Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 523: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that staff at a training centre (details supplied) in Dublin 8 have not been awarded the second phase of benchmarking due in January 2004 or any of the three increases due under Sustaining Progress during 2004; if FÁS will give approval for these overdue increases to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1348/05]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The staff of the training centre in question are employed by a private sector organisation that receives grants from FÁS to meet its operating costs, including staff costs. FÁS is not the employer of the staff. While private sector workers are generally ineligible for benchmarking, it has been accepted that categories of employees of FÁS grant-aided organisations, which have demonstrated an established and agreed linkage to the public service, may receive benchmarking-related increases in return for the introduction of a modernisation programme. CTC managers, instructors and clerical workers have been approved for such benchmarking-related increases.

FÁS has informed me that payments reflecting the first phase of benchmarking were paid to CTC staff in April 2004. In December 2004, FÁS and the union representing CTC staff agreed the terms of the productivity and modernisation agenda required in return for phase 2 of benchmarking-related increases and phase 1 of Sustaining Progress increases. The next stage in the process is for FÁS and the union representing CTC staff to agree the verification process for the monitoring of the productivity and modernisation to be delivered by staff in return for the increases.