Irish union official Adrian Kane was one of the international observers invited to Venezuela by the National Electoral Council for this weekend’s poll. He tells the Irish Examiner of what he saw in the troubled South American state.

Irish Water employees are to receive pay increments of between 1.5 to 3% until the end of next year, after which they will be able to receive “performance-related awards”.

Irish Water workers will seek wage rises of 2.5%-3.5% when a pay freeze ends in December, despite the utility facing serious financial problems after less than half of householders paid their first bills.

Hundreds of Irish Water workers are set to take action in order to receive controversial bonuses initially outlined in their contracts, in a politically sensitive move that comes at exactly the wrong time for Government.

Siptu officials will meet management at Irish Water later after the company announced bonuses are being put on hold.

Farmer groups have raised concerns about the closure of ACC’s retail bank with the loss of 180 jobs.

Siptu has claimed a former employee of the Diocese of Galway has been threatened with a legal injunction over plans to mount a protest outside a church on Sunday.

An information meeting is being held in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim later for staff at Bank of America's Irish office whose jobs are under threat.

Quinn Group has announced its intention to close the Quinn Packaging Plant at Newbridge, Co Kildare with the loss of 41 jobs.

A company which was at the centre of a bitter six-week strike is to close with the loss of 22 jobs, it emerged tonight.

The first all-out strike by the 2,000 strong workforce at Bord na Mona is to begin next month, it emerged tonight.