Diversity Career, Jobs and Education Fair

the team who organises the Diversity Career

The team members of the Diversity Career, Jobs & Education Fair are extremely excited to work together on creating this unique event on 19th of February at the Millennium Hall in Cork City Council.

There will be free advice clinics, educators, support service providers and a range of businesses exhibiting on the day.

The Diversity Career, Jobs & Education Fair is an initiative of Love and Care for People (LCP). LCP is a Cork-based registered non profit organisation founded in 2004. The mission of LCP is to improve lives and promote safe, inclusive, equal, and thriving communities.

The Diversity Career, Jobs & Education Fair is a great opportunity if you're currently looking to recruit, enroll or simply promote your organisation as a diverse, welcoming and modern space.

The booking-fee is a sliding scale of €50 to €200 to suit your budget & includes lunch. This event is supported by Cork City Council, Cork Business Association, Network Cork, Cork City Partnership CLG and Together Razem Centre.

Mail: hello@loveandcareforpeople.eu

Why general damages for minor injuries must be dramatically reduced

 

This is because insurance premiums in Ireland are way too high, claims costs accounted for 75% of motor insurance premiums over the last 10 years; and the primary component of claims costs is compensation payments (the other is legal fees). So clearly any initiative to reduce insurance premiums must address compensation payments.

In terms of reform, the focus is on the minor, fully-recovered soft tissue injuries that account for over 80% of personal injury claims in Ireland.  According to the landmark reports of the Personal Injuries Commission, these are 4.4 times higher than in England and Wales, which are outliers for the rest of Europe, where even less is paid.

One example to illustrate this would be a person who suffers a bruised thumb due to the negligence of someone else. No ligament damage, no broken bone, just bruising. So they take 2 paracetamol and after a few days of swelling and discomfort, they’re fine again. If they choose to sue and just take their case to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, the first port of call for all negligence claims, they are in the frame for up to €21,200.

Damages are intended to provide restitution – to restore the injured person to his or her pre-accident state (in so far as money can do). But general damages at that level go much further and act as a punishment for defendants and a reward being injured. As they currently stand, they bring the entire system of compensation for negligence cases into disrepute and need to be re-balanced in a way that is fair, just, reasonable and proportionate as outlined by Court of Appeal judgements and the principles established by the higher courts in recent years.

For ‘constitutional reasons’ the last Government’s chosen route for sorting this issue is via the newly-established Judicial Council, a council of all the judges in Ireland, which  in turn is set to establish a Personal Injuries Guidelines Committee (PIGC) which is scheduled to produce a set of draft personal injury guidelines this November.

We do have concerns that this process will merely implement small-scale reductions and give the impression that the issue has been addressed; whereas nothing short of a very substantial reductions in the rewards for minor injuries is necessary in order to sort this problem. But we trust that the PIGC will take account of the common good and the impact damages are having on Irish society in their deliberations.

Finally, it should be noted that the Alliance’s issue is with general damages for minor injuries. We have no issue whatsoever with special damages that compensate for loss of earnings or medical costs.

NOTE: If you want references for any of the data we have used in this blog, please contact us at contact@insurancereform.ie.  Get Insurance Reform Posters here.

 

poster alliance insurance reform

Insurance Reform Posters available at the CBA Office

Posters are available in A3 and A2 at the CBA office, 5 South Mall, if you want to put them up. There is a PDF version available on request.

poster alliance insurance reform

 

The Alliance for Insurance Reform has welcomed the publication by ISME of a 'Fair Book of Quantum' which explores what general damages might look like following the review currently being carried out by the Personal Injuries Guidelines Committee (PIGC) of the Judicial Council.

Peter Boland, Director of the Alliance said “We welcome this publication by ISME as a way of prompting reasoned debate on this critical issue.  Insurance premiums in Ireland are too high. They are costing jobs, closing SMEs, damaging charities, sport and cultural organisations and community groups; they are shrinking Irish society.

“According to the Central Bank, the cost of claims accounted for 75% of motor insurance premiums over the last 10 years. So clearly any initiative to reduce insurance premiums must address the cost of claims among other things. The primary element of claims is compensation payments and according to the landmark reports of the Personal Injuries Commission, these are 4.4 times higher than in England and Wales for the minor soft-tissue injuries that account for over 80% of personal injury claims in Ireland.

“As it stands, not only do general damages for minor injuries act as a punishment for defendants in negligence cases but they reward being injured. As they currently stand, they bring the entire system of compensation for negligence cases into disrepute and need to be re-balanced in a way that is fair, just, reasonable and proportionate as outlined by Court of Appeal judgements and the principles established by the higher courts in recent years.

“We have a serious concern that the current review process will merely implement small-scale reductions and give the impression that the issue has been addressed whereas nothing short of a very substantial reductions in the rewards for minor injuries is necessary in order to address this issue.

“Finally, it should be noted that the Alliance’s issue is with general damages for minor injuries. We have no issue whatsoever with special damages that compensate for loss of earnings or medical costs. The specific reform we have asked political parties to endorse in the general election campaign is:

  1. Reduce unfair general damages to reflect international norms and the principles already established by the higher courts - including that ‘minor injuries attract modest damages’

The other three reforms we urgently need are:

  1. Review and re-balance the ‘common duty of care’ to require occupiers to take a duty of care that is reasonable, practical and proportionate
  2. Support a fully-resourced Garda Insurance Fraud Unit
  3. Insist on insurers committing to a schedule of forecast reductions for planned reforms”

contact@insurancereform.ie

Chefs of Cork Come Together for the President’s Dinner

Some of the finest Chefs of Cork are joining forces to create a culinary feast on the night of the Cork Business Association President’s Dinner, which will be held on February 22nd in Cork’s Vienna Woods Hotel. The President’s Dinner will be the host of the prestigious Cork Business Association Awards which are still taking entries! 

 

The President's Dinner will be a Culinary Experience!

The Cork Business Association has gathered some of Cork’s best chefs to create a fabulous dinner that will offer Cork foodies an exceptional culinary experience. We are moving away from over complicating dishes and towards daring and delicate combinations of high quality  ingredients. The Chefs of Cork will present dishes that not only showcase their creativity but also use the best local produce that can be found in and around Cork. 

 

Cork has always been known for its foodie accolades, especially most recently, having been listed in Eater.com’s top 19 places in the world to travel to for its culinary delights. Cork’s chefs across the Rebel County are ensuring that Cork is a food lovers heaven. New restaurants and cafés are popping up all over town; with new international flavours and different diets no longer being a problem but a celebration of diversity and an opportunity to show that everything is possible when it comes to good food.

 

Who's involved?

The Chefs of Cork are Martin O’Mahony of Cork International Hotel, Stuart Dardis of The Metropole Hotel, Trevor O’Keeffe of Cork Airport Hotel, Niall Mooney of the Maldron Hotel, South Mall, Peter Hennessy of Carrigaline Court Hotel, Fern Allen of Ballymaloe House and Adrian Hillgrove of Corks Vienna Woods Hotel.

 

This black-tie /gala event will bring Cork City’s highest echelons of business together and present the Business of the Year Awards in thirteen different categories ranging from Corks Best Pub, to Cork Best Professional Services and many more. The main sponsors of the night are AIB, JCB and Irish Examiner. Entries are still open so give yourself the 2020 start your business deserves and enter!

 

Buy tickets online!

Tickets for the night are available online on  www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com or contact info@corkbusiness.ie. Entries for the awards can be accepted through the website www.corkbusiness.ie