Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider implementing a system to collate within his Department the annual pay and pension payments to local authority employees. [35188/11]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am happy to inform the House that such a system has been in place since the beginning of 2011.As the Deputy is no doubt aware Ireland is committed under the EU-IMF programme to reducing the overall size of the public service pay bill. While the pay and pension payments of nearly 31,000 Local Authority employees are not funded directly from the Exchequer they are nonetheless a major cost factor and must be closely monitored.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is coordinating the collection of information on local authority payroll and superannuation costs on a quarterly basis. This information is provided to my Department. Over the last number of years, enhanced numbers monitoring systems and multi-annual employment frameworks have been put in place. These arrangements will be strengthened to ensure that effect is given to Government decisions on public service numbers and will aid Local Authorities in planning future staffing levels and costs.