If we concentrate on the "hire & fire" issue, what are the differences between Ireland and Germany for instance? When I actually had employees, the recommended procedure to cover myself against getting my ass sued off was:

• Issue a warning about whatever sub-standard behaviour led me to want to get rid of them, together with a plan for fixing the problem.
  
• Issue a formal warning.
  
• Fire them.

This was a high-tech, small company, no unions, nothing. I was being advised by a high-end firm of solicitors. This was the minimum you needed to do.

That would take at least six weeks to a month, and if you didn't have cause, forget it. Once they get through their probationary period of at most six months or so and become a permanent employee you can't fire them without cause. You can make them redundant, but then you have to pay redundancy (the statutory rate was recently increased on that) depending on length of service and god help you if they catch you filling their job within a year - it's suing time again.

What do they make you do in Germany? Sacrifice goats to the horned god? Swim across a lake of sauerkraut?