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SIMON COVENEY HAS said that the Government has learned its lesson from a lack of preparedness for severe weather in previous winters.
The Agriculture Minister was speaking at the ‘Be Winter-Ready’ event in Dublin this afternoon, where he co-launched a website and booklet that provides advice for people and businesses as we move into the winter months.
Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe said that the Government currently has access to 211,000 tonnes of salt should we be faced with snow storms that have in the past ground the country to a halt.
A spokesperson for the National Roads Authority (NRA) said that €1.8 million has been spent on ensuring we have enough salt for our roads.
Donohoe said that this represents a “very significant increase” in the amount of salt available as during the last major snow “emergency” we need just over 100,000 tonnes.
Coveney said it was appropriate that the Government, alongside the NRA, Met Éireann, the AA and other bodies including Bus Éireann, was launching ‘Winter Ready’ on a day where there was an orange weather warning in place.
He said that the Government was “better prepared this year than ever before”, but added: “That’s not to say that’s there’s not still lessons to be learned.”
Flooding
Meteorologist Gerald Fleming said that he couldn’t predict weather beyond the next three to four weeks, but has concerns about flooding.
He noted that rainfall so far this month has been double the average, stating: “Flooding is certainly the major risk I can see over the coming weeks.”
Fleming added that the South and East of the country were particularly likely to be affected.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny wasn’t at the event, but released a video about the ‘Be Winter Ready’ campaign.
At the launch, Junior Environment Minister Paudie Coffey said that local authorities had plans in place to help homeless people during periods harsh weather conditions.
He noted that Environment minister Alan Kelly was chairing a working group committee with Dublin City Council to address acute homelessness and emergency responses in severe weather in the capital.
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Unbelievable that these highly skilled professionals have not had a pay rise since 2019.
Even more unbelievable some of the comments backing the management after they posted profits of 223 million last year .
the 200,000 a year they’re on isn’t enough, my heart bleeds for them
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: that’s a captain at the very top of the pay scale who is flying his whole life. The rest are on €50,000 – €60,000
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: only, that’s incorrect so toddle on!
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: When you have to cherry pick, and lie by omission, you just damage your own argument and show you’re in no way sincere in your point.
@Jason Ebbs: publish the scales so
@jak: O’Leary’s boys are unionized now also so he would be going through the exact same process and wouldn’t have any choice but to take what comes. Corporate greed needs to be sorted before it gets out of hand. I support these pilot’s 100%. The rest of the Aer Lingus staff should go out with them and support their rights as employees.
@jak: is that you Michael?
It costs a lot to become a pilot also a lot of time and hard work. If you are skilled at doing something you should be well rewarded. And I for one would want my pilot happy as the proverbial pig
Aer Lingus had an operating loss of €82 million for the first quarter of this year, 800 of the militant beggars intent on bankrupting the company.
@Pat Barry: I take it your in management
@Pat Barry: There were four quarters in a year Pat, when I was going to school.
@Pat Barry:
International Airlines Group owns Aerlingus, it’s operating profit for the first three months of the year was €68m.
IAG owned BA and Luftansa awarded their pilots similar to what Aerlingus pilots are asking. Aerlingus pilots haven’t had a pay increase since 2019 – therfore technically early less than they did 5 years ago.
Aerlingus requested 15 days strike notice knowing well if the union acquiesce, then Aerlingus would not be eligible to compensate its passengers under EU law, nice touch.
Yes, clearly the Aerlingus pilots are the bad guys.
@Pat Barry: if you bothered to read the results, quarter 1 is always their least profitable quarter. Their profits for 2023 were 225 million. You can rest assured they are highly profitable but perhaps reading the facts doesn’t suit your narrative. Source – Aer Lingus website. Suggest you read it.
@Pat Barry: they regularly make a loss in the first quarter. It’s winter season. They clean up for the rest of the year. It was probably mentioned in that article where you got that €82m loss figure from. They made a huge profits last year after a loss in the first quarter. They are growing year after year.and forecasting more profits! Those “militant beggars” salary has lost 20% of its buying power. I think you’d be the same or should we let all companies walk all over us while they squeeze more profits year after year.
@Pat Barry: you don’t judge a company (especially an airline) on profits or losses in ONE quarter. They had profits of €225 million last year
But how will people on the dole be able to take their Social Welfare holidays in the sun now?
Someone please spare a thought for them in this whole mess!
Greed
they fly 700 hours a year ..legal requirement and on average 200k a year .that’s 285 euros an hour ….its not a whiff of greed its a union promoted stink intent on breaking aer lingus
@William O leary: 200k now is the same as around 165k four years ago….. The top of the American pilots scales are around half a million.
@William O leary: Aer Lingus regularly have to cancel flights because they simply do not have enough pilots to fly them all. This is because pilots have voted with their feet, and gone to companies where the pay and conditions are better. Aer Lingus are paying pilots less than, BA, Lufthansa, Air France and nearly all the major US airlines. Pilots are in high demand, and yet Aer Lingus freezes pay for 5 years, and refuses to match the pay of their IAG sister company. Not the cleverest management decision…
@Tanya Burke: and that is the way pay pressure works and should work in private sector. Not strikes.
@William O leary: be careful what they wish for – they’ll end up running the company into the ground. AL are troubled child for IAG, they’ll drop them like a hat. 8% of the corporation
@William O leary: That’s not bad. My family of 4s fare more than covered a pilots pilots pay down and back to Malaga…… On a packed a330. Another 300 passengers and cargo….. I wouldn’t worry too much about breaking that profit making machine!
@Tanya Burke: if all the other airlines are paying so much then why don’t they all leave and move to the other airlines..its a free market..
@William O leary: incorrect. That’s at the very top of the pay scale after many, many years. Most are on 60/70k. Facts can be pesky.
American pilots fly 1000 hours a year…..bit of a difference
I would pay for a pilot than pay for politicians
So they want a quarter of their current salary extra for pressing auto pilot for the majority of a journey lol
Nearly 93% in favour is a good indication of their intent. I hope they get what they want. Too many large companies screwing workers into the ground while raising their prices and reporting huge profits.
Good luck to these pilots. And I hope more people kop on soon.
Has anyone mentioned the free parking at Dublin airport, plus the generous travel concessions for family and friends. Its all on the AL website folks. They also get 21% of their salary paid into a pension fund enjoying tax free growth forever.. The list goes on and on. Am I allowed to wonder if any earn an income off the free parking. Hmmmm.. Only thing they can’t afford is a union that won’t embarass them..!!! Oh did I mention the free parking..
24% raise lol unions destroy companies.
Let’s all hope a deal is struck soon. It’s going to have to end in an agreement either way. I do feel as though the lesser paid pilot grades have a valid claim and should be fairly treated.
The only place where unions still exist with power is the public sector. The private sector employees no longer have that luxury in the hire em and fire em private sector.
@Paul O+Brien: you have no idea how hard it is to fire an employee in Ireland
The one reason I avoid Aer Lingus
@James Gorman: The pilots wanted a raise is the reason you avoid AL? Really?
Firstly I would like to note I am not a fan of striking, bully boy tactics to get your way. But reading the comments above there appears to be v little context on the situation. Last pay rise was 2019. Since the. Minimum wage has gone from 10.50 to 12.70. British Airways a sister company has increased their wages by 23%. While I don’t agree with the strike and the timing….just coming into summer, the euros and olympics. Not to mention that my husband is due to fly for a work meeting on Wednesday so I am already personally affected by the plans. I have to wonder what the management thought would happen.
Reading some of the articles here, it appears rugby is the sport of choice for a particular brand of sc@mbag….
Spare a thought for them if you seen them at the bowling alley
@Shane O Mac: they are rich people alrighty
I’m sure Aer Lingus bookings will be down over 90% going forward until a deal is reached.
I cant see this dragging on too long at that rate.
I’m glad to see it’s a work to rule and not a full strike. A clever move by the IALPA as the pilots continue to fly and get paid .
It’s enough to stop bookings and bring the airline to a virtual standstill over time if negotiations drag on into the summer.
When bookings dry up the rest of Aer Lingus staff could be laid off temporarily.
Aer Lingus management need to get a fair and workable deal done and quickly or huge damage will be caused to the Airline and that’s in nobody’s interest.
I hope the strike is fixed before the 2025 Six Nations
Typically the end of the month is when WTR has greatest effect- so definitely cancellations etc are happening end of next week unfortunately
@You’re Not Serious: Work to rule is worse for passengers than a particular strike date. At least passengers have a heads up their flight is cancelled with a strike…… It’s Russian roulette with the WTR. Anxiety for every EI passenger as opposed to just those affected on the strike date.
To the pilots on the forum and there be many, three questions already posed multiple times without reply. Let’s see if we can do better this morning.
Do you guys use the free parking at Dublin airport for personal trips, holidays abroad and the like?
If a pilot prefers to use public transport to travel to the airport can they allow a third party to avail of it?
Do any pilots earn a 2nd income in this way ?
have your say