Unemployment

[Lionel Ritchie]

This may encourgae employers to employ where they may have not in the past. Has anyone looked at that aspect of it? Yes I have -and it still stinks of masonry.


I think people should be arguing thats its wrong that the best people won't be getting jobs, rather than trying to shoehorn some sort of illegality into it. Absolutely. It might not be illegal but you wouldn't need to be rabidly anti-gaa to think that there's something just off in this. I could reach for far flung analogies like 'what if I were a well heeled ultra-right crank who decided to sponsor local businesses that commited to hiring only in the cohort of white, Irish born males' -but there's no need. There is something conceptually and inherently unjust and unfair in what this guy has proposed that goes way beyond businesses that employ relatives and friends.


its a ridiculous scheme that will do more harm thatn good to 'the community'. darn tootin'. Less so in built up locales but in the Banshas, Brosnas, Oolas and Cappaghs I could see it cause an amount of Coventry-sending, hairy-eyeballing and associated codology.

[Dodge]

they are not looking at operating as an employment agency, the proposal is to pay employers to employ certain types. The GAA would be in the clear, it would be the employers that would be flirting with equality legislation, in my (admittedly unqualified) opinion.
But effectively the GAA would be acting as such an agency. 'GAA leaning' company goes to GAA HQ and says "we need a warehouse assistant". GAA looks up its list of 'suitable candidates' and offers company the chance to interview 4 guys. For this privilige they pay the company €4,000. What could be simpler?

[peadar1987]

But effectively the GAA would be acting as such an agency. 'GAA leaning' company goes to GAA HQ and says "we need a warehouse assistant". GAA looks up its list of 'suitable candidates' and offers company the chance to interview 4 guys. For this privilige they pay the company €4,000. What could be simpler?


You've been thinking about LOI licensing too much Dodge, it's permanently warped the way your brain works! ;)

[Dodge]

But thats exactly what they're proposiong to do!

[SkStu]

Dodge is right to an extent. It is in violation of human rights to not give someone a job based on the fact that they are old, or that they are gay or that they are divorced. Agency is not illegal.

Not sure how things work in the unionised environment back home but in Canada most unions promote the idea of seniority, ie, the most senior qualified employee (that applies) will get the job. Such a system may arbitrarily exclude a disabled person (for example) but they wouldnt be not getting the job because of their disability. Its a similar distinction here between the argument around equality legislation and what the GAA are doing.

It is a bit stinky though!

[cornflakes]

I bet any money the GAA won't go through with this. They've got their time in the media and spread the word about how great they are looking out for the unemployed and how foreign games don't care but can they really afford it?
They're going to have to bail out county boards and clubs all over the country soon anyway

[peadar1987]

I bet any money the GAA won't go through with this. They've got their time in the media and spread the word about how great they are looking out for the unemployed and how foreign games don't care but can they really afford it?
They're going to have to bail out county boards and clubs all over the country soon anyway

Ha ha, Thomas Davis! :)

Yeah, if I was a cynical man (and I am), I'd almost think they were deliberately doing something that is a bit of a legal grey area, and is likely to be forbidden by the courts. Then they get all the fawning for being a great organisation, without spending a single cent, and help reinforce the "us against them" attitude that is so prevalent in parts of that organisation.

[geysir]

I'm uneasy that some might think I'm defending the GAA. because I'm not. its a ridiculous scheme that will do more harm thatn good to 'the community'

I just don't think its illegal for the GAA to act as an employment agency and offer employers a range of candidates for their jobs.

I think people should be arguing thats its wrong that the best people won't be getting jobs, rather than trying to shoehorn some sort of illegality into it

Seems the most likely outcome
I am surprised that there have been so many posts on this. When GAA is mentioned, whatever is still functioning in your sanity, appears to go into hiding:) You all do realise that this is just one guy, a provincial level board member, indulging in cute hoorism, i.e. appearing to be generous (with someone elses money) and taking the credit for it. I suspect his motives are self-serving, something that benefits this obscure GAA official from free publicity, as there is not a snowball's chance in hell that his plan will gain anything more than gentle derision.
Anyway, emigrating GAA players are generally not lost to the GAA. A talented player emigrating will most certainly gravitate to a GAA club who have the contacts to get him good employment. Place your long term bets on New York getting to the Connacht Final, in 3 or 4 years time.

[BonnieShels]

Anyway, emigrating GAA players are generally not lost to the GAA. A talented player emigrating will most certainly gravitate to a GAA club who have the contacts to get him good employment. Place your long term bets on New York getting to the Connacht Final, in 3 or 4 years time.

Sure they got to the Ulster Hurling Final in 2006.

[mypost]

Update: Unemployment remaining relatively static overall at 440k, with minor swings either way on certain months.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0201/liveregister.html

While the headline figure has fallen in January, the emigration figures are holding up and imo the major reason behind it. We are still a long way from significant recovery, and the latest minor fall shouldn't be taken as a reason to celebrate.

[total hoofball]

Update: Unemployment remaining relatively static overall at 440k, with minor swings either way on certain months.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0201/liveregister.html

While the headline figure has fallen in January, the emigration figures are holding up and imo the major reason behind it. We are still a long way from significant recovery, and the latest minor fall shouldn't be taken as a reason to celebrate.

The unadjusted figure (real rate) rose by 5,000 - http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/latestheadlinefigures/lreg_jan2012.pdf

Long-term unemployment continues to increase, Under 25's dropping off the register indicating emigration, this is an another disasterous set of figures.

The only minor positive is that the real figure and the flaky seasonally adjusted figure have converged so we have a better understanding on how many are actually on the LR.

Forced emigration, useless FAS Courses, slave labour Internships and the increasing amount of unemployed who don't qualify for Jobseekers Allowance all have done a great job in preventing 600,000+ (20%+) on the LR.

No end to this ********.

[bennocelt]

Dont forget those leaving the country for "leisure":p

[SkStu]

I have been approached by the Government of Saskatchewan to lead a recruitment drive in Ireland for targeted occupations in healthcare (particularly psych nurses, occupational and physical therapists). There will also be other reps there focusing on some specific trades and engineering. The recruitment fairs are on in Dublin on March 3/4 and Cork on the 7th. See you then. ;)

Now that ive got my plug out of the way, what are peoples views on this? Its very ruthless but there is a real shortfall of workers in certain areas here and while it is unfortunate to pick on economies where emigration is one of few options, there is also the other side of the story. I know some people are very resentful to this "cherry picking". Its certainly interesting being on both sides of the argument!!

http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Saskatchewan+looks+Ireland+workers/5947367/story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/01/19/saskatchewan-jobs-mission-ireland-labour-shortage_n_1215769.html


Saskatchewan’s skilled labour crunch, meanwhile, is the result of a booming economy on the heels of decades of stagnating population numbers. In 2011, officials say the number of jobs posted on SaskJobs.ca, the government-sponsored jobs portal, increased by 39,000 positions over the previous year, bringing the total number of vacancies to 150,000.

In December, there were a record number of people employed in Saskatchewan -- and it appears a growing number of Irish would like to count themselves among them. According to officials, last year web traffic from Ireland to SaskJobs.ca increased by 60 per cent over 2010.

[Mr A]

No problem with that. Ireland takes in loads of medical staff from various countries.

[jinxy lilywhite]

I have been approached by the Government of Saskatchewan to lead a recruitment drive in Ireland for targeted occupations in healthcare (particularly psych nurses, occupational and physical therapists). There will also be other reps there focusing on some specific trades and engineering. The recruitment fairs are on in Dublin on March 3/4 and Cork on the 7th. See you then. ;)

Now that ive got my plug out of the way, what are peoples views on this? Its very ruthless but there is a real shortfall of workers in certain areas here and while it is unfortunate to pick on economies where emigration is one of few options, there is also the other side of the story. I know some people are very resentful to this "cherry picking". Its certainly interesting being on both sides of the argument!!

http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Saskatchewan+looks+Ireland+workers/5947367/story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/01/19/saskatchewan-jobs-mission-ireland-labour-shortage_n_1215769.html

Good stuff,
i am sure a few medical staff would love the opportunity to go there.

what about accounts and finance postions?

[SkStu]

Good stuff,
i am sure a few medical staff would love the opportunity to go there.

what about accounts and finance postions?

accounts and finance positions are a little harder to justify fast-tracking visas for as there are plenty of local graduates and (relatively) less vacancies. But interestingly, one lady who is coming with me is coming specifically with a view to finding a Director of Finance - only problem is she is based in Northern Saskatchewan (La Ronge) which is quite remote. Theyll pay very handsomely and will pay all your moving costs, free accoms even but you could really only do it for a 2 or 3 years before moving to a bigger centre (Regina or Saskatoon).

[gastric]

accounts and finance positions are a little harder to justify fast-tracking visas for as there are plenty of local graduates and (relatively) less vacancies. But interestingly, one lady who is coming with me is coming specifically with a view to finding a Director of Finance - only problem is she is based in Northern Saskatchewan (La Ronge) which is quite remote. Theyll pay very handsomely and will pay all your moving costs, free accoms even but you could really only do it for a 2 or 3 years before moving to a bigger centre (Regina or Saskatoon).

Good on you - Stu. I would love to be given such an opportunity. You are helping Irish people who may otherwise find ends hard to meet. You are probably helping people more than many Irish politicians,

[The Fly]

Now that ive got my plug out of the way, what are peoples views on this?
.....I know some people are very resentful to this "cherry picking".


Hmmm.....where exactly are these recruitment fairs taking place?

[SkStu]

i have figured out that its the Working Abroad Expo in the RDS and Silver Springs in Cork.

Dont lay eggs on my food.

[The Fly]

i have figured out that its the Working Abroad Expo in the RDS and Silver Springs in Cork.

Dont lay eggs on my food.

Nah.....I'm just going to bring along those photos of your car sunroof.

[Spudulika]

Hold on, this is Saskatchewan, not BC, or Ontario, or, god help them, even PEI, but out where the Mounties are men and the horses are scared. Then again, from my last experience of medical staff in Ireland, it's just about enough for them :-)

[Macy]

Were you on newstalk stu? Wouldn't listen to hook, but people giving out on politics.ie (shocking I know) about some dub saying it was grand as he still had facebook. Assuming it wasn't you, as surely you'd have said facebook and foot.ie...

[SkStu]

Haha - yeah that was me... Was on Ireland am and Pat Kenny today... I was just making the point that you can stay in touch easier than before and I actually was talking about Skype More so in terms of talking to my family every week... I knew some people would disapprove of the fact. No matter what haters gonna be hatin... ;)

[Macy]

I knew some people would disapprove of the fact. No matter what haters gonna be hatin... ;)
The lunatics have taken over the asylum on politics.ie. Wouldn't worry about anything posted there - I'm surprised anyone's left, and they're not holed up with their shotguns and tins of beans because of the meltdown that would come when the atm's stopped working ("after the weekend/ end of the month" every week for 4 feckin years!)

[peadar1987]

You wouldn't do much damage with a tin of beans.

[Macy]

You wouldn't do much damage with a tin of beans.
The knobs probably forgot the tin opener anyway (and if they did forgot it, it was the Croke Park Agreements fault)

[Eminence Grise]

You wouldn't do much damage with a tin of beans.

The flatulence could make armageddon look like a walk in the park!!!

[SkStu]

1st day of the expo today. Absolutely insane. Estimates that 6000 people went through and another 2500 were turned away at the gates into Simmonscourt as they were locked at 3pm.

Pretty sad state of affairs to be honest. So many people desperate for work...

[bennocelt]

1st day of the expo today. Absolutely insane. Estimates that 6000 people went through and another 2500 were turned away at the gates into Simmonscourt as they were locked at 3pm.

Pretty sad state of affairs to be honest. So many people desperate for work...

heh SkStu, any chance to clear your message box, want to send you a message? Cheers

[SkStu]

Done.

[gastric]

1st day of the expo today. Absolutely insane. Estimates that 6000 people went through and another 2500 were turned away at the gates into Simmonscourt as they were locked at 3pm.

Pretty sad state of affairs to be honest. So many people desperate for work...

Again well done Stu, it must be heart wrenching to see so many desperate people, but also rewarding that you are in a position to help them.

[Colbert Report]

I have been approached by the Government of Saskatchewan to lead a recruitment drive in Ireland for targeted occupations in healthcare (particularly psych nurses, occupational and physical therapists). There will also be other reps there focusing on some specific trades and engineering. The recruitment fairs are on in Dublin on March 3/4 and Cork on the 7th. See you then. ;)

Now that ive got my plug out of the way, what are peoples views on this? Its very ruthless but there is a real shortfall of workers in certain areas here and while it is unfortunate to pick on economies where emigration is one of few options, there is also the other side of the story. I know some people are very resentful to this "cherry picking". Its certainly interesting being on both sides of the argument!!

http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Saskatchewan+looks+Ireland+workers/5947367/story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/01/19/saskatchewan-jobs-mission-ireland-labour-shortage_n_1215769.html

I think I saw you on the news, were you with your wife?

Nobody in their right mind would move to Saskatchewan anyway, there's a reason everyone from Saskatchewan eventually moves to Calgary.

[SkStu]

I think I saw you on the news, were you with your wife?

Nobody in their right mind would move to Saskatchewan anyway, there's a reason everyone from Saskatchewan eventually moves to Calgary.

No, that was another couple that moved here about 18 months ago. Dead sound actually.

There's also a reason people are moving back to Sk from Calgary in their droves. Sask is where the real money is - add to that comfortable, more affordable living. Calgary is extremely overpriced and expensive. When you get to the bottom of it, Regina and Calgary are pretty similar cities actually, Calgary is just a lot bigger without the infrastructure to support the population. If I was to move anywhere in AB it would be Edmonton.