21st June 2018

FLOOD DAMAGE BILL

The government says it has received damage estimates for around 4 ½ million euros from businesses affected by flooding this year.  30 business in all have lodged claims so far.  Most of these are in the tourism business, and located in the Muellertal region.  In three cases, it will cost more than a million euros to repair the damage.  Insurance companies will be covering some of the costs, as well as the government.   

EMPLOYMENT REPORT

The number of people out of work fell last month to 14 808.  That is around 500 fewer than in April and also round 500 fewer than this time a year ago. Typically the number of unemployed does fall between these two months before rising again in July.  The last 12 months have seen a reduction in the numbers of job seekers in every category except for the over 45s and graduates.  The actual rate of unemployment was unchanged at 5.6%.

DEATH THREAT ARREST

A man was arrested on Tuesday after making death threats to his former wife.  She has told police that he has also being making the same threats to her new boyfriend.  When police in Raemerich went to interview the man, they found he had two knives hidden in his car, so they decided to take him back  to the station for questioning.  He was charged yesterday in connection with the knife offenses, and could face further charges depending on investigations.

CIVIL SERVICE PAY DEAL AN ELECTORAL BUNG

MPs yesterday got a chance to give their opinion on the new pay deal struck by the government and the civil service union.  The deal all hinges on the payscales for new recruits to the service while they are in training.  It sees the training period reduced from 3 to 2 years, but trainees getting better paid for their efforts.  It came about rather suddenly after two years of deadlock between the government and the CGFP union.  Interior minister Dan Kersch, in presenting the accord, pointed out that bringing it into effect would be a job for the next government.  Opposition leader Claude Wiseler expressed his dissatisfaction with this, and said the alacrity with which the government moved to get the deal sealed suggests it was little more than a bung to the public sector ahead of this autumn’s general election.