Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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251. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views regarding pay cuts (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33064/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In the course of ensuring that Ireland’s General Government deficit is reduced to the 2015 target of below 3 per cent of GDP, difficult decisions have had to be taken to reduce public service pay and pensions as an appropriate contribution to achieving this target. The then Minister for Finance announced in Budget 2011 that a 10% reduction would apply to the pay rates of new entrant public servants with effect from 1 January 2011 and at the same time that new entrants must start at the first point of the relevant pay scale.

I have agreed to address the position regarding the new entrant salary scales as part of the discussions which lead to the Haddington Road Agreement. The Agreement provides at Section 2.31 that revised incremental salary scales shall be prepared for same grade entrants to bring their position into line with earlier appointments over time.