The Davy report is from 2017.
Housing for key workers
- Thread starter Purple
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Exactly, isn't it those at the lower end of the income market that should be prioritised for supports? So again that would reinforce the argument for focusing on the lower paid in the private sector.
Many at the lower end of the income market already get supports in the form of RAS and HAP. The workers who need additional support are those whose income is above the threshold for those supports but who cannot afford to rent or buy in the cities. Those who can work remotely have the option of relocating to less expensive parts of the country but that is not an option for many urban based essential jobs.
For a single teacher earning up to 35k Net increasing to 40k Net next year living in Dublin they like anyone else can qualify for housing supports.
They can apply but they will probably not qualify. I have yet to encounter a teacher who qualified for housing supports and I have worked in schools for over 30 years. Just recently a young teacher in my school had a conversation with a member of our support staff who had just been allocated a social house outside of Cabra where she grew up. She wasn't happy about being asked to move. The teacher said that she would have no choice but to leave Dublin next year as rent was too expensive and she would have no realistic chance of owning a property. The advice she got was to "put her name on the list". The teacher had to ask "what list"? Single people do not have priority on any housing list so even if she knew what list to apply for it is likely that she would languish on the list for several years and her income would move above the income limit. She has now left our DEIS school to take up a job in the Midlands. No one applied to replace her.
BoscoTalking
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If the cities and towns in Ireland had decent dependable transport that supported local hospitals, schools etc it would be better for *everyone* and those whose salaries didn’t stretch could live a little further out and still commute like they do in other countries, namely the UK.
Nurses and other hospital staff are travelling long distances to Dublin from Carlow, Wexford and Meath to city centre hospitals to work 12 hour days and pay for parking (or have to park a walk away where they are not accompanied in the dark ) are indeed the unsung hero’s - how they break even after they pay the diesel is beyond me. And I know a few of them and I wonder is it a mixture of vocation, pride, bloody mindedness or whatever that keeps them driving on in all weather, through COVID and all the rest. But I guess they do this to be able to own their own home and not rent forever.
The strong unions will press for these for their members - fair enough, but as a member of private sector I’ed rather see better transport services for workers first, where we could all benefit.
Nurses and other hospital staff are travelling long distances to Dublin from Carlow, Wexford and Meath to city centre hospitals to work 12 hour days and pay for parking (or have to park a walk away where they are not accompanied in the dark ) are indeed the unsung hero’s - how they break even after they pay the diesel is beyond me. And I know a few of them and I wonder is it a mixture of vocation, pride, bloody mindedness or whatever that keeps them driving on in all weather, through COVID and all the rest. But I guess they do this to be able to own their own home and not rent forever.
The strong unions will press for these for their members - fair enough, but as a member of private sector I’ed rather see better transport services for workers first, where we could all benefit.
They will qualify if they meet the income requirements and receive a Hap payment. I would say there is a lack of knowledge available about their entitlements in general. Aa a single person earning 50k gross most likely thinks the Hap scheme is only for those on social welfare and people working in reasonable good employment dont qualify.
Thanks for the advice. I will definitely spread the word about that. Anything that can be done to stem the exodus of staff is worth a try because we are in crises. No substitute staff and children with SEN being left without their support teachers as they are being re-deployed to cover mainstream classes.
Unsung might be stretching it. Every time I read a paper or turn on the radio there's a nurse on telling the world how brilliant that are, how hard they have it and how under paid they are. There are lots of people commuting and working long days. Many of them get paid far less than nurses and aren't the beneficiary of a heavily subsidised third level education. Of they work in construction they are at a far higher risk of injury or death, have far more difficult working conditions, have far worse terms an conditions, work much longer hours and are doing essential work. They also don't do nearly as much moaning.
I do agree that better public transport is important and that their employer should provide parking for nurses while they are working.
Totally agree Purple. Sick hearing about nurses and teachers and their vocation and entitlement above others. Retired now from disability sector. 20 yrs from changing nappies on old people to looking after the most extreme and violent behaviour.
Worked hard enjoyed the work at times and found it difficult and dangerous other times. Very few working have it easy nowdays. That includes all workers. To continually benchmark off teachers and nurses some who have it difficult but most who have it better than the majority is wrong.
What in it are you suggesting is not correct?
Exactly, that's the whole point. teachers only make up a small number of such jobs, and they are better paid than many of them.
It's quite remarkable that teachers are still allowed to take career breaks in these circumstances. A friend of mine who is a recently retired teachers has been giving out about that for years. She said that contractually career breaks are only meant to be authorised if a suitable and suitably qualified replacement can be found. That's clearly not the case at the moment.
The Davy study is at odds with a recent Central Statistics Office (CSO) paper
That was addressed already, if you read it you'll be aware that the CSO report confirms that those on the lower rungs of salary structures in the public sector are better paid than those in the private sector.
Unless of course you think that it is CEOs and the like who are most in need of support?
I worked for a high street bank in the UK for many years in the 90's, we had "big city" allowances in our contracts, in effect, if you worked in London, you got an extra £3200, Manchester it was perhaps half of that etc etc. It was a competitive industry for staff so you had to pay to attract and retain. I'm surprised this never seems to have been applied here
As for "key worker", I think the issue here will be that in everyone's mind, they are a "key worker". We also are a nation of begrudgers, if the teachers get it, then the teaching assistants must get it, then the creche assistants and on from there.
As for "key worker", I think the issue here will be that in everyone's mind, they are a "key worker". We also are a nation of begrudgers, if the teachers get it, then the teaching assistants must get it, then the creche assistants and on from there.
All workers in London get a London Allowance. It is graded depending on how near you work to the city centre. It has worked well there for decades. Really think we need to consider something similar here for Dublin.
It isn't the case at the moment, but restricting career breaks would do nothing to solve the current shortage. Those who want to leave can do so anyway and can return and pick up a job of their choosing as there is such demand. If a school wants to retain a particular teacher it makes sense to grant them a career break. Then you have some hope they may return to your school. Otherwise they will resign and go to the hundreds of other schools that will have vacancies when they return.