A High Court judge has made directions aimed at progressing the hearing of actions by 491 Turkish workers over alleged underpayment of more than €40m in wages and benefits while working here on State contracts.

Former Minister Conor Lenihan has been criticised for referring to Savita Halappanavar as “that Indian lady” during a recording of a debate for BBC radio.

The bottom line is that we need, and will need, a parliament that works, writes Fergus Finlay

To mark the end of the elections, Dave Kenny picks the top 10 political gaffes of all time

A QUARTER of the country’s energy needs are now produced in Cork harbour, following the opening of a €400 million electricity generating plant in Whitegate.

A new Bord Gáis 445 megawatts gas-fired power plant was officially opened in Cork today.

THE number of government labour inspectors has declined by over 20% over the last two years, increasing fears that migrant workers could face increased exploitation.

CONTROVERSIAL Turkish construction company Gama has recorded a profit at its Irish operation following the sale of part of its stake in the Tynagh electricity plant in Galway.

THE Taoiseach led tributes to outgoing Labour leader Pat Rabbitte yesterday, praising him as a politician to be reckoned with who had “forensic wit”.

A total of 300 new jobs will be created when Bord Gáis begins building a new €400m power plant at Whitegate, Co Cork, in October.

THE strength of the Labour Inspectorate will be boosted three-fold to 90 inspectors as a result of additional funding secured by Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin in today’s Estimates.

The problem of widespread underpayment of migrant workers in the building industry is the main focus of union BATU's annual conference today.

THE country’s biggest union, SIPTU, has voted by almost three to one to accept the new national pay deal.

The country’s biggest union, Siptu, has received one complaint an hour every day this year regarding worker exploitation on building sites, it emerged today.

The country’s biggest union, Siptu, has received one complaint an hour every day this year regarding worker exploitation on building sites, it emerged today.

Turkish owned construction company GAMA is set to receive at least €12m extra for its work on the Ennis by-pass in Co Clare.

It is hoped that the social partnership talks will be brought to a successful conclusion this weekend.

THE trade union decision to finally enter talks on a new pay deal is to be welcomed.

THE trade union decision to finally enter talks on a new pay deal is to be welcomed.

BORD GÁIS is planning to build a €300 million power station on the site of the Whitegate oil refinery in Cork.

Serbians working on the ESB’s €3bn network renewal programme are owed up to €40,000 each in pay arrears, it emerged today.

A Polish-owned company involved in the refurbishment of the Moneypoint power plant in Co Clare has denied union claims that it is exploiting its workers.

WITH thousands of Irish workers losing their jobs as international firms relocate to the sweatshop economies of Asia, the pay and conditions of employees in Ireland are also at risk of being eroded by the shameful exploitation of immigrant workers.

THE principle of protecting workers’ rights, a major plank of the national partnership talks, would be significantly advanced by the creation of a new super-agency to replace the current ineffectual system.

FINANCE Minister Brian Cowen yesterday announced he was pressing ahead with scrapping a generous tax arrangement that allowed foreign employees of multinational companies escape paying most of their tax on Irish income.

Up to 500,000 special savings account holders on low incomes will be able to benefit from a new pension ‘top-up’ incentive announced by Finance Minister Brian Cowen yesterday.

Although SIPTU voted overwhelmingly yesterday to enter talks on a new national wage agreement, it did so with a caveat relating to employment standards, specifically job displacement and exploitation.

WITH Irish people borrowing like mad, the Central Bank risks being portrayed as ‘crying wolf’ following yet another warning that the housing market is in danger of overheating.

The Labour Party has published a policy document designed to address the so-called "race to the bottom" in the Irish jobs market.

THE spectacle of controversial Turkish firm Gama continuing to enjoy the largesse of the Irish Government through lucrative contracts is perplexing.

CONTROVERSIAL construction firm Gama is facing a class action lawsuit in Turkey as more than 80 former workers prepare to sue for being underpaid while working in Ireland.

SIPTU has attacked the Small Firms Association over its claims that Ireland's labour laws are so stringent they are preventing job creation.

CONTROVERSIAL Turkish construction firm Gama, saw its losses in Ireland swell to more than €15 million in 2004.

The number of workplace inspections has almost halved over the past four years, it emerged today.

THOUSANDS of workers representing more than a dozen of the most powerful trade unions in the country will march on the Dáil this Thursday, leaving on a knife-edge almost two decades of industrial relations stability.

Support from employers body IBEC for 500 job losses at Irish Ferries could damage the fabric of social partnership between workers and their bosses, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte warned today.

Irish aid pledged to the Hurricane Katrina disaster zone in the US will go directly to people in distress, a junior Government minister said today.

THE Government has been urged to place a temporary block on awarding contracts to construction firm Gama until all investigations into the company have been completed.

A sceptical public could be forgiven for asking why a construction group investigated by the State over worker exploitation is about to be awarded a €50 million contract by the National Roads Authority (NRA).

Gama, the Turkish firm at the centre of a scandal over underpayments of overtime, has agreed to pay remaining construction workers compensation, it emerged today.

Eoin English

Harry McGee, Political Editor

NONE of the 11 extra labour inspector positions promised by Employment Minister Michéal Martin in April following revelations of the abuse of foreign workers by construction company GAMA, has been filled.

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Noel Dempsey last night faced demands to intervene in the escalating dispute over a gas pipeline in Co Mayo that has resulted in five protesters being jailed for breaching a court order.

IRELAND’S shameful exploitation of foreign workers, many of them forced to work much longer hours for far less pay than their Irish counterparts, is finally to end following an Irish Examiner exposé of this ugly form of bonded slavery.

NEW protections for migrant workers will prevent the type of exploitation that occurred with Turkish Gama workers happening again, Enterprise and Employment Minister Micheál Martin said yesterday.

THE State will issue green cards to foreign workers for the first time, under a major reform of employment permits legislation to be announced next week.

FOLLOWING the Irish Examiner probe into the activities of Turkish-owned building group Gama, the exploitation of foreign workers has become a major issue on the Irish labour market.

SOCIALIST Party leader Joe Higgins yesterday called on the Government to bring forward new legislation to ensure the rights of workers can be protected.

THE High Court will today deliver its ruling on whether a Government Labour Inspectorate report into allegations of massive wage fraud and underpayment at Turkish construction firm Gama can be published.