16 December 2022

FODO Ireland member update - 16 December

This week:

• Elections to Optical Registration Board, CORU
• CORU review of 2022
• Latest CORU registration statistics
• Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS)
• FODO opening hours over the festive period
• Other news

Elections to Optical Registration Board, CORU

CORU has opened nominations for the election of three members to the Optical Registration Board - one dispensing optician, another engaged in managing optometry services, and one in optometry education and training. The appointments will be for four years.

Nominations close at noon on 16 January 2023. FODO Ireland encourages members to apply as these are rewarding posts and help shape the profession's future for patients' benefit.

CORU review of 2022

CORU's CEO, Ginny Hanrahan, has published her annual end-of-year message, focusing on CORU's successes in 2022 and looking ahead to 2023. Read about CORU's increased registers and registrants, its public communication campaign and its new five-year strategy for regulating health and social care.

Latest CORU registration statistics

The number of optometrists has risen to 968, an increase of 16 since October and 35 since last December.

Dispensing opticians increased to 215, a rise of 3 since October and 8 since last December.

Read the full breakdown

Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS)

TBESS helps businesses with increased energy costs. Qualifying businesses can claim 40% of the increases in their energy bills (subject to a monthly cap). A published list will include all businesses that receive the support, including the amount received.

Watch the webinar for more details.

FODO opening hours over the festive period

FODO Ireland will close on the following bank holidays:

• 26 and 27 December
• 2 January

During 28-30 December, a team member will be on hand to help members. If you need anything, please email [email protected], and we will get back to you within 24 hrs.

Other news

2023 National Minimum Wage increase

The National Minimum Wage will increase from €10.50 to €11.30 per hour from 1 January 2023.

To ensure that the increase in the minimum wage does not result in employers attracting a higher level of PRSI charge, the employer PRSI threshold increases from €410 to €441.

Minimum 15% corporate tax rate for multinationals

A new higher tax rate for multinational corporations earning more than €750m a year will be introduced across the EU in 2024, impacting 1,600 firms in Ireland.

Read full details.

Business skills for SMEs

The Government has launched Skills for Better Business, a two-part initiative to assist SME owners and managers across Ireland. The resource provides an online tool for management skills assessment and signposting to management education and training that might be relevant to independent or aspiring business owners.

Economic Survey of Ireland 2022 - focus on the health sector

The OECD has published a chapter on the health sector in its 2022 economic survey of Ireland. The chapter provides an expert assessment of the health system and makes policy recommendations to maximise sustainability, efficiency and equity.

The report highlights the improvement in the Irish population's health, Ireland's successful response to COVID-19, the effective measures taken to reduce tobacco use, and the increasing five-year survival rates across almost all types of cancer.