Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

I tabled this question because the issue of increments has given rise to considerable public comment. In previous exchanges we established that cuts to or stoppage of increments would disproportionately affect people on lower incomes. I raise the issue not because I want the Minister to cut increments, but due to my astonishment at discovering that his Department does not possess the kind of data which I would have expected it to gather and which the chairperson of the Croke Park implementation body, P.J. Fitzpatrick, assumed it already possessed. It is important not only that the Department gather the data in question, but also that it become a repository for them.

The Minister should be able to take a bird's eye view. He cited the figures of €180 million globally and €90 million this year but he should have a more in-depth sense of what is going on. He recently announced his plans to establish a Government economic evaluation service with a staff of 20 to 30. If he is not going to be in the business of acquiring and storing detailed data and analysis on public sector pay, why does he want this unit? I asked him a direct question regarding whether he will assume responsibility for that kind of information. He appears to be saying "No" but I do not think that makes sense.

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