Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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108. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the cost of implementing a living wage of €11.70 for all employees directly employed or in agencies funded by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32565/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Remuneration of all the staff of the Department is as sanctioned by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for various individual grades in line with Government policy. 

Within the time available it has not been possible to calculate an exact figure requested by the Deputy, however, I can advise that the annual additional salary cost to the Department of introducing a minimum hourly rate of €11.70 per hour is estimated to be in the region of €225,000 per annum based on current figures for 73 staff employed at Services Attendant, Services Officer, Clerical Officer and Temporary Clerical Officer grades. This figure reflects recent recruitment of staff at the starting point on the relevant incremental scale for their grades. However, as the maximum point on the incremental scales for these grades (Services Attendant, Services Officer, Clerical Officer and Temporary Clerical Officer) is above the hourly rate of €11.70, over time, and based on satisfactory performance, each staff member in these grades would proceed to earn more than the figure of €11.70 per hour. 

I have asked all agencies under the aegis of my Department to advise me of the position in so far as it relates to their agency and will communicate this information to the Deputy as soon as it is available.