Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

There is an over-riding need to reduce public expenditure, of which public service pay is a significant element. That is why we are seeking to secure the maximum savings possible with the pension-related deduction. The principle behind it is that the deduction will apply to all persons who are members of public service pension schemes and entitled to benefits under such schemes or receive payments in lieu of membership of such schemes. The deduction is a recognition of the preferential pension terms all public servants enjoy, compared to the generality of their private sector counterparts, both in terms of security and the terms available. I have tried to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the need to reduce the pay bill significantly, to ameliorate the effects on lower paid public servants through a banding approach. Public servants in this pay category are part-time employees.

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