Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The answer to the Deputy's question is "Yes", in terms of the public sector pay commission and its terms of reference. The Deputy referred to new entrants, an issue which was also recognised in the supply and confidence agreement between the Government and Fianna Fáil. It is considering the matter and will issue its observations in the coming months.

On the broader issue and the background to it, the 10% reduction in starting pay for certain new entrants was introduced in January 2011 as part of the national recovery plan to reduce paid by the then Government.

The issue of addressing the difference in incremental salary scales between those public servants who entered public service employment since 2011 and those who entered before that date was addressed with the relevant union interests under the provisions of the Haddington Road agreement. From 1 November 2013, pre-2011 and post-2011 pay scales were merged into a single consolidated scale applicable to each grade. Generally, the third point of the 1 November 2013 pay scale is equivalent to the first point of the pre-2011 scale. All the relevant details are available on my Department's website. I will furnish to the Deputy any details he may want in that regard.

Any further adjustment for any group of public servants, including new entrants, can be examined under the framework of the Lansdowne Road agreement but must be considered in the context of the total cost of the agreement and the total cost of the outstanding FEMPI restoration post-Lansdowne Road, which is €1.4 billion.

Acting within these constraints, the agreement has provided the flexibility to address particular sectoral issues such as the restoration of supervision and substitution payments and those of new entrants to the education sector as well as some of the other matters to which the Deputy referred.

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