Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the action he will take to protect the current pay arrangements for prison officers. [10440/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In recent weeks, extremely difficult and complex discussions have been underway between public service management and public service staff representatives seeking agreement on a series of measures that will secure an additional €1 billion saving from the public service pay and pensions bill by 2015.

Following intensive engagement in recent days between the parties which was facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), the LRC has developed and recommended a set of proposals for consideration and agreement that seeks to secure the savings required by the Exchequer while ameliorating the impacts on public service staff to the greatest extent possible. Public servants will be able to consider the full set of proposals by the LRC. The public service staff representatives who remained in negotiations have indicated that these proposals will be subject to ballot by members in the coming weeks. The Government will await the outcome to this process but, in the absence of agreement, measures will be taken by the Government to secure the necessary reduction in the public service pay and pensions bill by 2015.