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

Because of the variety of work public and civil servants do and because of shift work and so on, there are a variety of work agreements and arrangements. That is the reason we have a public service pay agreement. The Deputy asked me what are my principles. We are making faster rates of wage increase available to people who earn less. That is me putting my principles into action. We need to ensure that those who earn less within the public service and Civil Service have the opportunity to have their wages fully restored. Perhaps the Deputy has shifted the Sinn Féin position on this matter, but my understanding is that his party welcomed the ratification of the recent agreement and understood that there are some people who work in our public service and Civil Service who are on higher levels of wages because of the markets in which they operate, for example, hospital consultants and those who provide specialised services. We must remunerate those people so they continue to provide those services within our State. That is why they are getting increases that are larger in cash terms than those who earn less. We are doing so because we need them to work in our State to provide services that matter to our society. If the Deputy is asking what is my commitment to those on lower pay, I point to the fact that we have a wage agreement in place which will provide them with a path to wage restoration that is not available to many who earn more.

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