Ireland’s economy will have grown throughout last year for the first time since 2007, economists have said.

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

IT has been a year since Fianna Fáil and the Green Party handed over control of our economy to the EU and IMF.

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 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 Tánaiste has confirmed the Government will hold talks with the European Central Bank in the autumn about inflicting losses on senior bondholders at Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide.

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.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has opened the door for Government and unions to create a new form of social partnership on workers’ rights.

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.

SPECIAL rates for Sunday work will not apply to new employees in the retail, hospitality and other sectors under proposals brought to Cabinet this week, Minister for Employment Richard Bruton has confirmed.

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.

A protest will take place outside the Dáil later against controversial plans to reform wage-setting mechanisms in the hotel, catering and cleaning sectors.

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

The National Women's Council of Ireland is accusing Jobs Minister Richard Bruton of ignoring their requests for a meeting on proposed changes to wage agreements known as Joint Labour Committees.

The Enterprise and Jobs Minister has indicated that any reform of JLCs may only apply to newly hired workers.

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.

CRITICS of Enda Kenny have taken cheap shots at his College Green performance.

The number of people signing on the dole has increased further, taking the unemployment rate to 14.8%.

THIS media fuss about “trouble in the government” over Joint Labour Committees is daft.

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.

ONE of the hottest Aprils on record resulted in people packing into pubs as latest figures show bar sales in the month soared 1.5%.

Business groups have welcomed proposals to reform the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) wage-setting mechanisms.

A REVIEW of the legally binding agreements which set the wages for more than 200,000 workers has concluded that the current system should be maintained to protect the employment standards of vulnerable workers.

Socialist MEP for Dublin, Paul Murphy, has slammed employer’s body IBEC’s call for axing local wage agreements such as the Joint Labour Committees as "a greedy attempt to shore up profits at the expense of workers’ wages."

The Small Firms Association is calling on the Government to allow small businesses to be exempt from some pieces of employment legislation.

THERE has been some discussion in the media in relation to “Registered Employment Agreements” and how they affect employers in the construction sector.

Retail Excellence Ireland, the representative body for Ireland’s retail industry, has welcomed the new Programme for Government's commitments to act swiftly on its pledges to reform commercial rents and retail industry wage setting mechanisms.

The representative body for Ireland’s retail industry is calling on Irish retailers and their employees to support Fine Gael and Labour Party candidates on polling day in General Election 2011.

The Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association has called for the abolition of the Registered Employment Agreements (REA) and Joint Labour Committees (JLC), in response to the proposed reduction in the national minimum wage.

CONSUMER spending is stabilising but retailers will still be under significant pressure to offer bargain discounts in the run-up to Christmas, say analysts.

IBEC will today demand the Government radically overhaul the system which sets wages and conditions for up to 170,000 workers, claiming it is out of touch with the current recession.

The High Court action calls existing industrial relations law and practice into question, writes Stephen Rogers.