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

The Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 provides for €887 million in additional pay restoration and increases. The agreement makes clear that the responsibilities that are upon me are to set up the public service pay commission, which was set up before the agreement - I did that - and to support the pay commission in submitting a report to Government during the second quarter. I understand it will report towards the end of June and then into early July. The subsequent Government response will be the subject of negotiation between the Government and representative bodies.

If the Deputy asks me to commit that a particular issue be dealt with in advance of engagement on the matter, all of the other bodies with concerns or needs over the pay agreement will ask why I am not prioritising them. I am happy to commit to the terms of the public service stability agreement negotiation being implemented by me.

Work is under way on pay equality, an issue on which I have answered the Deputy. We are dealing with the demands for so-called pay equality by those in the representative bodies, while parallel work is under way by the Public Service Pay Commission on recruitment within the health service.

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