Written answers

Thursday, 26 May 2016

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Public Sector Pay

Photo of John CurranJohn Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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164. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the timeframe for the public service pay commission to act on pay inequality. [12252/16]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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168. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure the recommendations of the public service pay commission, when it is established, will take account of the loss of earnings and allowances by public sector staff in its report and recommendations; the action he will take in respect of the two-tier pay in the public service. [12453/16]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 168 together.

The Government in the Programme for a Partnership Government has committed to establish a Public Service Pay Commission. As I have previously indicated (PQ reply 10976/16), the precise structure of such a Commission and the technical aspects as to how it would operate have yet to be decided upon and would require broad consultation with all stakeholders, including staff representatives.

The issue of addressing the difference in incremental salary scales between those public servants, who entered public service employment since 2011 and those who entered before that date has already been addressed with the relevant union interests under the provisions of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2018 (Haddington Road and Lansdowne Road Agreements). The Programme also commits the Government to fully implementing the Agreement.

The Programme states that the Pay Commission will examine pay levels across the public service, including entry levels of pay. It is important to emphasise that it is only within the terms of the Lansdowne Road Agreement that any further consideration of remuneration adjustment for any group of public servants, including issues relating to more recently recruited public servants, will fall to be examined. Any measures taken will also have to comply with the terms of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2009-2015 (FEMPI) as well as delivering the necessary productivity and other workplace change that will underpin their affordability.

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