Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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137. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the timeframe for the Public Service Pay Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34061/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government has established the Public Service Pay Commission which held its first meeting yesterday and is now up and running.  The Commission will be advisory in nature and provide an initial report in the second quarter of 2017.  For its initial report, the Commission has been asked to provide input on how the unwinding of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest legislation should proceed.  This will inform any future engagement with staff representatives in relation to pay.  The Commission is chaired by Mr Kevin Duffy, who has a deep knowledge of Irish Industrial Relations after nearly 20 years serving on the Labour Court. 

The Government will retain the ability to negotiate directly with its employees in respect of pay.  The Commission's role will be to provide evidence-based objective analysis on pay matters to assist Department of Public Expenditure and Reform officials in discharging their negotiation function on behalf of Government.