Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

My Department has access to detailed data on increments only in the Civil Service sector, for which I have direct responsibility. Detailed pay roll data for other public servants, including that for increments, are held and managed by individual public service employers. The availability of specific data on increments varies across those bodies. For example, detailed data on the cost of increments in the local authority sector is not currently available to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government as it covers 34 individual local authorities.

I have no plans for my Department to assume responsibility on an operational basis for the collation of pay roll data across the public service. Detailed data on increments are not currently available or readily accessible within the sectors. No specific financial provision is made to public service bodies in respect of increments because they are required to meet the cost within their overall pay allocations. As it is a matter for public service bodies to manage the cost of increments on an individual basis within their individual pay allocations, details are not sought for expenditure planning purposes and the information does not form part of the estimates process. However, the public service reform plan provides for a move to shared services across the public service and this will ensure greater accuracy of data and provide access to improved management information in real time. This is one of the many strategic benefits of shared services.

On increments generally, based on more detailed information recently requested by my Department on the total cost of increments in a full year in the various sectors, the estimated full year cost of increments in the public service excluding the local authority sector is estimated at no more than €180 million per annum and less than half that sum in 2012. Significantly reduced recruitment, the ongoing substantial fall in numbers of public servants and higher numbers reaching the maxima of scales have reduced the cost of increments. This cost will continue to fall over the coming years.

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