What the papers say

Journalist Liz Kennedy takes a look at what is making the headlines in Friday's morning papers.

The cost of a "sickie" is analysed this morning with council staff absenteeism said to be costing the local economy over £16m a year leading the Belfast Telegraph and the News Letter.

The information comes courtesy of a report by the auditor.

The total absences work out at just under 14 days for each person, with "stress and associated problems" cited as the reason for most sick leave.

Stress of a different kind makes the lead in the Irish News, with the paper labelling Thursday "one of the bleakest days for Northern Ireland manufacturing", as 260 workers were laid off at the FG Wilson engineering firm.

The editorial in the News Letter calls on the assembly to reduce the effects of the recession, dubbing the New Year "a disaster for our economy".

Big job losses in the Republic as well are the lead in the Irish Independent and the Irish Times, with 1,900 jobs cut in County Limerick.

Computer giant Dell, which is the largest exporter in the US, is to move its entire manufacturing base from Limerick to Poland.

Chant

Workers will be paid seven euro an hour less there, according to the Independent.

Inside the paper, it covers the jubilation in the Polish media at the creation of those jobs in eastern Europe.

One Polish paper marvels at the speculation that unemployment rates could soon be higher in Ireland than in Poland, "a scenario unimaginable just a few short years ago" it says.

There is a lukewarm welcome for the cut in interest rates.

"Both good news and bad," according to the Mirror. "Is it enough?" the Daily Telegraph wants to know.

The problem, the Telegraph says, is not the cost of money, but the availability of credit.

The Independent has a poll, which reveals that business leaders are losing confidence in Gordon Brown.

Only 28% of respondents are confident in his ability now, that's down from 42% last October.

Meanwhile, the only effect of the interest rate cuts, the Daily Mail argues, is further to penalise people who rely on their savings to make ends meet.

But the man who gets more stick in the red tops than the Prime Minister has to be Cristiano Ronaldo.

Squirrel

"Rev Devil" as the Mirror puts it and "'Ello Ron, got a new motor?" asks the Sun.

Both lead with a picture of the mangled £200,000 Ferrari that the Man United star crashed in a tunnel near Manchester Airport.

But the soccer superstar went straight to training after the crash, remarkably walking away seemingly unscathed from the accident.

And luckily, team mate Edwin van der Sar was right behind Ronaldo and gave him a lift, leading the Sun to pen a new chant for the fans:

"Que Sera, Sera, Ronaldo's smashed his brand new car,

But he was helped by van der Sar,

Que Sera, Sera."

And finally, what flavour of crisps is your favourite?

Could it be squirrel? One crisps manufacturer has been holding a competition and now it's throwing out a challenge to the public to pick their favourite, as the Mail and the Independent note.

'Cajun squirrel' ("not containing any real squirrel") might be your choice, or 'chilli and chocolate' or what about 'builder's breakfast', with bacon the overwhelming whiff on these ones.

The Independent has the man who came up with 'cajun squirrel' as the potential winner.

He reckons that the public will be so intrigued that they will buy a packet just to try it.