Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

There have been two reports from the public service benchmarking body. The increases recommended in the first report of the body in June 2002 were implemented in my Department as follows — 25% of the recommended increase was paid in June 2003 with effect from 1 December 2001. The total cost to December 2003 was approximately €405,000; 50% of the recommended increase was paid from 1 January 2004, at an approximate cost of €491,000 for that year; and the final 25% of the recommended increase was paid from 1 June 2005, at an approximate cost of €150,000 for that year. The annual cost of full implementation is approximately €900,000.

The second report of the public service benchmarking body in December 2007 recommended an increase of 1.1% for the grade of principal officer. No other increase was recommended in respect of general Civil Service grades. The proposed Towards 2016 transitional agreement, which was recently ratified by ICTU and IBEC, provides for the payment of this increase from 1 September 2008. No payment has been made to date by my Department in respect of this recommendation.

The estimated annual cost of this award to my Department is €26,000. Pay increases recommended by the public service benchmarking body are conditional on delivery of real and verifiable outputs in terms of modernisation and flexibility.

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