Taxing low pay; redundancy row; O’Brien’s Actavo joins NBP bid

‘Business Today: the best news, analysis and comment from ‘The Irish Times’ business desk

Some 650 call centre staff working with HCL are threatening industrial action after being told they must either relocate or face “derisory” redundancy packages. Eir is taking the customer service work back in-house. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Some 650 call centre staff working with HCL are threatening industrial action after being told they must either relocate or face “derisory” redundancy packages. Eir is taking the customer service work back in-house. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times

Ireland fares well against international competitors when it comes to taxing low paid workers, according to a KPMG study for the Irish Tax Institute. Fiona Reddan reports that we take less form the low paid than others while Eoin Burke-Kennedy looks at options for the Minister for Finance if he is looking to raise funds to make the budget arithmetic work.

The 650 HCL call centre staff who are due to return to work with Eir are threatening industrial action after being told they must relocate to Cork, Limerick or Sligo, or otherwise accept what their union has called "derisory" redundancy terms. Mark Paul has the details.

Denis O'Brien's Actavo group, formerly Siteserv, has joined the last remaining consortium in the running for the National Broadband Plan contract, writes Peter Hamilton.

The Revenue has written to 12,000 people alerting them to the fact that it knows they are Airbnb hosts and advising them to voluntarily disclose how much they have made from letting out rooms in their homes, and pay tax on it. Barry O'Halloran reports.

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Colin Gleeson looks at the reports of the Personal Injuries Commission on how to reduce insurance costs and awards for soft tissue injuries, while Charlie Taylor has reaction from industry players.

The Government has finally secured the €14.3 billion in alleged state aid from Apple, as required by the European Commission. The money is now in an escrow account while the Commission's ruling is appealed, writes Pater Hamilton.

And high profile designer Orla Kiely has pulled the plug on her retail and wholesale business in Ireland and Britain, including its online operations. Mark Hilliard reports.

Joe Brennan's Banking Crash diary brings to life the major events of a decade ago.

And, as it draws closer, what will Budget 2019 mean for you?

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Dominic Coyle

Dominic Coyle

Dominic Coyle is Deputy Business Editor of The Irish Times