RGData has called for a levy to be imposed on the operators of out-of-town shopping centres as a way of ending the practice of free parking and maintaining fairer competition for town centre retailers.

Actons Hotel in Kinsale will reopen on Thursday after a seven month-long renovation and with the creation of 40 full-time jobs.

Many young people are losing out on careers in the hospitality industry because they have a negative perception of the sector, a well-known Cork hotelier said yesterday.

A number of workers from sectors including retail, hotels and contract cleaning are at the Labour Court today calling for a reinstatement of the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) is "outraged" with the Government’s decision to reintroduce the JLC wage-setting system.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton has today published legislation to implement reforms to wage setting mechanisms.

LEGISLATION to protect low-paid workers’ pay and conditions will be published by the Government today.

Almost 500 jobs have been created in the restaurant sector over the last two months, it was claimed today.

ALMOST half of restaurants have seen their business increase turnover in the last eight months compared with the previous year, a survey has found.

TENSIONS between the Coalition partners over the reform of wage agreements are likely to continue after Labour warned that measures must be taken to protect lower-paid workers.

The Cabinet has agreed to proceed to draft legislation to resolve the issues around wage agreements.

FIANNA Fáil has tried to drive a wedge in the Coalition by calling on Labour TDs to back its emergency measures to protect low-paid workers.

Sinn Féin has announced its alternative plan to the Government's decision to abolish the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) agreements for workers in certain industries.

The Government has decided not to appeal last week's High Court ruling which struck down the laws surrounding certain wage agreements.

Fianna Fail's jobs spokesperson Willie O'Dea has said Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton must "act immediately" to reassure 200,000 low paid workers around the country.

A HIGH Court decision upholding a challenge by fast food operators to an order setting minimum pay and conditions for catering workers outside Dublin has serious implications for the pay and conditions of about 200,000 low-paid workers.

THE Government will bring in temporary measures to protect up to 200,000 low-paid workers affected by a High Court decision on wage-setting mechanisms, Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton has said.

The High Court yesterday found that there were insufficient principles and policies in the legislation governing the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system to permit it to operate constitutionally.

The Government is examining ways to protect the pay and conditions of tens of thousands of workers after the High Court ruled wage contracts for low-earners were unconstitutional.

The Government must introduce laws protecting wage contracts for low earners after the High Court ruled they were unconstitutional, a trade union has warned.

The fast-food sector has taken on the joint labour committee system and won.

The High Court will are to rule on a case that challenges the constitutionality of the system of joint labour committees today.

ICTU President Jack O'Connor is due to address the organisation's conference in Killarney this morning.

ONE of the country’s senior trade unionists has accused the IMF/EU/ECB troika of “wanting to make Ireland an economic laboratory”, as he insisted cutting workers’ wages will not create jobs.

TENSE discussions over the reform of wage agreements will continue at Cabinet today but Labour and Fine Gael ministers do not expect agreement will be reached.

Pay agreements for low earners, the banking crisis and job creation will be top of the agenda for trade unionists this week.

CONSUMERS have been urged to use their buying power to ensure VAT cuts lead to lower prices in restaurants, hairdressers, hotels and other recreational services.

The Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation Richard Bruton has said he "cannot say" how many jobs will be created through a reform of wage-setting mechanisms.

SENIOR ministers from Fine Gael and Labour have clashed over the impact that proposed changes to wage agreements would have on the social welfare bill.

ENTERPRISE Minister Richard Bruton has been warned that his proposals to reform wage-setting mechanisms could cause poverty for hundreds of thousands of low-paid workers.

A COMMITTEE representing horticulture industry stakeholders is calling for the abolition of joint labour committee (JLC) wage structures, a statutory retail code of practice and the retention of state grants for the sector.

ENTERPRISE Minister Richard Bruton has vowed to get plans to overhaul wages for low-paid workers passed through Cabinet despite opposition from TDs.

EMPLOYERS are pushing to dismantle the structure that regulates overtime and Sunday working for lower-paid workers in the catering, hotel and construction industry.

A protest by cleaners will take place in Dublin this afternoon.

The Minister for Jobs and Enterprise Richard Bruton is insisting that changes to JLC wage agreements will not lead companies to lay off staff and rehire them.

A number of lobby groups have met with the Jobs and Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton in Dublin to discuss plans to reform wage-setting agreements.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton is to meet with the Restaurants Association of Ireland today to discuss JLC wage-setting agreements.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is to meet with the Jobs Minister Richard Bruton in Dublin later this evening.

Richard Bruton has denied that he or his colleagues are involved in "solo runs" on matters of government policy.

THE Government is coming under further pressure over its plans to reform the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system as the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) said proposals to overhaul the system were “totally inadequate”.

THE Labour Party believes there is a need to change wage agreements for lower-paid workers, according to leader Eamon Gilmore.

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny and his Government are enjoying the afterglow of two very successful international visits and the poll published yesterday, as the Government approaches 100 days in office, will do nothing to dent its confidence.

Labour minister Pat Rabbitte has dismissed suggestions of a leadership-backed attack on Richard Bruton’s wage reform plans.