Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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75. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to introduce a living wage for all civil servants and public sector workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43906/18]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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88. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of employees working in the public sector with salaries below the living wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43899/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 88 together.

The actual number of employees working in the public sector with salaries below the living wage would require individual level data on the position of staff on each salary scale across the public service and details of the standard working hours per week for each individual grade. This data is not available to the Department.

However, an analysis of the available pay band data indicates that some 96% of all public service staff are on salary points in excess of €25,000 per annum. The suggested wage at €11.90 per hour based on the Civil Service 37 hour standard net working week equates to an annual salary of €22,975.

More detailed data on Civil Service staff indicates that only some 1% of staff (FTE) in the Civil Service are on salary points less than €22,975.

Any of those currently on an annual salary of less than €22,975 could be receiving remuneration in excess of the suggested living wage through additional premium payments in respect of shift or atypical working hours or are on salary scales that progress to the suggested living wage through incremental progression.

Pay increases within the public service are set through collective agreement. There are currently no plans to implement a living wage in the public service but pay increases under the Public Services Stability Agreement 2018-2020: 1% October 2018; 1% for those earning under €30,000 January 2019; 1.75% in September 2019 and 2% in October 2020 will further reduce those earning less than the suggested living wage.