D Wednesday, December 16, 2009 METRO www.menexpert.co.uk HYDRA SENSITIVE Multi-protection 24HR Hydrating Cream NEW Unions picket Dil over cuts ANGRY unions last night accused the Government of crashing social partnership and torching the wreckage with sweeping Budget cuts. Around 600 public sector workers, including teachers, nurses, firemen and civil servants, protested outside the Dil as TDs inside prepared to cut their wages by up to 15 per cent. Sheila Nunan, of the Irish National Teachers Organisation, said public servants rejected being scapegoated in the Budget, adding that the Government had sacrificed its own workforce to protect the wealthy, privileged and powerful. Free energy machine is on public display... again NEW controversial technology which allegedly defies the laws of physics to create free power went on public display yesterday two years after a much-heralded demonstration ended in failure. Irish firm Steorn insists the Orbo device is now more robust and reliable as it welcomed potential investors to a Dublin viewing. But chief executive Sean McCarthy admitted the clean, constant energy-producing device could still end up malfunctioning. Im sure some of them will break, he said. Its a prototype technology. Orbo allegedly harnesses magnetic effects to multiply energy, and its inventors claim it can be used to power anything.McCarthy: Prototype Anger: Hundreds of public sector workers, including firemen, left, took part in the protest, while one demonstrator took the lead of Government TD Paul Gogarty Semi-state bosses may have pay cut BOSSES at semi-state companies could have their pay slashed under a review ordered yesterday by the Cabinet. Ministers agreed to investigate whether salaries of chief executives of ESB, CI, Bord Gis, RT, VHI and 18 other semi- state companies should be cut. The move follows an apparent split in the Government over whether semi-state companies should have to take reduc- tions along with public sector workers. Energy Minister Eamon Ryan said it should be looked at, while Transport Min- ister Noel Dempsey said the Government should not interfere with businesses. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has the power to cut the salaries of chief ex- ecutives only and has no control over the wages of other workers. Separately, Taoiseach Brian Cowen was accused of taking cash from the most vulnerable while pouring billions of euro into a black hole of banks. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said last weeks slash-and-burn Budget was pal- pably unfair and mean for the countrys blind, carers and disabled. Welfare payment cuts in these areas would make up just 108million when 175million could be saved by cutbacks to Quangos, already recommended in the McCarthy Report, he said. In an emotive attack on the Taoiseach, the Fine Gael leader said Mr Cowen wasnt the man he once knew, who had a genuine feeling for the voiceless. Ahead of todays vote on social welfare cuts, Mr Kenny urged a U-turn on plans to cut 8.60 a week from social welfare payments before Christmas. The blind and disabled cannot work because of their circumstances while carers save the state hundreds of millions of euro a year, Mr Kenny said. Yet you pump hundreds of thousands of millions into a black hole of banks, he raged. There can be nothing in our so-called Christian country that is as unfair. Insisting it was easy for the Opposition leader to say there were easier ways, Mr Cowen argued the drop in the cost of living over the past year effectively cancelled out the cuts. by briAn HuTTon Agrees to semi-state cuts: ryan index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html