David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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204. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the cost of reintroducing public sector allowances for public sector workers in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17681/16]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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205. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the cost of ensuring that public sector workers recruited in her Department post-2011 are paid on the pre-2011 rate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17692/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together.

A reduction of 10% in pay rates and fixed term allowances was introduced for new entrants to the public service effective from 1 January 2011. Under Section 2.31 of the Haddington Road Agreement those grades which were subject to reduced pay scales in 2011 were assimilated to revised scales effective from 1 November 2013.

Payment of salaries and allowances to staff of my Department is made in line with policies and pay scales set by the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform. However, I am advised that the estimated cost of re-introducing allowances would be in the region of €20,000 per annum, while the estimated annual costs of paying public service workers recruited in my Department post January 2011 at notional pre-2011 rates would be in the region of some €70,000 per annum.