Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy. As she is aware, a broad range of factors influence staff recruitment and retention. As a result of Ireland's significant economic growth, unemployment is low and labour market conditions remain tight. Labour and skills shortages are presenting recruitment and retention challenges for employers across the labour market, including the civil and public service, as the Deputy mentioned. Despite this, staff numbers in the public sector have continued to grow significantly. Between 2015 and quarter 1 of 2025, which is the most recent data available to my Department, overall estimated public service numbers in full-time equivalent terms increased by over 36% from 302,000 to over 411,000.

The public service is a good employer and continues to offer competitive pay and other terms and conditions to attract and retain staff, including flexible working arrangements, opportunities for continuous professional development, pension provision and secure employment. In the case of recruitment policy in the Civil Service, for which I have policy responsibility, my Department works closely with the Public Appointments Service and other Departments to achieve the objectives set out by the 2024 plan for Civil Service renewal and to ensure that the State remains an employer of choice.

The Deputy referenced remuneration. As she is aware, pay in the public service has been governed by a system of collective agreements since the negotiation of the Croke Park agreement in 2010. These agreements have enabled the Government to increase pay for our public servants in a fair, sustainable and affordable way. The current agreement runs for two and a half years from 2024 to mid-2026 and the total cost amounts to €3.6 billion. The agreement provides for increases of 10.25% over a two-and-a-half-year period. This is made up of general round increases totalling 9.25%, as well as a provision for a local bargaining mechanism equivalent to 1% of the basic pay cost.

Under the current agreement to date, public servants have benefited from pay increases totalling 6.25%. There is one further general round of 1% for all public servants due on 1 August. This will be followed by two further general round increases in 2026, with an increase of 1% in February 2026 and an increase of 1% in June 2026.

The agreement also contains a local bargaining provision, which allows management-----

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