David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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12. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department is committed to equal pay for equal work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3275/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The 10% reductions in starting pay for certain new entrants were introduced by the then Government in January 2011 as part of the National Recovery Plan in order to reduce the Public Service Pay Bill. Terms and conditions of employment for public servants are also set by reference to legislation including the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts and through negotiation and agreement under collective agreements such as the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) and the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA). 

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 was addressed with the relevant union interests under the provisions of the Haddington Road Agreement.

Flexibility provided for within the LRA has allowed particular sectoral issues to be addressed such as the restoration of supervision and substitution payments and new entrant payments in the Education Sector and the restoration of rent allowances to new entrant firefighters and members of An Garda Síochána and this shows the potential of a collective approach in dealing successfully with such issues.