SENIOR civil servants will this afternoon debate the introduction of a scheme that would allow public servants to try out early retirement for a year — and return if they don’t like it.

Increased productivity despite major job losses makes Teagasc a standard bearer for the Government’s bid to reform the public sector, reports Stephen Cadogan.

PUBLIC service managers have been asked to put an end to staff taking a traditional festive shopping half-day after the practice came in for strong criticism.

THE spectre of a savage €7bn package of spending cuts and tax rises in the budget emerged last night.

THE team overseeing the Croke Park pay and reform deal has said a “one-size-fits-all approach” will not work and each public service sector will have to decide how best to implement the terms.

THE man charged with overseeing the implementation of the Croke Park deal has told the parties to the deal he wants to see “quick wins” in the transformation of the public service.

AN interim Financial Services ombudsman has been appointed to replace Joe Meade who retired on January 2 at the age of 60.

AFTER nearly two months of turmoil, the player/manager controversy that rocked Clare GAA reached its conclusion at the county’s annual county convention last night when, in a departure from the official Clár, former star Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin was endorsed as the new manager of the senior hurling team.

IT’S a scene replicated everywhere in Ireland, new clubs coming to the fore in county finals.

THE Courts Service yesterday confirmed it was pressing ahead with plans to build a new courthouse on the outskirts of Tralee, despite local opposition.

EAST View Terrace looks out over the pretty, and inner city old Quaker cemetery off Quaker Road in Cork city.

An online pilot scheme to aid customers getting raw deals was unveiled today by the Courts Service.

THE number of divorces granted in the Republic has reached its highest level yet, with more than 3,300 marriages legally terminated last year.

BACK on the market, having been sold last year, is a large, detached house at number 2, Landsborough Gardens.

TEN addicts who successfully completed a drug court programme would be in prison or dead today, the chief executive of the courts service said yesterday.

Though still at a pilot stage, the Drug Court is beginning to prove that it can be effective in combating the insidious scourge of drugs.

A FULLY updated bungalow, on a third of an acre site just west of Cork city, is up for sale with a €340,000 price guide.