Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Does the Deputy mean to say that 500 people get €30 million in increments? That is €80,000 or €60,000 each. I do not think it is €60,000 each. As an example, if they were each receiving an increment of €1,000, that is €500,000 and half that comes back, so it is less than €500,000. Would the Deputy recommend bringing in specific legislation for that sort of money? If we are talking real money, let us deal with that in a proper way. Deputy McDonald is not present, unfortunately, but the presentation of her argument seems to be much more important than the substance of it. This committee is about substance. As a people we have a horrendous task to solve our economic woes and this committee has a role to play.

I refer to the other point made by Deputy McDonald. I may be straying away from my role this morning in commenting on yesterday's meeting of the committee and the officials who came before it. To put it bluntly, there are standards of decency which should be observed when people come to attend. Every public servant should be treated with respect. This is a personal point of view about how senior public servants, who are servants of the public, must be held to account but in a way that is respectful of the individual. I do not think that was done yesterday, but that is a personal perspective.

Deputy McCarthy spoke about the biggest challenge and I think I have already answered that. We are driving an agenda for which we need to have a buy-in at all levels but we have not succeeded yet. However, I am determined to do that. The shared services issue is a very large and important agenda for us. The Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, spoke about the human resource service which is to be put in place. We are fast-tracking other areas of it and we can supply details of these areas. One body doing the task rather than 40 centres all doing the same work is a significant reform not only in monetary terms, but also in terms of efficiency. It is often the case that personnel officers are moved on promotion to other duties. This may mean that such individuals have no skills in personnel work. We need to change this practice and make it more professional.

On the Chairman's final point, I will send him a copy of the standard contract. The contracts for driving the reform agenda in my Department are all term contracts. The last time I sat beside the director at this committee we were discussing public pay - I should not say this - but he gave me a note in which he wrote that he was now earning half of what he earned in the private sector for doing a similar job and without the public scrutiny. That is an issue we need to be mindful of when discussing salary ceilings. If we want to recruit capable people to drive the change, then we must mindful of that also. The Secretary General has a seven-year contract. The new procurement officer will be on a contract and the Minister of State is determined that the pay for the office will be determined by achievement. This will be an innovation in the public service.