News

UNITY SPEECH - Europe is going through difficult times both in its relations with the rest of the world and in its infighting between Member States and even between regions. The European Union’s founding values are undermined by the incessant attacks...

IMPORTANT DATES - The European Food Banks Federation has brought to our attention some useful dates:  16 Oct: World Food Day 17 Oct: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 22-23 Oct: Child Guarantee Expert Workshop - Children living in...

ELECTION PROMISES - Benefits and Work have produced this wonderful round up of election promises. Here is what they have to say:  First up, Labour are pledging to abolish universal credit, scrap sanctions and axe the bedroom tax. They are even o...

HOMELESSNESS - The Social Democrats today committed to a national Youth Homeless Strategy to make sure that young people are no longer left behind in the homeless crisis. Focus Ireland a homeless charity is to deliver a petition s...

STRUGGLING FREELANCERS - Following the news that Boris' final offer to the EU in a last-gasp attempt to salvage a deal has already been deemed unacceptable by the Irish government, the UK economy stands to lose a huge chunk of the income generat...

FUEL ALLOWANCE - The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection’s Fuel Allowance 2019 / 2020 season will begin today, Monday 30 September. The weekly rate of the Fuel Allowance will be €22.50 while the value of the lump sum payment that w...

EXTRA TRAINING - Jobcentre staff are to receive new training on how to help people with sight loss find jobs, through a partnership between the Department for Work and Pensions and the Royal National Institute of Blind People, which will also see som...

UNIVERSAL CREDIT - The announcement  (Saturday 28 September) that a Labour government will abolish the ‘cruel and miserable’ Universal Credit (UC) system has been warmly welcomed by Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union.   Unite has be...

INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITY - Not a normal week we can assure you, but the ABC and the quality of articles we write and publish is getting attention. We have had a huge surge in visits to our website this week. In fact, we are slightly baffled what has...

EU GRANTS - Projects funded by the Northern Ireland European Social Fund (ESF) have equipped 77,000 people with the skills and experience to thrive in the workplace and in wider society, while those supported by the European Regional Development Fund...