Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government includes a commitment to establish a Public Service Pay Commission to examine pay levels across the public service. Most of us anticipated that the Government would adopt a coherent structured approach to public sector pay. I expressed concern when a much hiked salary was rumoured for the next Garda Commissioner. I am even more concerned at reports that universities are now to be given freedom to pay academics up to €250,000. It appears the Government is willing to make exceptions to pay policy but only at the very top. Does the Government intend to continue to make exceptions to top level public sector pay for the highest earners and where stands the Universities (Amendment) Bill, which would have put a stop to breaches of pay in those particular institutions?

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