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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

A VERY HAPPY EASTER.

Due to the Easter Break our office at Griffith College will close at 4.00pm this Thursday April 1st & will re-open at 10.00am on Monday April 12th.

In the meantime the Committee and office staff of the Dell Redundant Workders Association wish it members and their families:
A VERY HAPPY EASTER.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Query on EU Microfinance Credit Facility

Reply from Marian Harkin MEP

Dear Fergus,
Just to update you on the situation regarding the Microfinance Credit Facility. The European Parliament voted in favour of this facility in February of this year and the European Commission are now working with the European Investment Bank to put the facility in place. I am in contact with the Commission Representative on a regular basis following the progress of the package. It is envisaged that the package should come onstream in June of this year i.e. that it would be available through financial institutions to loan to entrepreneurs. As soon as we have any further information we will send it to you.

My particular interest is ensuring that Credit Unions have access to this money so that it can get to those people that the banks would not consider.
I will keep you informed as to what is happening and indeed I will be on the European Parliament delegation that will be meeting with Dell workers in Limerick on the 3rd and 4th of June in order to assess how the fund is working, so I'm sure I'll see you them. In the meantime, drop me an email at the beginning of May and if I have further new I will update you.

Yours,
Marian Harkin MEP
European Parliament
60 Rue Wiertz
1047 - Brussels
Tel: 00322831631
Fax:00322849797

Email: marian.harkin-office@europarl.europa.eu
Website: www.marianharkin.ie

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Credit Unions Included In EU Loan Scheme

It may be of interest to our members especially those of you who toying with the idea of going into business that Irish credit unions will soon able to award up to €25,000 in loans to small and start-up businesses under an EU scheme being rolled out this year. This was due to an initiative of our own Marian Harkins MEP.

The European Microfinance Fund was announced in Brussels last December and will see a total of €100 million being made available through financial institutions across all member states over the next four years.Read On

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

European Commission New Funds, Better Rules

A BEGGINERS' GUIDE

Overview of new financial rules and
funding opportunities 2007-2013Read On

Friday, March 19, 2010

Financial Planning Advisory Service

My Name Is Patricia O'Donnell
And I Own And Operate
A Financial Planning Advisory Service.


I am currently working with the Dell Redundancy Workers Association, through which I am available to assist you, in dealing with any Financial Issues you may be encountering, especially now that you are no longer in work.
This is a FREE service brought to you through the Dell Redundant Workers Association.

Some of the areas I can help you with are as follows :

Options & Ways to assist with Saving Money, for eg: Saving on Life Cover, Mortgage Interest rates etc.
Managing your affordability, for eg: Household Budgeting, Education Planning etc.
Financial Issues with Starting a new Business, for eg: Credit Applications, Insurance costs etc.
Guaranteed Short Term Investments for those of you with lump sums to invest.

I will be available at the DRWA office ( Griffith College) every Tuesday & Wednesday afternoon 2 - 4pm for the next 6 weeks.

THIS IS A FREE SERVICE and I lOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU THERE.

Patricia O'Donnell QFA

My Contact details are:
Mobile : 087 9865801
Email: info@podfinancial.ie
WEBSITE: Pod Financial

KNOW YOUR TAX

Know Your Tax is a Limerick based tax practice that offers an affordable, reliable & thorough tax review service for Dell, Banta, Flextronics, Irish Express Cargo employees or any individuals made redundant in 2009. Through the EGF information day, free tax advice was offered and a number of employees signed up for the NO REFUND NO FEE service.

Hereunder is a summary of the statistics from these reviews.

90% of employees were entitled to a tax refund(s) even though 86% had already received a PAYE refund or a number of refunds in 2009/10.

Sample of First 50 Dell Employees who Signed up for a PAYE Review

Average Tax Refund (including top slicing relief refunds) €1,072
Average Tax Refunds (excluding top slicing relief refunds) €428

Firstly 86% of individuals had already received a PAYE refund and thought no further refunds would issue however ….

10% were entitled to No further Refunds

10% were entitled to refunds of €50 - €100

20% were entitled to refunds of €100 - 250

30% were entitled to refunds of €250 - €500

16% were entitled to refunds of €500 - €1,000

8% were entitled to refunds of €1,000 - €5,000

6% were entitled to refunds of €5,000 +


You can apply for a PAYE review through any of the following:


(1) Complete an application form attached (which outlines prices for the services).

(2) Fill out an application form on-line on Know Your Tax

(3) Email info@knowyourtax.ie

(4) Call Bridget on 087-6916387

(5) Or call into the offices of the Dell Redundancy committee in Griffith College, 31/32 Upper William Street, Limerick to meet Bridget on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon’s 2 pm – 4pm for the next 6 weeks starting with Tuesday the 23rd March. If you bring a copy of your P45 and Income Levy certificate then all applications can be completed on the day.

Check out the application form or website for a summary of how this service works, prices and FAQ’s.

*** NO REFUND NO FEE!!! Even if you have already received a PAYE Refund,

NO FURTHER REFUND NO FEE!!! ***

Application Form for Refund

EGF Update

The following are the contact details of the EGF office.

EGF Office
2nd Floor
The Granary
Michael Street
Limerick.
Telephone No:061405508


The processing of claims is being carried out at the above address.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY 2010


TO OUR MEMBERS BORN & ADOPTED IRISH EVERY BLESSING ON THIS SPECIAL DAY FOR IRELAND ALL OVER THE PLANET. AND DO NOT FORGET TO HAVE THE CRAIC

Why not send us your images of St Patrick's Day for inclusion on the site. They may be sent to:dellrwa@gmail.com

Permission has been sought from Ms Fallon for the use of the above image.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

JOINT COMMITTEE ON ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND EMPLOYMENT


On Thursday March 4th a SESSION of THE JOINT OIREACHTAS COMMITTEE ON ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND EMPLOYMENT was held in Leinster House. This was to hear from The Dell Redundant Workers Association as to the present impasse regarding the distribution of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund. The DellRWA was represented by:
Denis Ryan(Chairman) and fellow Committe members PaulO'Connor(Vice-Chairman), Gerry Hinchy(Treasurer), Tony O'Shea(Negotiator), Pat O'Sullivan(Representing Non-Nationals) as well as Thomas Costelloe(Secretary)

The DellRWA gave a spirited performance which has been referred to in a previous post on this site. A thorough presentation of the facts were put before the TDs present. Various issues concerning the European Globalisation Fund were aired. FAS & The Dept of Social Welfare were probably a bit the worst for wear after the proceedings. At the end of the SESSION there was a Q & A in which our Committee were grilled. We who watched them on the office PC in Griffith College via streaming media were rooted to the spot while we watched a sort of history been made before our very eyes.

It should not be forgotten that your Committee followed in the footsteps of former Giants of Labour, Commerce and Industry who at one time or another bestrode this sacred place like a colossus.

A transcript of the proceedings is available here

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

MAGAZINE FOR ORIGINAL PEOPLE

The following appeared on No.2 Edition February 2010 in Magazine For Original People

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

The Latest Good News From Europe

EU Employment and Social Affairs Ministers have agreed on March 8, 2010 a new facility to provide loans to people who have lost their jobs and want to start or further develop their own small business.Read On

OUR FACEBOOK GROUP SITE

We are delighted to confirm that your FACEBOOK emails have been attended to. We have also answered some of your queries and hope to continue in that vein. If you have any ideas for improving the Dell Redundant Workers Limerick Group site we'd like to hear from you.

Link: Dell Redundant Workers Limerick Group

IDEAS & INVENTION: Patent, Copyright, Trademark etc

We wish to thank INVENTIONS WANTED for the use of the above cartoon

There are probably many of you who have ideas spinning around in your mind.
Did you ever wonder what it might be like to go a step further and develop that idea. With that in mind there are many skills which might be brought to the table in order to get your idea off the ground. What is the difference between patent/copyright/trademark?

Here are some links to whet your appetite & which may be of use to you.

The Student Zone

Why Patent Inventions?

Intellectual Property Assistance from Enterprise Ireland

Welcome to the Invention Gallery

FUTURA DESIGN

Copyright FAQs

Friday, March 5, 2010

Dellredundantworkers Limerick, FACEBOOK site

With regards to Facebook site we request your patience while we are working on the site. We apologise to all of you who have not been replied to and assure you that this matter is in hand.

We Came We Saw We Conquered

Thursday, March 4, 2010

DELL WORKERS BEFORE OIREACHTAS COMMITTEE

04 March 2010

We wish to acknowledge the help of Limerick Live95 in publicising this story.

The Dell Redundant Workers Association says entire European Globaisation Fund scheme will fail if the workers are not involved in the decision making process.
Audio Feed of The Dell Redundant Workers at The Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade & Employment

Submission to Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade & Employment.

SURE CREAM ALWAYS RISES TO THE TOP!

Your Association Committee met this morning The Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade & Employment. The meeting which was scheduled to last one hour but in fact lasted almost two hours. This was as a result of the very comprehensive presentation on our part and the many searching questions from members of The Select Committee.

We can be very proud of the professional and frank manner in which your Committee presented the arguments and answered the detailed questions from those present. No quarter given or asked.

Many issues were thrashed out and the Select Committe has committed itself to The Dell Redundant Workers Association into the future.

It was a masterful performance from our Team.

A TOUR DE FORCE!!!

Dell Redundant Workers Association Support for Special Olympics Volunteering

I was at your info desk in the South Court Hotel Friday week and was speaking with Gerry Hinchy. We spoke about volunteering opportunities for the Dell Redundant Workers Association in light of the new amendment that allows unemployed persons to volunteer for a not-for-profit organization while retaining their welfare allowance/benefits. Gerry was very enthusiastic about the opportunity for Dell RWA members getting involved as volunteers for the Special Olympics Ireland Games which will be taking place between June 9th and 13th throughout the Limerick region. We are delighted that Dell RWA has elected to help promote the Special Olympics cause within your membership.

If possible, then, could you forward and circulate the following email to your membership list – it has dates of the upcoming and final Information Sessions for volunteering for the Limerick Games 2010.

Thanks for your support,

With appreciation,

Shane Moran
Games Volunteer Services Coordinator
2010 Games, Limerick
Special Olympics Ireland

Phone: 061 492812/Mobile: 085 1646 548

Email: shane.moran@specialolympics.ie

VOLUNTEERS for The Special Olympics Ireland Games

The Dell Redundant Workers Association meet with The Oireachtas.

We wish the Dell Redundant Workers Association Committee the best of luck today. This is a very special occasion.

Today we visit The Seat of Irish Government, Leinster House in an official capacity. This was as a result of an Invitation from The Oirechtas. The Oireachtas will hear at first hand of the concerns of the Dell Redundant Workers. This in relation to the distribution of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund(EGF).

An amazing number of Redundant Workers have been kept in a state of Limbo while they deal with an increasing Bureacracy. Is is a case of Parkinson's Law?

Anyhow today is a very special day and we would like to keep focuss on THE POSITIVE!!!

BEST OF LUCH TO DENIS RYAN AND HIS "BAND OF BROTHERS".

Dell Redundant Workers Association and Equal Rights 4 Non-Union Workers to appear before the Enterprise Committee

OIREACHTAS PRESS RELEASE


Dell Redundant Workers Association and Equal Rights 4 Non-Union Workers to appear before the Enterprise Committee

Representatives from the Dell Redundant Workers Association and Equal Rights 4 Non-Union Workers will appear before Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment tomorrow, Thursday March 4th, to discuss the European globalisation fund.

Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Willie Penrose, TD, said: “The current European Global Fund has been in place since 2007 to assist workers made redundant because of globalisation of trade and its impacts on market share patterns within the EU.

“A total of €23 million has been approved from the fund for workers laid off when Dell closed its manufacturing operation in Limerick. The fund, which is being administered by an office set up in Limerick and run by FÁS, is designed to help workers to retrain, to upskill and to provide funds for small business start-ups.

“However, concerns have been raised by a number of former Dell workers about difficulties in accessing the fund, while fears have been expressed that social welfare entitlements could be affected by former Dell workers applying for and accessing the funds.

“Tomorrow the Dell Redundant Workers Association, a support group which was set up to help the 2,000 people who lost their jobs in Limerick over a year ago plus a further 5,000 made redundant by companies that supplied goods and services to Dell, and Equal Rights 4 Non-Union Workers will appear before the Committee to outline their concerns about the European Globalisation Fund. It will also give members of the Committee an opportunity to discuss the fund and raise any issues they may have on its operation.”

The meeting will take place in Committee Room 4 at 11 am on Thursday, 4th March, 2010.

This proceedings can be viewed on-line here



For further information, contact:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
E: ciaran.brennan@oireachtas.ie

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

European Commission
& The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund


The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) exists to support workers who lose their jobs as a result of changing global trade patterns so that they can fin another job as quickly as possible.

Who can benefit?

Only the workers made redundant as a result of globalisation may benefit. The EGF does not finance company costs for modernisation or structural adjustment.
Read on

Reminder on Update from Dept of Social Welfare

Government Press Statement on Dell Redundant Workers/Education/Training/Jobseekers Payments

Monday, March 1, 2010

Copy Of Correspondence With Mary Coughlan

Is it any wonder how our members are frustrated when it has taken since 24/11/2009 to receive a reply to equal this from the second most important person in government!!!

Subject: Re: Email for Mary Coughlan:
Sent By: "Leigh Snedker"
On: 1 March 2010 10:24
On Behalf Of: Tanaiste
To: Fergus Alphonsus Murrihy

Dear Mr. Murrihy,

I wish to acknowledge receipt of your further email. I will bring your correspondence to the Tánaiste's attention.

Yours sincerely,

Leigh Snedker
Tánaiste's Office
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
23 Kildare Street
Dublin 2
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fergus Murrihy
01/03/2010 01:56
To: Tanaiste@entemp.ie
cc: info@fiannafail.ie, enda.kenny@finegael.ie, info@greenparty.ie, info@labourparty.ie
Subject: Re: Email for Mary Coughlan:

Dear Minister Coughlan,

The obvious offhand manner in which my most reasonable request is being treated is entirely unacceptable. This state of affaire would not be tolerated in any private organisation. That you the Minister is either not prepared or is unable to respond can only be seen as a cloak behind which to hide the truth of the matter. Although you say you met workers representatives in January 2009 in DELL, Raheen, Limerick you in fact did not. If you did I am not, nor have I ever been aware of actual workers representatives meeting with you. I wish you would prove me wrong and give me the names I request.

I wish simply to be treated with the dignity that I'm rightly due when requesting information from a servant of the State. I await with bated breath your response.

Regards

Fergus Murrihy
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
----- Original Message -----
From: Tanaiste@entemp.ie
To: "Fergus Murrihy"
Sent: Thursday, 28 January, 2010 15:30:42 GMT +00:00 GMT Britain, Ireland, Portugal
Subject: Re: Email for Mary Coughlan:

Dear Mr Murrihy,

I wish to acknowledge receipt of your further email to the Tánaiste and
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Mary Coughlan TD.

I will bring your correspondence to the Tánaiste's attention as soon as
possible.

Noeleen Kelly
Tánaiste's Office
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
23 Kildare Street
Dublin 2
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
28/1/2010

Hi Rebecca,

I notice that there has not been any follow up to my correspondence since
25 November 2009. I am very disappointed at your lack of response. I would
appreciate if you could expedite a reply to my simple query. This
information is very important to me.

Regards

Fergus Murrihy

http://www.fergusmurrihy.com/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
----- Original Message -----
From: Tanaiste@entemp.ie
To: fmurrihy@ireland.com
Sent: Wednesday, 25 November, 2009 11:02:13 GMT +00:00 GMT Britain,
Ireland, Portugal
Subject: Re: Email for Mary Coughlan:

Dear Mr Murrihy,

I wish to acknowledge receipt of your email below, this will be brought to
the Tánaiste's attention at the earliest opportunity.

Kind regards,

Rebecca Clarke
Tánaiste's Office
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
23 Kildare Street
Dublin 2
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: fmurrihy@ireland.com
To: tanaiste@entemp.ie
Sent: 24/11/2009 22:37
Subject:http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0113/dell.html

Dear Ms Coughlan,

With reference to the above link I would appreciate if you would verify the accuracy of the following "The Tánaiste was in Limerick meeting representatives of Dell workers". Also I would appreciate if you could supply me with the names of
any or all of the workers' representatives you met on that occasion.
Regards

Fergus Murrihy
DELL ID 109751
1 St Annes Court
Bishop Street
Limerick

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Email Disclaimer:

http://www.entemp.ie/corporate/it/e-mail_disclaimer_text.htm?
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Sometimes One Ends Up Being The Victim Of One's Own Success

Due to the unprecended wave of emails, phone calls and personal calls to the office we have been unable to attend to your needs as promptly as we would wish to and that you might rightly expect. We hope this coming week with the addition of new help that this matter would be attended to. We apologise to you the members for this delay.