Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 322: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way that he intends to drive efficiencies in semi-State companies under the remit of his Department; if public sector pay cuts announced in budget 2010 will apply to these companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48140/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Achieving efficiencies in Commercial Semi-State companies under the remit of my Department is in the first instance a day-to-day matter for the companies themselves in the context the regulatory and market conditions under which they operate. As regards pay I would refer the Deputy to the statement by the Minister for Finance has stated in the Dáil debate on the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill, 2009 that he does not control the pay of staff of these bodies. They have not been covered by the public service element of pay rounds in the past and have taken an independent approach to controlling their pay bills, as happened in RTE, where voluntary reductions were agreed by the staff, or in the ESB, where there have been a number of voluntary redundancy schemes.

While these companies must be allowed to act commercially and in accordance with the normal industrial relations process, the Government is of the view that pay restraint in these companies fulfils a long-term national interest namely, ensuring competitive pricing for energy and other goods. However, the market and the regulators will impose such discipline on those bodies. Non-commercial State Bodies under the remit of my Department, funded by the Exchequer, will be subject to the general public sector expenditure discipline, which will drive efficiencies and will also be subject to pay cuts as set out in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill, 2009.