David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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30. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of reintroducing allowances for public sector workers in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17103/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As part of the 2012 review of Public Service Allowances and Premium payments conducted by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, a number of allowances paid to public sector employees were abolished in respect of new and/or current beneficiaries.

Extensive material relating to the review, including a spreadsheet summarising statistics and the outcome of each allowance reviewed, is published on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform website, .

A number of allowances previously paid to staff in my Department and in organisations under the aegis of my Department were abolished as a result of the aforementioned review and some other allowances were discontinued for new beneficiaries. The Deputy however will be aware that the Government has made no decision about re-introducing allowances and is currently in the process of establishing a Public Service Pay Commission to examine pay levels across the public service. 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, including engagement with staff representatives as was committed to in the Lansdowne Road Agreement.