Written answers

Tuesday, 19 November 2019

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Public Sector Staff Data

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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133. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the projected cost to transition to a four-day work week without loss of pay in the public sector. [47205/19]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Projecting detailed costs of transitioning to a four day week without loss of pay in the public sector would depend on a number of factors including:

- The amount of reduced working hours

- The distribution of the reduced hours

- How frontline services were treated

- The impact on overtime expenditure, premia payments and allowances

- The impact on agency expenditure

- The potential productivity increase per public sector worker

The projected cost sought in this request would require detailed HR data on the 337,000 Full Time Equivalent public servants including: grade; point on scale; work pattern; standard hours worked per week; usual hour worked per week; allowances; overtime; premia payments. This data is not available to the Department.

The total pay bill estimated in Budget 2020 is €19.6 billion. Assuming that transitioning to a four day week would result in a need to replace one-fifth of public service working hours, the estimated cost would be €3.9 billion. However, given the issues outlined above, it is likely that the cost could exceed this.

Some of these issues were highlighted in my department’s 2017 Staff Paper ‘Estimating the Value of Additional Hours Worked: Haddington Road and Croke Park Agreements’, which I have attached below in a link for your information.

Finally, depending on implementation, there could be wider costs to society as a whole from a decision to transition to a 4 day week in the public service, for example increased childcare costs for families to replace an existing school day. The potential effects on the broader labour market, economy and national competitiveness would also need to be examined.

">Estimating the Value of Additional Hours Worked - HRA and CPA

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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134. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated number of additional jobs that would be created in the public sector by a transition to a four day work week. [47206/19]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have responsibility for the non-pay terms and conditions for the Civil Service. Other Ministers are responsible for the non-pay terms and conditions in the wider public service.

The campaign for a 4 day week relates to a significant change to working time in Ireland for the entire workforce - Civil Service, wider public sector and private sector. In terms of the Civil Service position as an employer in relation to the 4 day week, significant research would need to be undertaken as to the feasibility of this, taking into consideration factors such as service provision to the public and any potential additional costs to the Exchequer, including as you mention, whether it would result in any additional headcount being required.

The Civil Service is currently a leading employer in the field of flexible working. Approximately 17% of the Civil Service workforce are currently on flexible work arrangements that include work-sharing and shorter worker year. Civil servants can also apply for career breaks which allows us, the Civil Service, to retain staff in cases where they need some time away from work to focus on other opportunities. Some departments also offer e-working.

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