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The proposed merger of the Galway city and county councils will not create any significant cost savings, but is still being recommended to go ahead in order to satisfy a "worrying trend towards privatisation and centralisation" of public services in the State.

The numbers of women on long-term waiting lists for gynaecology services at University Hospital Galway, has jumped by almost a third in the past two years, with more than 1,100 currently on in-patient and out-patient waiting lists for varying periods.

One in six pregnant women or 16 per cent of pregnant women attending maternity services across Ireland are at probable risk of depression during their pregnancy, according to a new survey launched this week by a Trinity College Dublin research team and the Irish Obstetric Services. Mayo Univesity Hospital, Castlebar, was one of the maternity sites involved in this first comprehensive incidence survey. More than 5,000 women at all stages of pregnancy were questioned for the study in Castlebar and at The National Maternity Hospital, Cork University Hospital, University Hospital Limerick, and community antenatal clinics in Tallaght.

BY Michelle Murphy, Research and Policy Analyst, Social Justice Ireland

Ballot papers arrive for the NUl Seanad elections this week and independent candidate, Alice-Mary Higgins, has said she will draw on advocacy experience with Trocaire, Older & Bolder and the National Women’s Council of Ireland to bring “long term thinking into the heart of policy-making.”

Tesco has announced that long serving members of staff are on ‘inflexible contracts’ and are demanding that they take wage cuts. Tom Moran, the People Before Profit General Election candidate, has claimed: “This move reflects the true nature of the Irish recovery — it is being built on a low wage economy. About 1,000 members of Tesco staff are affected and it would mean a cut of €2.35 (16.5 per cent) per hour for workers earning €14.31. Over a whole year, it would lead to a minimum reduction of €6,591 per worker."

Despite a steadying economy and unemployment dropping to nine percent, the number of unemployed in Galway city and county rose again last month by 346, with a total of 16,000 people now out of work.

The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association, has called for an independent Public Sector Pay Commission to determine all future pay arrangements across the public sector.

Since Minister Noonan announced in October 2014 that Ireland would introduce a “best-in-class” Knowledge Development Box (“KDB”), there has been a lot of speculation about ‘how low would he go’.  Budget 2016 announced that the rate of tax which will apply for income qualifying under the new KDB will be 6.25%. The relief is available to companies for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2016.

Mandatory Pensions on the Horizon?