinching approach may eventually provide substantial savings, but at a cost in time and effort. by its very nature it is only going to save you pennies and it takes a lot of those to make a pound.

so what about some suggestions? These may seem like penny-pinching ideas but some of them can yield significant savings. They are not listed in any particular order of importance.

Save on insurancemost people can save a few hundred euro on their car and household insurance. Don’t accept the renewal quote offered to you. get quotes from other providers and also look for

42 summer/AuTumn 2008

heat your house an extra one degree fahrenheit. so imagine what you could save by pushing the thermostat down a full five degrees.

You don’t have to admit you’re doing it to save money. bask in the glory of doing something to save the polar bears! And you can always wear a pullover or cardigan.

You can save a lot of money in the longer run by insulating your home, of course, if it’s not already up to standard. The capital investment can yield a good return but it does require cash up front.

Save on travelThis can also add to your green credentials and there are plenty of options. Hold onto your car for another year and you save significantly, not only on the actual outlay but also in depreciation costs.

Drive a little slower. Cutting an average of 5km an hour off your speed can improve fuel efficiency by about 10%. In other words, you get 10% more kilometres to your litre.

You can also improve fuel efficiency by taking off the roof rack, not driving with a window open, and trying to avoid short runs. even an empty roof rack can increase fuel consumption by 5%.

And use more public transport. You can give up part of your salary for a monthly or annual bus or train ticket and effectively get it paid for out of pre-tax income. It is not considered a taxable benefit-in-kind even when the cost is covered by what the revenue like to call ‘salary sacrifice’.

Improve your cash flowYou don’t need to increase your income to improve your cash flow. Do what many businesses do. slow down on the payment of bills. It’s a strategy that needs to be carefully managed, to avoid real debt problems, but it can provide a significant

Feeling the pinch?

SMALL CHANGE

You don’t need a credit card to buy on the web.

noT HAVIng a credit card or simply being fearful of sending your card details over the web doesn’t preclude you from buying goods or services on the internet. There is another option. You can make use of a prepaid virtual credit card.

one such card is offered by Permanent Tsb in association with 3V. black cards are available at participating local convenience stores showing a Payzone logo or at Permanent Tsb branches. You can also order one online.

The card itself is free. You only pay when you pre-load it with funds. first you have to register the card with the bank, providing personal details. once that’s done you can pre-load the card with up to €350 at any of the outlets that provide the cards themselves.

You get a voucher with a 16-digit number, which can be used in the same way as a credit card number. security details including a PIn and expiry date are emailed to you or can be obtained over the phone.

A flat charge of €5 is levied for each top-up while any funds left on the card can be redeemed for a flat charge of €1.50.

Would you credit it?

Pho

to: d

ream

stim

e.co

m

Grow some veggardening is good exercise and a few square metres of ground can provide a good array of fresh vegetables. start

“You don’t have to increase your income to increase your cash-flow”once-off boost to income. simply cancel the direct debits and standing orders and then pay your utility and other regular bills a few weeks later than you have been doing.

Get the best telephone dealsThe communications regulator Comreg runs an interactive website callcosts.ie that can help identify the best and cheapest landline and mobile services based on your particular usage patterns and preferences. It only takes a few minutes and can highlight options that could yield significant savings.

planning for next year. easily grown crops, not too prone to pests, include peas and broad beans (surpluses can be frozen), kale (picked as you need it), swede turnips (hardy and slug resistant), and Jerusalem artichokes (will grow anywhere).

Get those tax rebatesYou should know all about them but have you claimed relief for medical expenses, your ImPACT subs, and waste disposal charges? remember you can go back four years l

ones whose loans represent a relatively small proportion of the property value. If your loan is down below say 80%, or better still 50%, of the value of your home, look for a cut in the interest rate.

The threat to switch may be enough to secure the saving but don’t hesitate to actually switch if it isn’t. It’s not too much of a hassle and the savings over a few years can be significant.

Reduce your carbon footprintAccording to one source, it can require up to 3% more fuel to

Reds strike three?

A cat among the pigeons

Sport

THE PREMIER league is set for kick-off and Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United will begin the new season on the scent of a hat-trick of titles and the successful defence of their champions league crown.

After becoming champions league winners back in 1999, the Reds’ boss spent a meagre £10 million on transfers and ended up paying a heavy price as the minor alterations he made to his squad did not work the trick.

In an attempt to fill the sizeable boots of Peter Schmeichel, goalkeeper Mark Bosnich came on a free transfer from Aston Villa while Massimo Taibi cost £4.5 million from Venezia. He also attracted Inter Milan’s Mikael Silvestere on board (£4 million) while Quinton Fortune (£2 million) came from Atletico Madrid. But the good times failed to roll.

This time around the bling, bling of their champions league success will be used more aggressively on a shopping spree with world-class strikers on the top of Ferguson’s wanted list. He will need it as Roman Abramovich, now with world cup winning boss Luiz Felipe Scolari as his Chelsea manager, will be driven not only to repeat the feats of the Mourinho era but also to ensure glory in Europe.

Man United will open the defence of their premier league title with a home match against Newcastle on 16th August. But Fergie will be concerned over several fixture clashes. They face tough games after every European tie.

They open their European campaign in the middle of visits to Liverpool and Chelsea, the first head-to-head duel between

45WoRk & LIFE: THE MAgAzINE FoR IMPACT MEMBERS

KEVIN NOLAN says there’s plenty of life in the provincial championships yet. And the provincial councils will ensure that they stay.

THE BALL had only been thrown in to start the summer’s senior football championship when the naysayers were out in force.Because the championship had been a slow-burner, with no headline-grabbing battle of the titans in the opening clashes, the critics of the traditional provincial-based format loudly expressed the view that the structure of the competition was tired and outdated.

They reckon we’ve been held hostage to both history (tradition) and geography (provincial championships) for far too long. “Scrap the provincial championships and replace them with an open-draw across the entire nation,” they bellowed.

Volume was added to their cries when Wicklow boss Mick o’Dwyer, the man who managed kerry to eight all-Irelands, said that he had no interest in steering the garden county to the Tommy Murphy cup.

Wicklow were last year’s Tommy Murphy winners when they defeated Antrim in a thrilling finish. And their Leinster senior football championship victory over kildare this year showed that the secondary competition had served them well. But

the boss clearly felt it was a competition that had already served its purpose from their perspective.

CrescendoThe nature of the championship is such that, surely, you don’t want to see it open with a bang and then whimper out. The ideal situation is that it builds to a crescendo, with the best eight teams progressing to the all-Ireland quarter-finals.

The victory of o’Dwyer’s Wicklow over kildare, Fermanagh over Monaghan (all-Ireland quarter-finalists last year) and Down’s win at the expense of Tyrone (all-Ireland Champions in 2003 and 2005) has surely highlighted the fact that the provincial championships still throw up shocks.

In fact, it’s arguable that Wicklow could have eliminated Laois from the Leinster championship had they shown more tactical nous on the line in order to curtail the o’Moore county’s match-winner Ross Munnelly.

Last year Sligo claimed their first Connacht senior football championship title since 1975, proving that goliath can

still be slain. This happened despite the belief that the current provincial system, coupled with the qualifiers, only sees the strong get stronger and the weak become even more puny. DreamThere are several borders that any campaign for the elimination of the provincial format would have to cross before their dream could ever become reality. The toughest of these would be the power wielded by the four provincial councils.

If Rule 21 and Rule 42, regarding the use of Croke Park for ‘foreign games’, can be relaxed perhaps anything is possible. But it is extremely difficult to envisage the provincial councils voting for a new structure that would see them losing a lot of political as well as financial clout.

44 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

kevin Nolan is a journalist and production editor for the sports section of the Evening Herald. He is also editor of Dublin County Board gaelic games website www.hill16.ie.

Ferguson and Scolari, while journeys to Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham follow champions league outings two, three, four, five and six.

It is a testing opening schedule for United as they attempt to repeat the heroics of last season. The conclusion to their season could have been kinder with the home leg of the Manchester derby, which they lost to City.

It promises to be another exciting premier league - for those involved at the business end, that is. But few will back against the Manchester Reds considering the mettle they showed on two fronts last term l

Perhaps the best solution could be an open draw ‘round-robin’ format within each of the provinces. In such an experiment Munster would see each county playing five championship games (one group), with the top two contesting their final. Leinster would be divided into two groups, likewise Connacht and Ulster, resulting in the eight provincial finalists progressing to the all-Ireland quarter-finals.

A county’s final position within their own provincial round-robin would then decide what division of the national football league they were placed in for the following season. Perhaps this approach would create a greater dynamic and synergy l

Pho

to: g

etty

imag

es.c

om

Pho

to: s

port

sfile

.com

Rooney seeks third title.

Sligo proved that Goliath can still be slain.

Across1. Adage or seanfhocal (7)5. A town in southern Italy (5)8. Meagre (5)9. Ancient Assyrian city (7)10. Ancient Roman official with

responsibilities in Asia (7)11. Of oats or oatmeal (5)12. North American country (6)14. Large Asian sheep with long

curving horns (7)17. Flowers for the ladies, par-

ticularly in Tralee (5)19. Relating to ages long past

(7)22. South Western state of the

US bordering on Mexico(7)

23. Greek island (5)24. Assessed (5)25. Accumulated (7)

Down1. Food item (5)2. Speech (7)3. To come or go in (5)

46 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008GIS Ireland is a trading name of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Ireland Limited which is regulated by the Financial Regulator.

13. Lack of agreement; contention15. Never to grow old (7)16. Fruit (6)18. Item of male attire (5)20. Bedtime drink (5)21. General course or direction (5)

Crossword composed by Sean Ua Ceannaigh, Wexford.

HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row,column and 3x3 box contains thedigits 1-9. There is no mathsinvolved. You solve it with reasoningand logic.

S U DO K U

Just answer five easyquestions and you could win €50.

YOU COULD win €50 by answering fiveeasy questions and sending your entry,name and address to Roisin Nolan, Work& Life prize quiz, IMPACT, Nerney’s Court,Dublin 1. We’ll send €50 to the firstcompleted entry pulled from a hat.*You’ll find all the answers in this issue of Work & Life.

1 What does new IMPACT presidentJohn Power do for a living?

A He’s a detective

B He’s a forensic scientist

C He’s a desperate househusband

2 Leaving your books in public placesfor others to enjoy is called:

A Book crossing

B Cross referencing

C Littering

3 On average, how much of the food webuy is thrown away?

A Most of it – we’re on a diet!

B A tenth

C A third

4 Community welfare services arebeing transferred from the HSE to:

A The private sector

B Dundalk

C The Department of Social and FamilyAffairs

5 The rock band Muse comes from:

A Devon

B Dallas

C Drogheda

The small print*You must be a paid-up IMPACT member to win. Only one entry per person (multiple entries will not be considered). Entries must reach us by Monday15th September 2008. The editor’s decision is final. That’s it!

WIN€50

Win Win Win

Prize quiz

4. Tipperary village where, accordingto the song, the peeler encoun-tered the goat (6)

5. Line bounding a figure on body;outline (7)

6. Pin or short shaft on which arelated part turns (5)

7. Former West African protectionate,now part of Ghana (7)

12. Pirate (7)

7 3 8

8 2 3

6 2 5

4 9 2

8 7 3

5 3 6

3 6 8

1 8 9

7 9 2

Difficult

6 3

3 6 7

7 8 1 5

3 9 2 4

8 2 6 5 3

9 3 1 2

4 2 9 5

2 5 7

8 3

Easy

Winners! The winners from competitions in the first issue of Work & Life were:

1 Weekend break in Rathmullen: Vansessa Doyle, Carlow branch.

2 €50 prize quiz: Gregory Friston, Dublin City branch.

3 €100 Work & Life survey: Siobhán Ní Ghríofa, State Laboratories branch.

4 Dublin-Liverpool return trip: Anne Healy, Cork branch.

Lots more competitions to enter in this issue!

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9

10 11

12 13 14 15

16

17 18 19 20 21

22 23

24 25

WIN€50PRIZE CROSSWORD

Win €50 by completing the crossword andsending your entry, name and address to RoisinNolan, Work & Life crossword, IMPACT, Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1. We’ll send€50 to the first correct entry pulled from a hat.*

Win! Win! Win!

SUMMER/AUTUMN 200848 WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS 49

The survey

1. What did you think of the articles in thesummer/autumn 2008 issue of Work & Life ?

Excellent �

Good �

Okay �

Bad �

Awful �

Comments ________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

2. What did you think of the layout, style and pictures inthe summer/autumn 2008 issue of Work & Life?

Excellent �

Good �

Okay �

Bad �

Awful �

Comments ________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

3. What were your favourite three articles?

1 __________________________________________________

2 __________________________________________________

3 __________________________________________________

4. What were your least favourite articles?

1 __________________________________________________

2 __________________________________________________

3 __________________________________________________

5. What subjects would you like to see in future issuesof Work & Life ?

1 __________________________________________________

2 __________________________________________________

3 __________________________________________________

6. What did you think of the balance between unionnews and other articles?

The balance is about right �

I want more union news �

I want less union news �

7. Any other comments? ______________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Name ________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Email ________________________________________________

Phone________________________________________________

IMPACT branch ______________________________________

How do you likeWork & Life?WE HOPE you enjoyed this issue of

Work & Life, the new magazine for IMPACTmembers. We want to hear your views, and

we’re offering a €100 prize to one lucky winnerwho completes this questionnaire.

Simply complete this short survey and send it to RoisinNolan, Work & Life survey, IMPACT, Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1. You canalso send your views by email to rnolan@impact.ie.

We’ll send €100 to the first completed entry pulled from a hat.*

And don’t forget, we’re also giving prizes for letters published in thenext issue. See page 21.

WIN€100

Your view

The small print*You must be a paid-up IMPACT member to win. Only one entry per person (multiple entries will not be considered).

Entries must reach us by Monday 15th September 2008. The editor’s decision is final. That’s it!

Udo's Oil 10th Anniversary in Ireland

An All Round Healthy ChoiceUdo’s Oil, one of the best selling health care products on the market, celebrates10 years in Ireland this year. The unique blend of ingredients in Udo’s Oil,(Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids (EFAs) extracted from cold pressedcertified organic flax, sesame, sunflower, evening primrose seeds, rice and oatgerm), help with a number of ailments, disorders and complaints, as well ashelping to improve skin before a big event, aid the tanning process on holidays,increase energy levels, lower cholesterol and help with the symptoms of themenopause.

Stress Especially for Brides-to-be: Preparing for a wedding can betiring and stressful and, at a time when brides should feel on top of the world,they often end up feeling run down and less than enthusiastic about their big day.

Dress fittings, dealing with family, attending pre-wedding celebrations and planning all the finer details on top of the usual daily chores,can really wear out the bride-to-be and, all too often, brides end up looking forward to taking a good rest on honeymoon more thanthe big day itself! To combat the effects of pre-wedding burnout, Naturalife recommends taking Udo’s Oil, which will help with skin tone,energy levels and weight loss.

High Cholesterol: Increasingly hectic lifestyles, diet, gender, age and family history are all key factors affecting cholesterol.However, the good news is that there are simple lifestyle changes that we can all make to help reduce our cholesterol. As well as eatinga healthier diet and exercising regularly, a daily intake of Udo’s Oil lowers “bad” cholesterol (Low Density Lipoproteins, LDL) andincreases beneficial HDL (High Density Lipoproteins) known as “good” cholesterol.

Lack of Energy: In an increasingly demanding world, more and more people are suffering from decreased energy levels andfatigue. Coupled with stress and poor diets, this ongoing onslaught can lead to complete burn-out! However, the good news is that bytaking Udo’s Oil every day, we can boost our energy reserves, decrease recovery time and inflammation after exercise, improvecirculation and elevate our mood, resulting in an overall feeling of increased well being and vitality.

Menopause: The menopause can be a harrowing experience for many women, with a wide range of uncomfortable side effects.During menopause, oestrogen production decreases, giving rise to the common symptoms associated with this often turbulent life change.As oestrogen levels decrease, there is an increased risk of raised cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, heart attacks, embolisms anda list of various other conditions. However, the good news is that simple lifestyle changes, such as taking Udo’s Oil on a regular basis,can help ease this period of transition for many women.

Skin: As the summer season fast approaches, savvy ladies are preparing their bodies for the sun from the inside out! A poor diet andour hectic lifestyles can contribute to dry skin, uneven skin tone, spots, aging and weather damage. However, the unique blend ofingredients in Udo’s Oil helps make skin soft, velvety and supple. Working from the inside out, it evens out skin tone, reduces age andweather marks and gives your skin an all over glow.

Win! Win! Win!

Win a hamper of Udo’s Oil &SupplementaryHealth Products worth

€150

Udo’s Oil, one of the best selling natural health care products on the market, celebrates10 years in Ireland this year. The unique blend of ingredients in Udo’s Oil, (Omega 3and Omega 6 essential fatty acids (EFAs) extracted from cold pressed certified organicflax, sesame, sunflower, evening primrose seeds, rice and oat germ), help with a widerange of ailments, disorders and complaints. Udo’s Oil helps to improve dry and scalyskin, aid the tanning process on holidays, increase energy levels, lower cholesteroland help with the symptoms of the menopause and PMS. Naturalife is delighted tooffer one lucky reader a hamper of Udo’s Oil and supplementary natural healthproducts worth €150. To be in with a chance to win, just answer the following question:

How many years has Udo’s Oil been on sale in Ireland?

Simply answer this question and return to Roisin Nolan, Work & Life Udo’s OilCompetition, IMPACT trade union, Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1 by 10th August 2008.

50 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2008

Commercial membership servicesDISCLAIMER (Approved by CEC 10th December 2004)

IMPACT has facilitated the provision of a number of national membership services and discount schemes on behalf of its members. These include Additional Voluntary Contribution Schemes (Pensions),Life Assurance, Salary Protection in the case of illness and Car, House and Travel Insurance Schemes. A number of local discount schemes are also negotiated by local branches.

The Union uses the size and composition of its membership base and, where possible, competition between the various service providers, to seek the best possible deals for the widest possible sectionsof our membership. It is probable that the majority of members will get better value from these schemes than if they sought the same service individually. However, this will not be true in all cases andthere will be occasions where individual members may, because of their specific circumstances, be able to get better value elsewhere. It is not possible always to ensure that all schemes will be acces-sible equally to all members and the scheme underwriters will not depart totally from their normal actuarial or risk assessment procedures and rules.

IMPACT does not make any claims as to the quality or reliability of any of these products/services and while advising members of the availability of the National Membership Services and DiscountSchemes does not endorse or recommend any particular product or service. IMPACT's role is that of facilitator to ensure that such schemes are available to its members. All contracts are directly betweenthe product/service provider and the individual member. IMPACT is not in any way a party to these contracts and will not accept any responsibility or liability arising from any act or omission on the partof the product or service provider. Neither IMPACT nor any member of its staff receives any fees or commissions or other rewards from these product or service providers arising from such schemes.

While IMPACT does occasionally provide such product/service providers with limited information regarding IMPACT branch and/or workplace representatives for the purpose of advertising such schemes,the Union does not make any personal data relating to individual Union members available to them for any purpose.

The Union requires that product/service providers agree to ensure that all such schemes comply with all lawful requirements including the Equal Status Act 2000.

Advertisements for agreed membership services will have an logo on them.

Some of the companies providing agreed membership services may offer other products or services (that are not as a result of any agreement or arrangement with IMPACT) directly to IMPACT members.The Union has no role whatsoever in relation to such products or services. Likewise, other product or service providers may make offers directly to IMPACT members through advertisements in the Unionnewspaper or otherwise. These do not arise as a result of agreements or arrangements with IMPACT and the Union does not ask members to consider availing of such products/services and accepts noresponsibility whatsoever for any such offers.

The product/service providers with which IMPACT has agreed the provision of membership services and/or discount schemes are as follows:

Brassington & Co. Ltd. Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd.Travel Insurance – all Divisions. Car Insurance – all Divisions.

Salary Protection and Life Assurance – Local Government and Health Divisions only.

Group Insurance Services (GIS) Marsh Financial Services Ltd.Car Insurance – all Divisions. AVC Schemes – all Divisions excluding Municipal Employees.House Insurance – all Divisions. Salary Protection and Life Assurance – Civil Service and Services & Enterprises Divisions only.

Countdown Discount CardsDiscount cards-All Divisions

December 2004

FACILITATED

Cosmetic:White Fillings • Smile Design • Porcelain Veneers • Metal Free Crowns & Bridges• Implants • Predictable Whitening

Invisalign:Invisible Braces for all Ages. Wireless, Removable and Hygienic. Can treat most orthodontic problems.

Hygienist:Benefit from expert advice and cleaning with our accomplished hygienist.

133 St Peter’s Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12.

www.walkinstowndentalcare.com

PH: 01 450 6373

NEW FOR 2008 FREE INVISALIGN ASSESSMENTS

(normally €70)

Get the confidence to smile!

FINANCE:Costs can now be

spread to make yoursmile much more

affordable.