My dear mother told us we would have to listen to thunder.

Independent Alliance chairman Feargal Quinn has praised the decision to appoint David Begg to the pensions authority, despite his group declaring the move was a “crony” appointment.

That Tánaiste Joan Burton has used an ‘exceptional’ clause in the new public appointment rules to personally appoint former trade union leader, David Begg, as the chairman of the Pensions Authority, thereby bypassing the public appointments process, is further evidence that cronyism is still widespread in government circles despite what we had been promised.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has expressed full confidence in coalition partner Tanaiste Joan Burton, as the Labour leader faced Opposition claims of “cronyism” in appointing former trade union leader David Begg to a state board.

Former trade union leader David Begg has defended his appointment as chairman of a State board, saying his €20,500-a year pay for the role is “not a crock of gold”.

A backbench Labour TD has called into question her own leader’s decision to give a close party associate a State board job outside of the normal public appointments process.

Leading trade unionist and prominent Labour supporter David Begg is set to earn €100,000 over the next five years after being named the new chair of the Pensions Authority.

Central Bank directors allowed a 2007 economic stability report warning of a crash to be written in such a way that it “didn’t cause panic” to help “engineer” the fabled soft landing.

It is surprising that David Begg, who was on the board of the Central Bank and chair of the Audit Committee, is not being called to the banking inquiry.

The incoming general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has identified fair pay and conditions, collective bargaining and respect for workers as the three principles which will govern her tenure.

The revival of social partnership would be a real danger to the wider economy and to the jobs that depend on it, writes Gerard Howlin

David Begg believes it is imperative that we create the impetus for better wage rates, writes Michael Clifford

Former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg has been dramatically released after being cleared of a string of terrorist offences linked to the civil war in Syria.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions says an €800m adjustment is all that is needed in the next budget.

Employers should expect an outbreak of strong pay demands following years of pent-up wage pressures, Ireland’s top trade unionist has warned.

More than 20,000 jobs could be lost next year if the Government pushes ahead with plans to slash public spending in the budget, it has been claimed.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) has offered to coordinate bilateral talks between the Government and public service trade unions on an agreement to replace the failed Croke Park II proposals.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has said it is time to abandon austerity and build a fair recovery.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions expects that, despite Thursday’s promissory note deal, tens of thousands of people will still turn out for today’s anti-austerity march because of the anger that Ireland is still burdened with a €64bn banking debt.

A senior minister has caused uproar by branding critics of his failure to deliver promised €75m cuts in allowance payments as “simple”.

The head of the Irish trade union movement has today admitted that the public sector allowance system is outdated.

The battle lines between France and Germany were last night threatening to scupper an outline for fiscal, banking, and political union in return for joint responsibility for debt that is aimed at restoring some market confidence in the eurozone.

The Government should delay ratification of the fiscal treaty to allow the EU time to agree on new growth measures, the country’s most senior union leader has said.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has said the "tectonic plates" of Europe have shifted.

The Government’s job of selling the EU fiscal treaty has become harder after the country’s most senior trade union leader admitted that none of his colleagues supported it.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has insisted any cuts to public sector allowances will be made in the context of the Croke Park Agreement.

ICTU's executive council has today decided not to make any recommendation to members on how to vote in the EU Fiscal Treaty referendum.

Plans to move the pension age to 68 by 2028 should be postponed, the trade union umbrella group ICTU has said.

Irish Congress of Trade Unions general secretary David Begg is today calling on the Government to delay the introduction of a number of changes to the State pension.

The Government’s jobs plan has been criticised by both employer and employee representatives for its failure to tackle the lack of consumer confidence and domestic demand.

The Department of Finance has moved to reassure the Irish public today after official figures revealed that Ireland's economy has nosedived again, falling 1.9% from July-September of this year.

THE admission by Finance Minister Michael Noonan that he intends to increase the VAT rate to 23% in the run up to Christmas will surely be the final nail in the coffin to the retailers of this bankrupt state.

FIANNA Fáil has called on the Government to use the agreement reached at the euro summit yesterday to reduce the cost incurred by the state in recapitalising Irish banks.

A HOUSEHOLD tax will hit the less well-off hard and is unfair when applied equally to well-paid bankers and dole recipients, ICTU’s David Begg said.

The General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions David Begg has said Ireland will not be able to pay its debts, even under the terms of the revised bailout deal worked out in Brussels last week.

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has said the Government is “open and receptive” to dialogue with trade unions — but ruled out a return to the social partnership model of the past.

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.

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

TRADE unions have signalled their opposition to the McCarthy report and the proposed sale of major state assets.